Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV has placed his commitment to peace at the centre of his work and, according to Thierry Bonaventura, who is responsible for synod communication, has consistently linked this concern with a new "theology of disarming language".
In a recent article in the "Healing of Wounded Memories" blog of the "Pro Oriente" foundation, Bonaventura describes the Pope's approach as a holistic response to linguistic aggression, polarisation and digital violence.
Shortly after his election in May 2025, Leo XIV had already set an initial focus when he called for an "unarmed and disarming peace" in the face of a "war of words".
He later formulated the guiding principle of his approach to media representatives: "Let us disarm words - and we will help to disarm the world."
Words can hurt and kill, the Pope emphasised, not just weapons.
As Bonaventure explains, Leo XIV developed his concept in three phases: an initial theological foundation in the spring, a subsequent focus on the challenges and dangers of digital communication and a systematic elaboration in the Apostolic Exhortation "Designing New Maps of Hope", which was published at the end of October.
In it, the Pope places his "disarming language" in a comprehensive educational-theoretical framework.
"Docile gentleness" against an aggressive tone
At the same time, according to Bonaventura, Leo XIV was expressly not interested in theoretical treatises.
The Pope called on educational institutions, media and digital platforms to critically examine language patterns and communication styles. He contrasts the aggressive tone of social media with an attitude of "docile gentleness".
True strength does not lie in verbal dominance, but in "the vulnerability of listening and the courage to speak the truth".
According to Bonaventure, Leo XIV deliberately favoured pragmatic and understandable language that did not use complicated theological jargon.
The "disarming of language" that he propagated could thus contribute to a broader cultural change in society.
Peaceful communication springs from a peaceful heart, writes Bonaventura, and authentic words from an authentic life; a change in language always goes hand in hand with a change in the speaker.
Bonaventura was one of the speakers at the latest Pro-Oriente conference "Healing Wounded Memories: The Responsibility of Churches to Heal", which took place in Vienna in mid-November with 70 participants from 25 countries.
He spoke there as part of a session on "Hate Speech and the Need to Disarm the Language".