Religion and Diplomacy: The Podcast

On the heels of it's first-ever Conference on Religion and Diplomacy last month, the U.S. State Department has launched a new podcast series on the same subject. The project aims to raise awareness about religion in U.S. foreign policy efforts, as well as debunk common misconceptions about religion's role in the diplomatic sphere.

Hosted by U.S. Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs Shaun Casey, the pilot episode discusses how the U.S. State Department engages with religious actors on U.S. foreign policy priorities. He gives examples such as Pope Francis' importance to U.S.-Cuba rapprochement and segues into the future of religion in diplomacy, such as engagement with trans-national as well as local religious leaders in areas of common interest, from health to the environment. This emerging effort in faith diplomacy is certainly one to watch, both for scholars and the general public, to gain a better understanding of how the U.S. incorporates religion into its foreign policy maneuvering.

The podcast is accessible here.

Photo by David Evers I CC 2.0