Leaders and Members of NCC Call for Peace in Iraq
"Christians should never identify violence against others with the will of God and should always work to prevent and end it"
The leaders of the National Council of Churches USA and its 36 Protestant and Orthodox member communions released a letter on Tuesday, May 11, calling for a ‘change of course in Iraq.’
"In a sinful world, some of us may hold that there may be times when war is a necessary evil," they wrote. "But Christians should never identify violence against others with the will of God and should always work to prevent and end it."
The NCC encouraged local churches to read the letter aloud in services during the coming month.
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Amid the tense standoff between Iraqi militants and American soldiers, the church leaders called for peace and a renunciation of violence. And with the recent reports of prisoner abuse by American soldiers, the NCC reminded the readers that “violence is contrary to the will of God.
The following is the full text of the letter follows, along with signatures collected by 5 p.m. May 11.
May 11, 2004
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Creator and the Lord Jesus
Christ!
We, leaders of the thirty-six member communions of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, write this joint
pastoral letter at a time when the threat of violence hangs over
the earth and warfare involving United States forces is
increasing in Iraq. We write out of a deep love for this
country, but also out of a profound concern at the direction
this cycle of violence is taking us. This concern has been
brought home to all Americans and indeed the world in the
horrific pictures of prisoner abuse.
Two central claims of the Christian faith are crucial in our
thinking: that every person, as a child of God, is of infinite
worth; and that all persons, as participants in God's one
creation, are related in their humanity and vulnerability. This
is why the World Council of Churches has asserted that "war is
contrary to the will of God" - because it destroys that which
God has made sacred.
In a sinful world, some of us may hold that there may be times
when war is a necessary evil. But Christians should never
identify violence against others with the will of God and should
always work to prevent and end it.
We believe, with these things in mind, that the guiding
principle of U.S. foreign policy must be to build up the whole,
interdependent human family and to promote reconciliation
whenever possible. Yes, this means standing firmly against all
acts of terror, but it also means envisioning a world in which
war is truly a last resort.
Current U.S. foreign policy, however, is not aligned with this
principle. Many people see our policy as one based on
protection of our country's economic interests narrowly defined,
rather than on principles of human rights and justice that would
serve our nation's interests in deep and tangible ways. We are
convinced that current policy is dangerous for America and the
world and will only lead to further violence.
We, therefore, call for a change of course in Iraq, and we
encourage you to do the same. Specifically, we are calling upon
our country to turn over the transition of authority and post-
war reconstruction to the United Nations - and to recognize U.S.
responsibility to contribute to this effort generously through
security, economic, and humanitarian support - not only to bring
international legitimacy to the effort, but also to foster any
chance for lasting peace. We would ask that members of our
churches, as they feel appropriate, contact their respective
congressional delegations to urge the U.S. to change course in
Iraq.
We certainly recognize that faithful Christians of good will may
disagree with one another when it comes to questions of national
policy. We trust, however, that all Christians will pray and
work for peace, remembering the words, "Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
We also urge all of our congregations and parishes to pray not
only for the soldiers of this nation, as we surely do, but for
all people, military and civilian, caught in this and other
cycles of violence. When possible, join in prayer, discussion,
and action with ecumenical and interfaith neighbors. Materials
to assist in this are available from many of our churches and
from the National Council of Churches (www.ncccusa.org).
As ecumenical partners, we know that it is a scandal that the
body of Christ remains so visibly divided, often by those things
that divide the world. Let us, however, be united as followers
of Christ in our hope for that day when swords are beaten into
plowshares and mourning and crying and pain will be no more!
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Alliance of Baptists
The Rev. Dr. Stan Hastey
Executive Director
American Baptist Churches in the USA
The Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley
General Secretary
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
His Grace Bishop Vicken Aykazian
Diocesan Legate and Ecumenical Officer
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Rev. Wm. Chris Hobgood
General Minister and President
The Episcopal Church, USA
The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
Primate
International Council of Community Churches
The Rev. Michael E. Livingston
Executive Director
Moravian Church, N.P
David L. Wickmann
President
National Council of Churches USA
The Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar
General Secretary
National Council of Churches USA
Interfaith Relations Commission
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund
Chair
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Friend Thom Jeavons
General Secretary
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
The Rev. Dr. Major L. Jemison
President
The Rev. Dr. Tyrone S. Pitts
General Secretary
Swedenborgian Church in North America
The Rev. Ronald P. Brugler
President
United Church of Christ
The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
The United Methodist Church
Council of Bishops
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert
Ecumenical Officer
