wfn.org | A Call To Stop The Rush To War

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NCC/8/30/02 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leaders from American, Canadian, British Churches
Appeal to U.S. Government: 'Stop the Rush to War'

August 29, 2002, GENEVA, Switzerland - Thirty-seven Christian leaders from
Britain, Canada and the United States, gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, for
a meeting of the World Council of Churches Central Committee, have issued an
urgent call to the American government to pull back from its unilateral
movement toward pre-emptive military action against Iraq, and to seek the
appropriate counsel of the Congress, the United Nations, and U.S. allies.
The group, which included both General Secretary Bob Edgar and President
Elenie Huszagh of the National Council of Churches USA, warned that the
human cost might far outweigh the gain of such an attack, and that they do
not believe it has been proven that "all reasonable alternative means of
containing Iraqs development of weapons of mass destruction have been
exhausted."
Following is the full text of the message, and a list of the signers.
A Call To Stop The Rush To War
	As representatives and participants from the United States, British and
Canadian churches meeting at the Central Committee of the World Council of
Churches, we have heard and share the concern of those of other nations
about the apparent drift towards military confrontation in Iraq.
	As the calls for military action to remove Saddam Hussein from power in
Iraq have grown louder, we call for restraint. We are concerned about the
situation in Iraq. We believe that the Iraqi government has a duty to stop
its internal repression, to end its threats to peace, to abandon its efforts
to develop weapons of mass destruction, and to respect the legitimate role
of the United Nations in ensuring that it does so. But we also believe that
the international community is weakened and respect for law undermined when
national governments act individually rather than collectively to secure
these goals. We have watched with growing alarm as the United States
government has become increasingly unilateral in its approach to foreign
affairs, and has failed to heed the advice and counsel of friends and
allies.
	Although both the U.S. and U.K. governments have claimed that they have
evidence that Saddam Hussein is building up weapons of mass destruction,
they have so far refused to make that evidence public. This undermines
democratic government by depriving the U.S. Congress and the U.K. Parliament
of the ability to make a considered judgment regarding the justification for
war. Furthermore, the United Nations Charter does not permit states to
engage in pre-emptive war. We therefore urge our governments to pursue this
matter through the United Nations Security Council: In particular, we urge
that Saddam Husseins offer to re-admit U.N. Weapons Inspectors be accepted.
	Our knowledge of and links with church partners in the Middle East and our
unity in Christ with Christians there make us very sensitive to the
destabilizing potential of a war against Iraq for the whole region. There is
no support among the Arab nations for such a war and very little support in
Europe and elsewhere. Christian-Muslim relations would be further harmed by
such a war, and the possibility of such an action triggering direct military
confrontation in Israel cannot be ignored. Further, the forces of extremism
and terrorism would be strengthened rather than diminished.
	As Christians, we are concerned by the likely human costs of war with Iraq,
particularly for civilians. We are unconvinced that the gain for humanity
would be proportionate to the loss. Neither are we convinced that it has
been publicly demonstrated that all reasonable alternative means of
containing Iraqs development of weapons of mass destruction have been
exhausted. We call upon our governments to pursue these diplomatic means in
active cooperation with the United Nations and to stop the apparent rush to
war. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
(Matthew 5:9)
Signers
The Rev. Katherine Bannister (United Methodist Church, USA)
The Rev. Alyson Barnett-Cowan (Anglican Church of Canada)
Ms Marion Best (United Church of Canada)
The Reverend Ruth A. Bottoms (Baptist Union of Great Britain)
Ms Lois McCullough Dauway (United Methodist Church, USA)
The Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar (National Council of Churches of Christ in the
USA)
The Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting (Episcopal Church, U.S.A.)
Ms Alice-Jean Finlay (Anglican Church of Canada)
The Rev. Douglass Fromm (Reformed Church in America)
Ms Anne Glynn-Mackoul (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the
East)
The Rev. Dr. David Goodbourn (Churches Together in Britain & Ireland)
The Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson (Reformed Church in America)
The Rev. Dr Richard A. Grounds (United Methodist Church, USA)
The Rev. Dr Richard L. Hamm (Christian Church-Disciples of Christ in the US
& Canada)
Ms Elenie K. Huszagh (National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA)
Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim (Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
and all the East)
The Rev. Dr Clifton Kirkpatrick (Presbyterian Church - USA)
The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky (Orthodox Church in America)
The Rev. Stan McKay (United Church of Canada)
The Rev. Roy Medley (American Baptist Churches, USA)
The Rt Reverend Barry Morgan (Church in Wales)
Mr. Naboth M. Muchopa (Methodist Church UK)
Ms Jennifer Nagel (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
Mr Arthur Norman (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
The Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell-Jackson (United Church of Christ, USA)
The Rev. Dr. Bruce W. Robbins (United Methodist Church, USA)
The Rt Reverend Barry Rogerson (Church of England)
The Rt. Rev. Telmor Sartison (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada)
The Rev. Dr. Robert E. Sawyer (Moravian Church in America-Southern Province)
The Reverend Norman Shanks (Church of Scotland)
The Reverend Dr David Thompson (Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council)
The Reverend Jill Thornton (United Reformed Church of England)
The Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith (National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.)
The Reverend Gethin Williams (Churches Together in Wales - Cytun)
Ms. Louise Williams (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
The Rev. Robina Winbush (Presbyterian Church - USA)
Bishop McKinley Young (African Methodist Episcopal Church, USA)
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