wfn.org | Episcopalians: Church leaders appeal to 'stop the rush to war'

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

August 30, 2002

2002-199

Episcopalians: Church leaders appeal to 'stop the rush to 
war'

(NCCC/ENS) Thirty-seven Christian leaders from three Western 
nations, 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 U.S. 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 Iraq's 
development of weapons of mass destruction have been exhausted." 

The statement expressed strong concerns about the "internal 
repression" of the Iraqi government and called for Saddam 
Hussein to halt efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. 
But it also said unilateral action against Iraq weakens the 
international community and undermines respect for law. "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," the statement said.

"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, the statement continued. "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."

Anglican signers of the statement include Bishop Christopher 
Epting (Episcopal Church, U.S.A.); the Rev. Alyson Barnett-Cowan 
and Alice-Jean Finlay (Anglican Church of Canada); Bishop Barry 
Morgan (Church in Wales); and Bishop Barry Rogerson (Church of 
England).

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