wfn.org | ABCUSA: GENERAL BOARD ADDRESSES MIDDLE EAST, PREJUDICE,

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

GENERAL BOARD ADDRESSES ISRAELI-
PALESTINIAN CONFLICT AND ANTI-ISLAM 
PREJUDICE
 The American Baptist Churches USA 
General Board, meeting last week in Cherry Hill,
N.J., addressed pressing concerns of peace and 
prejudice in two statements.
 A "Declaration on an Issue of Importance: The 
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" (voted 110 yes, 3 no, 1 
abstention) urges American Baptists to "pray weekly" for 
an end of the violence between Israelis and Palestinians 
and "for a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict." 
 The board's statement also calls for prayer for 
"Christian churches in Palestine and Israel who are under 
tremendous stress, that their Christian witness may 
remain strong in the Holy Land," for American Baptist 
churches to join with other Christian churches in prayer 
vigils; and for American Baptists to express their concern 
to the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel 
and to their congressional representatives, urging the 
latter "to support and promote justice and security in 
Israel and the Palestinian Authority and to support the 
recommendations of the Mitchell Peace Plan."
 A "Declaration on an Issue of Importance: Anti-
Islam, Anti-Muslim and Anti-Arab Prejudice in the United 
States of America" (voted 113 yes, 3 no, 6 abstentions) 
urges American Baptists to "pursue a better understanding 
of Islam, Muslims and Arabs" through a study of Islam and 
"of the issues that have united and divided us," defend the 
civil rights of Arabs and Muslims living in the U.S., and 
"challenge and rebut statements...that embody religious 
stereotyping, prejudice and bigotry." 

RESOLUTION ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE 
AFFIRMED BY AMERICAN BAPTIST GENERAL 
BOARD
 A "Resolution on Restorative Justice" also was affirmed
(unanimously) by the American Baptist Churches USA 
General Board.  It calls on American Baptists to 
support and meet the needs of victims, offenders 
and those who work within the criminal justice 
system, celebrate the work of prison ministries and 
"address systemic structures which lead to broken 
relationships."
 "From a Christian perspective," the statement 
notes, "restoration must be included as a purpose of a 
criminal justice system....  Restorative justice offers a 
framework with which to bring a reparative and holistic 
focus... [it] views crime as a violation of people and 
relationships and justice as a process that actively works 
to repair those harmed by crime."
 The statement urges American Baptists to "where 
possible, advocate for a restoration of relationships 
between victims, offenders and communities through the 
development of restorative justice practices" and "to be 
builders of God's shalom in response to the crime painfully 
experienced in our communities."
 It calls for American Baptists to support and meet 
the needs of both victims and offenders, the former by 
"becoming involved in programs which offer services to 
victims," the latter by helping them "understand the harms 
and damage of their crime [and] their obligation to repair 
the damages." 
 The statement also encourages American Baptists 
to "advocate for restorative alternatives to incarceration, 
celebrate the work of prison chaplains and ministries, 
engage the participants within the criminal justice system 
to encourage them to more adequately care for victims 
and offenders" and "address systemic structures which 
lead to broken relationships by becoming involved in 
efforts to address discrimination and violence at all levels 
of society."

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