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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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