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September 23, 2015

Should Pope Francis receive the Nobel Peace Prize? (Washington Post)

At least one member of Congress thinks so.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) began circulating a letter to colleagues on Wednesday nominating Pope Francis for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

“Pope Francis has been a powerful advocate for peace, urging an end to conflict and support for constitutive ties among nations,” the letter states. “He has called on the world to use diplomacy and discussion to solve disputes, rather than military force, coercion or intimidation. This commitment to nonviolence, which the Pope has put into practice every day through his words and actions, is at the core of the principles behind the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Schiff intends to send the letter to the Nobel Committee after gathering signatures from Democratic — and hopefully Republican — members of Congress.

But the latter group might be hard to get on board. Schiff notes the pontiff’s stance on climate change and his call for nations to welcome refugees, two sources of contention for the GOP.

“Through his stature as a spiritual figure, Pope Francis casts the issue of an unhealthy earth in religious terms, emphasizing our joint duty to care for the world and to pass on an unspoiled environment to future generations,” Schiff writes.

Additionally, “as the world struggles to cope with a flood of refugees not seen since the end of World War II, the Pope has emerged as perhaps the leading advocate for relief,” the letter states.

We’ll update readers with a signature count when we get it. Until then, worth noting that a peace prize for Francis would be historic: no pope has ever won the honor.


By:  Elise Viebeck
Source: Washington Post