Relevant Magazine

Pope Leo Calls Out Leaders Who Use God and Religion for ‘Military, Economic or Political Gain’

Pope Leo Calls Out Leaders Who Use God and Religion for ‘Military, Economic or Political Gain’

Thursday, April 16, 2026
Pope Leo XIV took direct aim at the weaponization of faith this week, warning against leaders who use God and religion as cover for power. Speaking Thursday in Bamenda, Cameroon, the pope condemned “those who manipulate religion and the very name of God” for “military, economic, and political gain,” casting the practice as a corruption…