wfn.org | United Methodist bishop among those invited to White House

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Sept. 21, 2001News media contact: Joretta Purdue 7(202) 546-87227Washington
10-21-71BP {420}

NOTE:  A photograph is available for use with this story.

A UMNS Report
By Joretta Purdue*

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - About two dozen religious leaders, including a United
Methodist bishop, had the opportunity to talk and pray with the president
several hours before he spoke to Congress and the world Sept. 20 about the
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Joe E. Pennel Jr., bishop of the church's Richmond (Va.) Area, participated
in the unusual gathering that included Muslim and Jew, Hindu and Sikh,
Protestant and Catholic, Buddhist and Mormon, Orthodox and evangelical
religious figures.

The group, assembled at the invitation of the president, had a White House
briefing, spoke with the president, and together wrote a statement that
urged "a just and peaceful resolution (of) any conflicts that might be
connected with the tragedy of Sept. 11 in collaboration with all nations
committed to international justice and peace."

It was signed by the 26 religious leaders, who also prayed with the
president at least twice during their early afternoon meeting in the
Roosevelt Room of the White House.

"We came at the invitation of the president, but we did not know why we were
being invited," Pennel commented after the White House visit. "The religious
community, through these leaders, feels a great unity." 

The conversation provided an opportunity for the religious leaders to "open
the eyes of each other," Pennel said.  The group stressed to the president
the importance of talking about justice and not revenge, and of how peace
follows justice, the bishop said.

"The hope I have," Pennel concluded, "is that the human family will try the
very thing which has been untried, which is the way of love."

This was not just a meeting; it was "a religious ceremony in front of God,"
said Archbishop Demetrios C. Trakatellis, primate of the Greek Orthodox
Church in America.

In their statement, the leaders said their prayers are with the president
and those who bear the responsibility of government; the families, friends
and co-workers who lost loved ones; the more than 5,400 who lost their
lives; and those who selflessly endangered and gave their lives in the
effort to rescue others.
"The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th were not simply against the United
States. Such acts impact all of humanity," the leaders said.  "The common
good has been threatened by these attacks, and we have both a moral right
and a grave obligation as a nation to protect the sanctity of life and the
common good. We should respond not in the spirit of aggression, but as
victims of aggression who must act to prevent further atrocities of
terrorism."  

The leaders also praised the president for speaking out against acts of
bigotry, racism and violence directed against Arabs, Muslims and others in
the United States who have been erroneously connected to terrorism.

Some of the religious figures, including Pennel, were also invited to join
the first lady Laura Bush at the Capitol for Bush's speech later in the
evening. Both she and the president are United Methodists.

"This should not be seen as a religious war," Imam Hamza Hasan of Heywood,
Calif., told media representatives after the White House visit. "These are
not religious agendas," he said of the terrorist activities. "These are
political agendas." 

He said Islam was also an innocent victim of the terrorism Sept. 11,
explaining that the faith's teaching includes prohibitions against assaults
on civilians and on women and children.

"My big fear is a polarization," he commented. He said he hopes there will
be a real effort to address the causes of terrorism and particularly the
utter despair in which so many live. 

The imam said he would like Americans to extend the blessing of "God Bless
America" to the whole world. "Terror felt by Israeli children is the same as
terror felt by Palestinian children. We need to think of the children," he
urged.

#  # #
*Purdue is news director of the Washington office of United Methodist News
Service.

Full text of the statement released by the religious leaders follows:

We have come here today at the invitation of the President. It is
significant that in this time of crisis President Bush should invite a group
broadly representative of the religious communities in this land to pray
with him and to offer counsel. We find this most reassuring.

Our prayers and the prayers of those whom we serve are with the President
and all those who with him bear the responsibility of government. We pray
for the families, friends, and co-workers who have lost loved ones, and we
hold in prayerful remembrance the more than 5,400 who have been lost in this
terrible, traumatic and tragic act of violence. We lift up those who
selflessly endangered and gave their lives in the effort to rescue others.

The terrorist attacks of September 11th were not simply against the United
States.  Such acts impact all of humanity. The common good has been
threatened by these attacks, and we have both a moral right and a grave
obligation as a nation to protect the sanctity of life and the common good.
We should respond not in the spirit of aggression, but as victims of
aggression who must act to prevent further atrocities of terrorism.

It goes without saying that our response must be guided by sound moral
principles. There is a grave obligation to protect innocent human life.
Because these terrorist attacks were global in their consequences, the
President is correct in seeking a coordinated, international response.

We are grateful that the President has spoken out early and clearly to
denounce acts of bigotry, racism and violence directed against Arabs,
Muslims and others in our midst who have been erroneously connected to
terrorism.  To yield to hatred is to give victory to the terrorists.

We believe it is essential that we do everything in our power to bring to a
just and peaceful resolution any conflicts that might be connected with the
tragedy of September 11th in collaboration with all nations committed to
international justice and peace.

The resources of faith and the enduring founding principles of this nation
give us great confidence.  May God bless our President. May God bless our
nation. May God bless the efforts of all those dedicated to the search for
justice and peace.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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