by Tim Isbell, April 15, 2026
As most visitors to my website know, I'm a minister in the International Church of the Nazarene, a Wesleyan Holiness tradition in the Christian faith. Despite the fact that I'm not a Catholic, I read several quotes from Pope Leo XIV in the past few weeks about Trump's war with Iran, with which I completely agree. So I wrote this web page to applaud his application of Christian thinking to the current situation. And I commend his courage in speaking out and defending his position when pressed. My voice is much smaller than Pope Leo's, but for anyone reading this post, I recommend aligning your politics with the teachings of Jesus. And if you have questions about what those teachings look like regarding the current situation, Pope Leo's quotes will give you a good start.
So, here are several of those quotes from the past few weeks. If I see more, I'll add them to the list:
The Christian mission had often been “distorted by a desire for domination, entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.” “Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable.”
“Enough with war! True strength is manifested in serving life.”
“Enough with the idolatry of self and money! Enough with the display of force!”
“We tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared (but) God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it.”
“Sit at the tables of dialogue and mediation, not at the tables where rearmament is planned, and death is deliberated!”
“Whoever is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, never stands on the side of those who yesterday wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”
“Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace… which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue.”
“Let diplomacy silence the weapons! Let nations build peace, not destroy futures.”
“Truly unacceptable — on threats to "annihilate Iranian civilization.”
“Absurd and inhuman violence is spreading ferociously… Profaned by the blasphemy of war.”