Dum Diversas

 Dum Diversas Lives: USA and Russia - A Reflection and Warning

The papal bull Dum Diversas of 1452 marked a historical turning point in human relations. It offered the justification for the enslavement of non-Christians, particularly Muslims and non-European under the guise of divine mandate. King Alfonso of Portugal was granted authority by the Church - Roman Catholicism - to wage wars against the ‘Saracens’ and ‘pagans,’ to subjugate them, and to claim their lands and possessions. At the time, this declaration was framed as a defence of Christianity, a mission to spread and protect the faith. It was a pivotal moment that intertwined religious authority with political power, laying the groundwork for centuries of colonial exploitation and violence justified by divine will.

Today, in both the United States and Russia, we can see unsettling echoes of the same theological-political dynamic. The question arises: are we witnessing the same patterns of justification for violence and domination in modern geopolitics, this time framed within national and religious identity? The current conflicts, most notably in Ukraine and the rhetoric that supports them, reflect an uneasy continuity of these ideas, reinterpreted for contemporary politics.

In Russia, the Church's blessing of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine can be seen as a modern counterpart to Dum Diversas. The Russian Orthodox Church has endorsed the invasion, framing it as not merely a geopolitical struggle but a religious crusade—one that claims a divine mandate to defend Russian Orthodoxy and reclaim sacred lands. This mirrors the language used by the papacy in the 15th century, where divine authority was invoked to justify expansion, domination, and violence. The belief that God is on the side of the victors in war has persisted through the centuries, reshaping itself to suit the political realities of each era. But the psychological and theological underpinnings remain disturbingly consistent.

Across the Atlantic in the United States, the rise of Christian nationalism, particularly with movements like Project 2025, offers another example of how religion and politics can fuse to justify radical agendas. Evangelical Christian leaders are pushing for a return to what they see as America’s ‘Christian roots,’ with policies that align with conservative interpretations of Christian morality. The rhetoric is similar: a divine mandate to ‘restore’ the nation to its proper state, a moral vision that places religious beliefs at the centre of political life. Like the medieval papal bulls, this political movement suggests that certain actions—often aimed at exclusion or marginalisation—are not just politically motivated but divinely sanctioned.

Both Russia and the United States have seen the alignment of religious authority with political power to justify conflicts and policies that exclude, suppress, or harm certain groups. In the case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this is a matter of territorial and ideological control, disguised as a defence of faith. In the US it manifests in the moral justification for limiting rights, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial minorities, all framed as part of a divine plan for the nation. The underlying idea is not unlike that expressed in Dum Diversas: the belief that the power of the state is divinely ordained, and that those who resist this order are in defiance of God’s will.

In both scenarios, there is a dangerous erasure of the Christian ethos of love, reconciliation, and peace. The teachings of Jesus, which warn against the consequences of violence and the dangers of idolatry—such as the worship of political power or national identity—are sidelined in favour of a more aggressive, territorial, and exclusionary version of Christianity. This reimagining of Christian doctrine to suit political ends reflects a troubling tendency throughout history, one that co-opts religious authority to justify harm and oppression.

The warning here is clear: we must remain vigilant in recognising when religious rhetoric is used to justify actions that contradict the core values of love, justice, and reconciliation at the heart of the Christian faith. In the same way that Dum Diversas led to centuries of exploitation and violence, the current alignment of religion with political power can quickly devolve into a justification for further harm. The human psyche, when confronted with the blending of religious belief and political might, can become easily swayed by the rhetoric of divine approval, losing sight of the deeper, transformative message of the Gospel.

As we reflect on these patterns, we are reminded of the teachings of Jesus, who warned of the dangers of violence and division, and who called for a radical love that transcends political, national, and religious boundaries. If we fail to heed this warning, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past, where the language of faith is used to mask the pursuit of power and domination. The echo of Dum Diversas still resonates today, but it is up to us to ensure that it does not shape the future in the same way it shaped the past.