NCC: death of Bin Laden must be a turning point for peace

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of Churches member communions
say the death of Bin Laden must be a turning point

See http://www.ncccusa.org/news/110503binladen.html

New York, May 3, 2011 - The death Sunday of Osama Bin Laden does not
"eradicate the scourge of terrorism," but it should stimulate the
churches to commit themselves "to moving forward together as witnesses
for God's love and peace." 

The statement, released Tuesday on behalf of the National Council's
member communions, says: 

The death of Osama Bin Laden is a significant moment in the turbulent
history of the past decade. It does not eradicate the scourge of
terrorism nor does it bring closure to the grieving and pain the world
has endured since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, for which he
was the primary architect. The National Council of Churches deplores and
condemns the extremism he personified, the twisted illusions that
wrought years of violence and evil in the world.  

Now the member communions of the National Council of Churches pray for
God's help as we commit ourselves to moving forward together as
witnesses for God's love and peace. In November 2001, as the world
reeled from the terror attacks, the General Assembly of the National
Council of Churches and Church World Service challenged their communions
to take the lead:

It is time [we said then] for us as an ecumenical community to make a
renewed commitment to a ministry of peace with justice, and to make real
in these days the call of Jesus, "Love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) In his Beatitudes, Jesus calls us,
his followers, to be merciful if we are to receive mercy; he reminds us
that the peacemakers are blessed and will be called children of God.
And, he proclaims us "the light of the world"; our good works should be
a beacon to others so they may give glory to God. (Matthew 5:14-16) 

We lift up "Pillars of Peace for the 21st Century," a 1999 Policy
Statement of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A. We reaffirm and highlight the Statement's call to build a culture
of peace with justice characterized by these convictions: 

1. "the transcending sovereignty and love of God for all creation and
the expression of that love in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, whose
mission was to reveal understanding about that divine presence, to
proclaim a message of salvation and to bring justice and peace;

2. the unity of creation and the equality of all races and peoples;

3. the dignity and worth of each person as a child of God; and 

4. the church, the body of believers, whose global mission of witness,
peacemaking and reconciliation testifies to God's action in history."

Osama Bin Laden is dead. Just as Christians must condemn the violence of
terrorism, let us be clear that we do not celebrate loss of life under
any circumstances. The NCC's 37 member communions believe the ultimate
justice for this man's soul -- or any soul -- is in the hands of God. In
this historic moment, let us turn to a future that embraces God's call
to be peacemakers, pursuers of justice and loving neighbors to all
people.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon

General Secretary, National Council of Churches

>The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin
>President, National Council of Churches

>Bishop John F. White, Sr.
>Ecumenical & Urban Affairs Officer
>African Methodist Episcopal Church

>Bishop Charles Leigh
>Apostolic Catholic Church

>The Rev. Paula Clayton Dempsey
>Minister for Partnership Relations
>Alliance of Baptists

>The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
>General Minister and President
>Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

>The Rev. Dr. Robert K. Welsh
>Ecumenical Officer
>Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

>Stephen M. Veazey
>President
>Community of Christ

>The Rev. Dale E. Luffman
>Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer
>Community of Christ

>The Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson
>Presiding Bishop
>Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Rev. Dr. Donald J. McCoid

Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

>Herman Harmelink III
>Ecumenical officer
>International Council of Community Churches

>The Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich, Jr.
>Ecumenical Officer
>The Polish National Catholic Church in America

>The Rev. Geoffrey Black
>General Minister and President
>United Church of Christ

The Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson

Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
United Church of Christ 

>Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster
>President, The Council of Bishops
>United Methodist Church

>Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader
>Ecumenical Officer for the Council of Bishops
>United Methodist Church

>Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Sidorak, Jr.
>General Secretary
>United Methodist General Commission on Christian Unity & Interreligious
>Concerns 

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Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the USA has been the leading force for shared ecumenical
witness among Christians in the United States. The NCC's 37 member
communions -- from a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox,
Evangelical, historic African American and Living Peace churches --
include 45 million persons in more than 100,000 local congregations in
communities across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 646-853-4212
(cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org