The role of conferences of bishops in the service of peace

Ujházi, Lóránd (author)

After the Second Vatican Council, Catholic pontiffs affirmed that peace is threatened by factors other than armed conflict, and these challenges are also geographically diverse. Due to the Roman Pontiff’s governmental primacy, little attention was given to the views of local churches. In recent years, however, there has been a tendency for lower-level church statements to influence the teachings of central authorities on peace, security, and just war. In this article, we will focus on the bishops’ conference. Over the last hundred years, this Catholic institution has undergone significant theological, canonical, and structural development. A conference of bishops plays an increasingly important role in shaping the Church’s ethical stance on war and social justice. Its statements and activities demonstrate that local churches are active shapers, not passive recipients, of the Holy See’s message on security challenges. Beyond presenting the legal and theological frameworks, this article suggests ways in which the conference can better leverage its structure to promote peace. Additionally, it identifies the challenges posed by states that do not operate within the framework of the rule of law.

• Language: English
• Keywords: episcopal conference, canon law, peace, social teaching
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 15.07.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 101-113
• Numbering: Letn. 86, [št.] 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185487
• UDC: 27-732.3-722.52:327.36
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2026/01/Ujhazi
• COBISS.SI-ID: 285807107
• Publication date in RUL: 06.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Pomen škofovskih konferenc v prizadevanjih za mir

Abstract

Po drugem vatikanskem koncilu so papeži potrdili, da mir poleg oboroženih spopadov ogrožajo tudi drugi dejavniki, ki so kot izzivi geografsko raznoliki. Zaradi primata rimskega papeža se mnenjem lokalnih Cerkva ni namenjalo veliko pozornosti. V zadnjih letih pa se kaže težnja, da izjave cerkvenih organov na nižji ravni vplivajo na nauke osrednjih oblasti o miru, varnosti in pravični vojni. V članku se bomo osredotočili na škofovsko konferenco. V zadnjih sto letih je ta katoliška institucija doživela pomemben teološki, kanonični in strukturni razvoj. Škofovska konferenca ima pri oblikovanju etičnega stališča Cerkve do vojne in socialne pravičnosti vse pomembnejšo vlogo. Njene izjave in dejavnosti kažejo, da so lokalne Cerkve aktivne oblikovalke, ne pa le pasivne prejemnice sporočila Svetega sedeža o varnostnih izzivih. Ob predstavitvi pravnih in teoloških okvirov prispevek predlaga načine, kako lahko škofovska konferenca svojo strukturo bolje izkoristi za spodbujanje miru. Poleg tega opredeljuje izzive, ki jih predstavljajo države, delujoče izven okvirov pravne države.

• Keywords: škofovska konferenca, cerkveno pravo, mir, socialno učenje