wfn.org | Bishops seek audience with Bush, call for Mideast peace

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

May 7, 2002  News media contact: M. Garlinda Burton7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.  10-21-71B{208}

NOTE: For further coverage of the Council of Bishops' spring meeting, see
stories #201, #205-207 and #211.

By M. Garlinda Burton*

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (UMNS) - Bishops of the United Methodist Church want to
meet with U.S. President George Bush to express their concerns about the
testing and use of nuclear weapons following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
on America.

Claiming "ethical restraint has been compromised" in the name of the "war on
terrorism," the 150-member international Council of Bishops reiterated the
church's stand against nuclear weapons and recommitted itself to witnessing
for peace during this time of conflict.

The bishops adopted the statement, "In the Aftermath of 9-11," during their
April 28-May 3 meeting. In it, they said they will seek an audience with
Bush, a United Methodist, to remind him of the church's stands on war,
weapons and the ways of peace.

The church's highest legislative assembly, the General Conference, has
spelled out those positions in the Social Principles, which:
7	Denounce war as "incompatible with the teachings and example of
Christ," while acknowledging that "force of arms" may be needed to counter
"unchecked aggression, tyranny and genocide."
7	Call for condemnation of  "the production, possession or use of
nuclear weapons." 

In other action, the bishops heard from a delegation of colleagues who
recently returned from a fact-finding trip to the Middle East and Pakistan
(see UMNS story #84 at http://umns.umc.org/02/mar/084.htm). Members of the
team met with Palestinian and Israeli religious and political leaders, as
well as grass-roots citizens, to learn how the crisis in that region had
affected people's lives and communities.

Stirred by the stories and images shared by the delegation, the Council of
Bishops commended to the entire denomination a resolution on the Middle East
crisis, "Precious Stones," based on Isaiah 54:11. In it, the bishops called
for an immediate cease-fire in Israel and the Palestinian territories and
criticized both sides for using violence against civilians. The statement
further urged the U.S. government to make peace efforts in the region "the
highest priority" and reaffirmed the "right of the peoples of Palestine and
Israel to live within nations which have safe and secure borders."

The bishops called on local congregations to send their own delegations to
the Middle East, press government representatives to work for peace,
establish dialogues with local mosques and synagogues, and celebrate Peace
with Justice Sunday (May 26) by lighting two candles - one for Palestinians
and one for Israelis. 
# # #
*Burton is director of United Methodist News Service.

The full texts of the Council of Bishops' statements, "In the Aftermath of
9-11" and "Precious Stones," follow:

Council of Bishops
Minneapolis, MN
April 28 - May 3, 2002

"In the Aftermath of 9-11"

Whereas, the events of September 11 have changed the political atmosphere
and the maintenance of world peace, and

Whereas, the United Methodist Church in its Social Principles has previously
addressed the ethical issues of nuclear weapons, ABMs, and utilization of
first strike nuclear weapons, and

Whereas, we now witness: (a) the potential development and testing of new
nuclear weapons; (b) the cancellation of the ABM agreement, and (c) the
threatened utilization of first strike nuclear weapons, and

Whereas, under the heading of "war against terrorism," ethical restraint has
been compromised;

Therefore Be It Resolved that:

A. The Council of Bishops will be persistent in seeking an audience with
President Bush to share with him the voice of the U.M.C. on the concerns
noted above, and as articulated in our Book of Discipline 2000, and our Book
of Resolutions 2000.

B. We urge all bishops, active and retired, to seek ecumenical and
interfaith venues to express and embody the values, principles and positions
of The Book of Discipline 2000 and The Book of Resolution 2000.

United Methodist Council of Bishops
May, 2002

"Precious Stones"
Statement on the Middle East Crisis

"O Jerusalem, you suffering, helpless city, with no one to comfort you, I
will rebuild your foundations with precious stones."  Isaiah 54:11 (Today's
English Version)

The crisis in Israel and Palestine has reached a level requiring urgent
action. Violence, whether caused by military action or suicide bombers, has
escalated to a shocking degree, and is taking the lives of many innocent
people and threatens to engulf the region in a wider war. We express our
condolences to the families and friends of victims of the ongoing violence
and we pray ceaselessly for a prompt and just resolution of the crisis.  The
precious stones of the Holy Land speak to us and we hear their cry!

Our recent delegation to Palestine and Israel heard the voices of terrified
people, the precious living stones, both Israelis and Palestinians who seek
to go about their daily lives in peace within safe and secure borders. We
declare our deep respect, affection, and love for both Israelis and
Palestinians. We affirm and admire the many people and organizations on all
sides working for peace and nonviolent conflict resolution and
reconciliation in the most difficult of circumstances.

Our delegation met with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders and senior
Israeli government and Palestinian Authority officials. Palestinians and
Israelis are caught in a cycle of revenge and violence that must be broken;
repeatedly our delegation heard requests from both sides for outside
intervention to break the deadlock.

We note with alarm that the Church of the Nativity remains under siege in
Bethlehem and we pray fervently for a peaceful resolution at this holy site,
so important to Christians throughout the world.

We are concerned for the present plight and future viable presence of
Christians in the Holy Land. Christian leaders asked us not to forget and
abandon them in this hour of need and to speak and act on their behalf as
sisters and brothers in Christ. We hereby pledge ourselves to do so. We also
speak in support of the ministry of our United Methodist missionaries in the
Holy Land, Sandra Olweine, Alex and Brenda Awad, Bob May, and Janet Lahr
Lewis.

Therefore, we, the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church:

--call for an immediate cease-fire in Israel and Palestine. The Council
offers our good offices and tangible support to bring this violence to an
end;

--deplore the disproportionate use of force on the part of the Israeli
government. When tanks and helicopters are used to attack civilian
neighborhoods, when homes are destroyed, when land is confiscated and
civilians are harassed, injured and killed, the cause of peace is harmed;

--ask for an immediate end to suicide bombing and call on President Yasser
Arafat to do all that he can to end these criminal and inhuman acts, which
injure and kill Israeli citizens and create fear throughout Israel;

--request Israel immediately withdraw from all invaded and occupied
Palestinian territory, cease its military incursions, stop the building and
expansion of settlements, address the right of return for Palestinian
refugees, halt its destruction of the infrastructure of Palestinian civil
society, end restrictions on movement and provision of humanitarian aid
relief into the Palestinian territories;

--request the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations to
work together for peace in Israel and Palestine;

--call on the United States to give efforts to seek peace in the Middle East
the highest priority and to act in a fair and impartial manner;

--commend Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and the recent Arab Summit
for putting forward a plan for peace with Israel;

--call for the establishment of an independent, viable Palestine state as
soon as possible and for the release of promised U.S. aid to that state;

--reaffirm the right of the peoples of Palestine and Israel to live within
independent nations which have safe and secure borders.

Furthermore, the Council of Bishops:

--asks everyone to pray constantly for peace in the Middle East.

--recommends that annual conferences and general agencies send delegations
to the Middle East in support of our missionaries and to express our
solidarity with our Christian sisters and brothers in the Holy Land and with
all peace loving peoples in the Middle East.

--requests local churches establish a relationship with mosques and
synagogues for the purpose of dialogue and understanding.

--asks United Methodists in all lands to contact their national leaders and
press them to work for peace in the Middle East.

--encourages local churches to celebrate Peace with Justice Sunday on May 26
by lighting two candles, one for Palestine and one for Israel.

All of this to the end that the Holy Land becomes a place where:

"Love and faithfulness meet together, where righteousness and peace kiss
each other." (Psalm 85:10)

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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