Beyond Deterrence: Religious Ethics and the Pursuit of Peace in the Nuclear Age

This Foreword introduces the special issue Religion, Peace and Nuclear Disarmament by situating its contributions within ethical and strategic challenges confronting contemporary international security. While debates on nuclear weapons are often framed in terms of deterrence, strategic stability, arms control, and international law, they also raise questions concerning moral responsibility, the legitimacy of violence, and the protection of human dignity. The articles collected in this issue demonstrate that religious traditions continue to offer valuable perspectives on these questions. Drawing upon Islamic jurisprudence, Hindu philosophy, Buddhist political thought, Catholic social teaching, and practical experiences of inter-faith dialogue, the contributions explore how diverse faith traditions engage with the ethics of warfare, nuclear deterrence, humanitarian principles, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. Although differing in their theological foundations and historical experiences, they converge on the importance of restraint, responsibility, and the pursuit of peace while acknowledging the complexity of contemporary security dilemmas. This Foreword argues that discussions on nuclear disarmament benefit from sustained dialogue between international law, strategic studies, ethics, and religious thought. Rather than presenting religion as a historical or cultural phenomenon, the special issue demonstrates its continuing relevance to contemporary scholarship on peace, humanitarian action, and the governance of the world’s most destructive weapons.