Just War in the Nuclear Age: A Conversation with U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch

Is it possible to have a "just war" in an era of nuclear and biological weapons? How does a U.S. Ambassador navigate the "media-induced war" between the Pope and the President? In this episode of The TAC Podcast, we sit down with Brian Burch, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and founder of Catholic Vote, following his commencement address at Thomas Aquinas College. We dive deep into the concept of "soft power," the "tranquility of order," and the spiritual validation of public service. From the geopolitical threats of a nuclear-armed Iran to the philosophical challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence, Ambassador Burch provides a rare look at the intersection of faith, reason, and statecraft. Key Topics Covered: The Calling: Brian's story of receiving the presidential appointment on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Geopolitics: The "soft power" of the Vatican in Cuba, Lebanon, and Nigeria. Just War Theory: A substantive look at the morality of force and the "legitimate sovereign's" responsibility. The AI Revolution: Why Silicon Valley is looking to the Vatican to define the limits of machine reasoning. Family Life: The adventure (and logistics) of moving a large family from Chicago to Rome. Support the Podcast: If you value these deep dives into the ideas that shape our world, please like, subscribe, and share! Learn more at thomasaquinas.edu/podcast #TheTACPodcast #Vatican #Geopolitics #JustWar #AI #FaithAndReason #ThomasAquinasCollege Timecode Chapter Markers 00:00 – Introduction: The complementarity of Sovereigns 01:10 – The Appointment: A call from the President 03:15 – Moving to Rome: Raising 9 kids in the Eternal City 07:40 – What does an Ambassador to the Vatican actually do? 09:50 – Global Hotspots: Cuba, Lebanon, and Nigeria 11:30 – The True Meaning of Peace: Augustine's Tranquility of Order 16:10 – Utopia vs. Reality: Peace in a Fallen World 20:15 – Just War Doctrine in the Age of Modern Weaponry 25:10 – The Legitimate Sovereign's Decision: Prudence and Intelligence 28:10 – Rubio's Visit: Correcting the Media's "War" Narratives 37:00 – Catholic Identity in the U.S. Administration 43:00 – The Value of a Liberal Arts Education in Diplomacy 47:00 – The AI Revolution: Can Machines Reason? 50:30 – The "Imago Dei" vs. Silicon Valley 54:00 – Digital Slavery and the Importance of Leisure 1:02:00 – Fatherhood: Time, Adventure, and Reading Narnia 1:09:40 – Hope for America: Relying on Divine Providence