From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org
Episcopalians: Summit of religious leaders considers consequences of Iraq war
From
dmack@episcopalchurch.org
Date
Mon, 5 May 2003 13:54:32 -0400
May 5, 2003
2003-093
Episcopalians: Summit of religious leaders considers
consequences of Iraq war
by James Solheim
(ENS) As Americans celebrate the military victory in Iraq, a
group of about 80 interfaith religious leaders--most of whom
opposed military action in Iraq--gathered in Chicago April 30 to
consider the humanitarian, spiritual and civil consequences of
that war.
"The purpose is to look at the next steps in the healing process
and to talk about the consequences of war," said the Rev. Robert
Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches,
the ecumenical organization that called the summit.
In a joint statement, "An Urgent Call for Reflection, Hope and
Action," the Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders argued that
American society is "at a moment of choice even more urgent than
before the war in Iraq began. We are faced with choices between
hope and courage or fear and violence; between a future
characterized by global solidarity, international cooperation
and multilateral action or one characterized by unilateralism
and wars by choice rather than necessity; continuing terrorism;
unfettered efforts to extend U.S. power and the exploitation of
fear."
The statement added, "As many Americans celebrate a moment of
military victory, we as people of faith ask all people to make
this a time of deliberate reflection... War is a blunt
instrument which provides no lasting solution but too often
leads to further violence." Therefore the church leaders urged
religious leaders to "gather in town meetings, teach-ins and
other forms of community reflection to explore what kind of
society we seek to become."
International faith summit
Noting that the religious traditions in all three faiths "are
rooted in justice, compassion and peace," the statement calls on
political leaders in the U.S. to "draw back from the use and
threat of first strike war," reconsider unilateral control over
the reconstruction of Iraq and seek a role for the United
Nations.
Finally, the statement calls for an International Faith Summit
to "provide a worldwide forum for religious leaders to meet and
discuss in depth ways to eliminate the rhetoric of hate and to
end violence perpetuated in the name of religion."
In another short statement called "Words of Reflection," the
participants expressed gratitude for the end of hostilities,
"the end of an oppressive regime, and the safe return of our
troops." They also called for "a national day of prayer and
reflection, with a special emphasis on interfaith gatherings,"
and called on the president to "distance himself from religious
leaders who demonize the faiths of others."
"What does 'just war theory' mean in an age of nuclear weapons?"
asked Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action
League (or Center?) of Reform Judaism that concluded that the
use of military force in Iraq was "a morally justifiable act."
Yet he participated in the summit because of a commitment to
"developing an ethical and moral foreign policy for
Americasomething that urgently calls us to come together and
find common ground," he said in an interview with the Chicago
Sun-Times.
"The role of religion on the international scene can be an
enormous sense of healing and coalition building, or can be
enormously divisive and a factor in justifying violence," he
said.
Secretary General Sayyid M. Syeed of the Islamic Society of
North America said that, despite opposition to the war, "we can
still be of influence in bringing people back together." In an
interview with the Associated Press he thought that the
influence of the religious leaders had actually increased as
they pulled together to oppose the war. "We may not have stopped
a major storm, but what was started has taken on a life of its
own."
Common commitment to peace
Bishop Christopher Epting, the Episcopal Church's deputy for
ecumenical and interfaith relations, said that it was "a very
exciting gathering. It could be the beginning of a new
nationwide--or even international--network of interfaith
organizations and individuals building upon the wonderful things
that are going on locally in this many parts of our country and
the world."
Not only was it possible to build consensus around the
statement, Epting reported, "but even more importantly we found
ourselves becoming friends and colleagues after only a few hours
together. Surely our common commitment to the one God and to
that God's yearning for the healing of the world unites us on a
deep level."
The Rev. Jackie Lynn, executive director of the Episcopal Peace
Fellowship, also attended the meeting and supported the
statement. She said that EPF members across the country will
review the document and continue to work in interfaith settings
seeking nonviolent solutions to the issues at hand. "This is a
crucial time to reach out to our sisters and brothers in the
Arab and Muslim communities in the U.S. and the Middle East, to
build unity and to work together to prevent discrimination and
oppression."
------
(Full texts of the Urgent Call and Words of Reflection are
available on the NCC web site at www.ncccusa.org.)
--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal News Service. Carol
Fouke of the NCC news office supplied background information for
this article.
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