wfn.org | Newsline: Resolution Against Torture iadopted by Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

>Church of the Brethren Newsline

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Director of News Services

>cobnews@brethren.org or (cell) 224-735-9692

RESOLUTION AGAINST TORTURE IS ADOPTED BY ANNUAL CONFERENCE

July 7, 2010 (Pittsburgh, PA) – A Church of the Brethren Resolution Again st 
Torture has been adopted by the Annual Conference, meeting in Pittsburgh , Pa., 
yesterday July 6. In adopting the resolution, the Conference stated,  "Torture 
is a blatant violation of the tenets of our faith."

Brought by the denomination’s Mission and Ministry Board and presented to  the 
delegates by Standing Committee member Leah Hileman of Atlantic Southe ast 
District, the paper offers a biblical and historical basis for Brethren  
opposition to torture, and concludes with a strong and emotional call to c 
onfession and action.

>The section of confession reads:

"We...find both the occurrences of torture and the attempt to legitimize th e 
acts of torture unconscionable.

"We confess allowing the rhetoric and images of torture to pass us by.

>"We confess ignoring the cry for justice.

"We confess becoming desensitized and complacent.

"We confess feeling insignificant to make a difference.

>"We confess not speaking in a timely manner.

>"We confess our inaction.

>"We confess our silence.

"We deeply mourn the harm that has been done to all who have been tortured  and 
have tortured. Lord have mercy. We will be silent no more."

Presenting the resolution to the body, Hileman told the story of preaching  on 
this issue recently in her congregation, and then experiencing a 20-minu te 
debate in the open response time following the sermon. Earlier in the we ek she 
had told the Standing Committee of district delegates that the respo nse of her 
congregation, which included "all sorts of arguments to justify  it (torture)," 
is all the more reason to put such a statement into place fo r the church.

"The question still is, ‘What would Jesus do?’" she told the delegates.  "The 
answer is that Jesus wouldn’t be in a room pushing a prisoner to hi s limit."

She challenged the Brethren to be aware of the ways torture is present in d 
aily life, such as in our television viewing where she offered the example  of 
the series "24" in which torture has been graphically depicted as entert 
ainment. "That’s not who we are" as Brethren, she said. "The Church of th e 
Brethren can choose today to be in the forefront modeling an alternative  to 
the action of torture."

Board member Andy Hamilton was called to the podium to speak as one of thos e 
who drafted the statement. The church has waited for close to 10 years to  
speak on the issue, since the events and aftermath of 9/11, he said. Durin g 
the writing process, the board "came under the conviction of the Spirit o f God 
that we had been silent," he said.

Speeches from the floor uniformly applauded the intent of the resolution. " I 
stand in righteous affirmation," said Doris Abdullah, the Church of the B 
rethren’s representative to the United Nations. "It’s a very important  
statement for us to make as the body of Christ," said Eric Anspaugh, pastor  of 
Florin Church of the Brethren in Mount Joy, Pa.

"This is an important step to take," said Duane Ediger of First Church of t he 
Brethren in Chicago, Ill., and a participant in Christian Peacemaker Tea ms, 
referring to the abuses of Abu Ghraib in Iraq and the practice of extra 
ordinary rendition of prisoners by the CIA and other government agencies.

There were some calls to include a definition of torture in the resolution,  
and concerns that it refer more specifically to mental and emotional abuse , 
sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Two amendments were defeated, includ ing 
one that would have added a short statement reaffirming the Brethren op 
position to all violence, after several responses from the microphones indi 
cated delegates regarded the amendment as diluting the resolution’s narro w 
focus on torture.

After the vote was taken to adopt the resolution, the delegate body gave a  
round of applause.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing 
the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in  
community. It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and  is 
one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th annive rsary 
in 2008. It counts about 125,000 members across the US and Puerto Ric o, and 
has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, the DR, Brazil, Haiti,  and India.

># # #

>CONTACT:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

>Director of News Services

>Church of the Brethren

>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

>800-323-8039 ext. 260

>cell: 224-735-9692

>cobnews@brethren.org