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2001-291

Presiding Bishop's letter to the bishops on military strikes

October 8, 2001

For the House of Bishops

Dear brothers and sisters:

I write to you in this sober moment when military action has just begun in an 
effort to put a stop to terrorist activities. This morning I sent a letter to 
Secretary Powell, as a word of encouragement and to assure him of my prayers and 
concern for him, and also to let him know of the commitment of our bishops to 
waging reconciliation.  I sent him a copy of our statement from our September 
meeting Burlington, Vermont: On Waging Reconciliation.  I enclose a copy with 
this letter as some bishops not with us in Vermont may not have seen it.  I 
encourage diocesan bishops who have not done so to pass the statement along to 
clergy and congregations. 

As I shared with the House while we were in Burlington, I have asked the Rt. Rev. 
Arthur Walmsley, retired Bishop of Connecticut, to coordinate the activities 
flowing out from our statement.  Arthur has graciously agreed to give us time 
through the March meeting of the House of Bishops to serve as Coordinator of the 
House of Bishops Reconciliation Initiative.  At the March meeting we will look at 
what has already been accomplished and consider future strategies, which are 
being developed over these next months. 

Listening to the reports yesterday, and the various news analyses, I thought 
again of our discussions at our September meeting on how we inhabit multiple 
realities, and must make room for the inevitable ambiguities of complex 
situations.  In particular, I thought that at this moment there are those who are 
very clear that the military strikes are the appropriate course.  And, on the 
other hand there are those who believe that such military actions only fan the 
flames of terrorism and expose innocent people to harm.  My hope is that those 
who believe the strikes are the proper course will not see those who disagree as 
unpatriotic, and that those who think military action is unwise will not see 
those of the other view as war-mongering or simply seeking revenge.  We as one
nation need to be mindful not to dismiss or caricature one another's point of view 
at this difficult and anxious time.  I hope that we as bishops can wage reconciliation 
in this moment: helping to make plain that the various perspectives individuals hold 
on what we should or should not do as a nation come out of a deep place of desiring 
what is best for the country and the world.  

Let us pray for peace in the world, and for ourselves - that we may be 
instruments of that peace.

Yours in Christ,
Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate