The Vatican Repudiates the International Law of Colonialism - Maybe?

Abstract

On March 30, 2023, the Vatican made its long awaited announcement about the international law of colonialism, better known today as the Doctrine of Discovery. This international law authorized and justified European colonization and domination of the entire non-European world from 1436 forwards. Many Indigenous peoples and nations have advocated since the 1970s for the Catholic Church to withdraw papal bulls, church orders, that authorized Spain and Portugal to colonize the world. On March 30, two departments of the Vatican officially repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery and the legal and political results of world-wide European colonialism but the Church still disclaims any responsibility for these results and its announcement did not withdraw any of the Fifteenth century papal bulls.

Keywords: Doctrine of Discovery, Colonialism, Colonization, Papal Bulls, Pope Francis