wfn.org | NCC Board Asks Bush to Move, Even Now, Away From War"

["Nat'l Council of Churches" <nccc_usa@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of Churches
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2252/2227
NCC10/8/02 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC BOARD ASKS BUSH TO MOVE, EVEN NOW, AWAY FROM WAR

October 8, 2002, NEW YORK CITY - The National Council of Churches Executive
Board, meeting here October 7-8, unanimously approved a letter to President
George Bush urging him to reverse the momentum toward war.   The Board is
made up of leaders from the NCCs 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican
member denominations, which comprise 50 million adherents.

Accompanying the letter were many of the denominational and ecumenical
statements against war that have been issued in recent weeks (correspondence
that has been indexed at www.ncccusa.org/iraq/iraqlinks.html).	The letter
follows:

Dear Mr. President:

Meeting today in New York City as the Executive Board of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., we gather from our
thirty-six member communions representing a wide diversity of Protestant,
Orthodox and Anglican churches.

We recognize that the United States and the world community face a moment of
danger and decision.  Also, we recognize the unique burden you bear and
assure you that we hold you in prayer as you provide leadership to our
nation.

We are prompted to write to you today to commend to your attention the depth
and breadth of the correspondence you have received from the Christian
community (some examples of which are enclosed) in opposition to a
unilateral pre-emptive military strike against Iraq.  On many occasions you
have cited your reliance on principles of faith. It is just such principles
that have motivated the letters from the many Christian leaders and their
constituents who oppose such a strike.	Millions of American Christians are
members of the churches whose leaders have written to you in this moment of
grave decision-making.

Consonant with the Christian faith, we now urge you to reverse the momentum
toward war.  We further urge you to act with courage and forbearance in
setting an example in seeking an alternative to war and addressing the very
real dangers confronting the world community.

Mr. President, we respectfully implore you to heed the strong beliefs of the
broader faith community, which calls you to move, even now, away from war
and toward peace with compassion.

In Faith,
Elenie K. Huszagh, President
The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary
National Council of Churches