wfn.org | ABCUSA: Medley Deplores Violence, Urges Prayer and Pursuit of Peace in Iraq

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 5/12/04)--American Baptist
Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, responding to the
escalating violence and abuse in Iraq, has called American Baptists and all
persons of faith "to pray for peace and stability in Iraq and an end to the
senseless violence that is stealing the precious lives of God's
people--civilians and soldiers alike."

"The heart of God surely is deeply grieved by this cycle of violence," he
said.  "We are saddened by the headline tragedies of Nicholas Berg, so
viciously executed in recent days, and of Iraqi soldiers, humiliated and
abused in ways that no one can condone."   

"For so many reasons, the U.S. should not continue to carry the sole
responsibility for the restoration and stabilization of Iraq," Medley said. 
"We need to urge immediate and substantial multinational involvement in
establishing the Iraqi people in a society that works to serve them.  And we
need to pray without ceasing for all who are seeking to function within the
country--the people of Iraq, our soldiers and chaplains, and the many others
who are in harm's way."

"As followers of Jesus we know that love is the womb from which justice is
born and peace is her offspring," he said.  

As one expression of his concern, Medley joined more than a dozen other
leaders of Christian bodies in a pastoral letter on Iraq sent yesterday that
addressed the reality that "the threat of violence hangs over the earth and
warfare involving United States forces is increasing." 

The leaders, representing many of the 36 Protestant and Orthodox member
communions related to the National Council of Churches USA, noted, "In a
sinful world some of us may hold that there may be times when war is a
necessary evil, but Christians should never identify violence against others
with the will of God and should always work to prevent and end it."

"We write out of a deep love for this country," the church leaders said, "but
also out of a profound concern at the direction this cycle of violence is
taking us. This concern has been brought home to all Americans and indeed the
world in the horrific pictures of prisoner abuse."
 
"Two central claims of the Christian faith are crucial in our thinking: that
every person, as a child of God, is of infinite worth; and that all persons,
as participants in God's one creation, are related in their humanity and
vulnerability....  

"We believe...that the guiding principle of U.S. foreign policy must be to
build up the whole, interdependent human family and to promote reconciliation
whenever possible...this means standing firmly against all acts of terror,
but it also means envisioning a world in which war is truly a last resort."

Maintaining that "current U.S. foreign policy is not aligned with this
principle," the leaders urged "our country to turn over the transition of
authority and post-war reconstruction to the United Nations--and to recognize
U.S. responsibility to contribute to this effort generously through security,
economic and humanitarian support--not only to bring international legitimacy
to the effort, but also to foster any chance for lasting peace."

They noted:

"We certainly recognize that faithful Christians of good will may disagree
with one another when it comes to questions of national policy.  We trust,
however, that all Christians will pray and work for peace, remembering the
words, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of
God.'

"We also urge all of our congregations and parishes to pray not only for the
soldiers of this nation, as we surely do, but for all people, military and
civilian, caught in this and other cycles of violence.	When possible, join
in prayer, discussion, and action with ecumenical and interfaith
neighbors....  
 
"As ecumenical partners, we know that it is a scandal that the body of Christ
remains so visibly divided, often by those things that divide the world.  Let
us, however, be united as followers of Christ in our hope for that day when
swords are beaten into plowshares and mourning and crying and pain will be no
more!"	

K/2004ABNS/04ABN64

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org