wfn.org | Presiding bishop issues invitation for fall consultations on the Middle East

[ENS@ecunet.org]

2001-189

Presiding bishop issues invitation for fall consultations on the Middle East

by James Solheim

     (ENS) Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold has issued an invitation "to those who 
have shown themselves to have a particular concern for the life and witness of the 
church in the Holy Land" to attend fall consultations designed "to strengthen our 
church's peacemaking efforts."

     In a July 12 letter, Griswold said that he would welcome participants to the East 
Coast consultation in New York, September 13-15, and former presiding bishop, Edmond L. 
Browning, will host the West Coast consultation, September 16-18 at the Church Divinity 
School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California.

     Both consultations will feature Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal of Jerusalem, who has 
kept Anglicans around the world informed about the struggles for peace and justice in 
the midst of violence, as well as others directly involved in the issues. "I know 
participants will be enriched by their perspectives and insights, as well as by the 
witness of Muslim and Jewish peacemakers we plan to invite as part of an increasing 
effort to make common cause with these interfaith partners," said Griswold. The Rev. 
Naim Ateek, a Palestinian who is director of the Sabeel Theology Center headquartered 
in East Jerusalem, will be among the theologians who will participate in the 
consultations.

     "These consultations are another demonstration that the Episcopal Church is 
committed for the long haul to the search for peace in the region," said the Rev. Brian 
Grieves, director of Peace and Justice Ministries for the Episcopal Church. His office 
is coordinating the consultations, with assistance from colleagues in Episcopal Relief 
and Development, Anglican and Global Relations and Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.

     Expressing his hopes for the consultations, Griswold pointed to participation of 
churches in the Ecumenical Prayer Vigil for Peace, training in advocacy for church 
policies, use educational materials, participation in the Jerusalem 2000 campaign, work 
with local media to tell the stories, assessing the status of interfaith dialogues, and 
reflecting on the perspectives of interfaith peacemakers.

     "We want to help people connect with the different possibilities in the search for 
peace, to see what the whole church is doing collectively, on different levels," 
Grieves added. He said that he was excited by the possibilities for forming new 
networks, new initiatives, and even new tools for grappling with the issues.

     Griswold and his wife Phoebe have visited the area several times. It was one of 
his first international trips after his investiture as presiding bishop in 1998.

     Griswold asked Edmond and Patti Browning to join an ecumenical delegation to the 
area last December where they met with top Israeli and Palestinian leaders. In a 
statement at the end of the pilgrimage the delegation confessed that the outbreak of 
violence had seriously crippled the peace process.

     Based on the urgent reports of the delegation, Griswold led a delegation of church 
leaders to a special meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss Middle 
East issues.

---James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service.