wfn.org | ABCUSA: MASS. EXEC. ADDRESSES MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT

[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

AMERICAN BAPTIST EXECUTIVE IN 
MASSACHUSETTS IS AMONG CHRISTIAN LEADERS 
CALLING  FOR `CLIMATE OF RESPONSIBILITY' IN 
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
 The Rev. Dr. Linda C. Spoolstra, executive 
minister of the American Baptist Churches of 
Massachusetts, has joined other Christian leaders in the 
Massachusetts Council of Churches this week in calling for 
an end to Israeli-Palestinian violence and for a concerted 
effort to establish a "climate of responsibility" as a prelude 
to the resumption of peace negotiations in the Middle 
East.
 In their "Open Letter about the Conflict between 
Israel and the Palestinians from Christian Religious 
Leaders in Massachusetts" representatives of Protestant 
and Greek Orthodox groups within the state urged 
government leaders in the Middle East "to stop the 
violence, resume negotiations and address the 
humanitarian crisis that accompanies the current 
situation."
 The religious leaders, quoting Psalm 34:14, 
exhorted governmental officials to "Seek peace and pursue 
it."  "These tragic actions," their letter maintains, 
"underscore the need for fresh approaches to stop 
reciprocal actions of violence, to counter the culture of 
blame, and to create a climate of responsibility that will 
enable the resumption of peace negotiations."
 In their 1982 statement "A Call to Repentance and 
Responsibility in the Middle East" Massachusetts Council of 
Churches leaders voiced support for the rights of the 
people of Israel to statehood within secure and defined 
boundaries and the equal rights of the Palestinian people 
to self-determination and self-government.  The current 
open letter reiterates that support: "We are firmly 
committed to the right of the state of Israel to exist in 
security and tranquility.  We also affirm the need for an 
autonomous Palestinian state with equal confidence and 
freedom from fear."
 The letter also states, "Our common faith 
traditions--Christian, Jewish and Muslim--have strong 
commitments to justice and peace.   We long to make the 
world a better place for all God's children.   These deeply 
held religious convictions inform our ethical concerns.  And 
so we are moved to ask of ourselves and others: What 
have we acceded to that we should have resisted?   What 
has not been done that could be?   What has been 
unchallenged that should be?"
 Release of the Massachusetts leaders' letter 
precedes an upcoming gathering of the U.S. Conference of 
the World Council of Churches in Boston Feb. 28-March 2.  
The WCC has declared 2001-2010 "The Decade to 
Overcome Violence."  Discussion about the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict is on the agenda of the meeting which 
has as its theme "Overcoming Violence: Churches Seeking 
Peace and Reconciliation."  

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