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Peacemaking in a Season of War
The calling to be Peacemaker is challenging
in a time when the war-makers are claiming religious symbols and God's
blessing for destructive ends. We direct you to this extraordinary set
of links from the National Council of Churches and our other ecumenical
partners in the nation, providing access to a variety of resources, including
the official statements of ecclesiastical leaders.
WCC General Secretary Challenges Bush's Religious Claims
March 21, 2003, GENEVA – Speaking yesterday
at an ecumenical service of prayer for peace held at World Council of
Churches (WCC) headquarters in Geneva, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Konrad
Raiser denounced as "misuse of religious language" US president
George W. Bush's attempts to invoke divine legitimation for his war against
Iraq. Noting an increasing tendency on the part of the US president "to
invoke religious, even divine legitimation for his intention to disarm
Iraq by force," Raiser suggested that a Christian response today
to "the political, ethical and spiritual challenge of war [...] declared
with the alleged purpose of restoring peace and justice" must be
"an act of defiance: denouncing this misuse of religious language
in order to justify an act of war that violates the legal order developed
to protect world peace."
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Denominational
&
Ecumenical Statements
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MAY 2003
May 9 – War
Against Disease, Hunger Continues for Iraqis, Especially Children, Church
World Service Representative Reports Following Baghdad Visit; If health
situation doesn't improve soon, more children under five could die, say
humanitarian agencies
APRIL 2003
April 30 – Interfaith
Summit's "An Urgent Call for Reflection, Hope and Action" and
"Words of Reflection"
April 17 – Third
"All Our Children" Shipment Reaches Baghdad's Outskirts; Is
Being Distributed in the City Little by Little as Security Allows
April 16 – Statement
of ELCA Presiding Bishop "End of Overt Hostilities in Iraq War"
April 15 – A
Vision of Peace in a Time of War: The Need for a Peace-Centered Foreign
Policy, by the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council
of Churches
April 12 – Third
'All Our Children' Shipment Crosses Into Iraq; NCC, CWS Support Campaign
for Iraqi Child Health
April 8 – Third
Shipment for Iraqi Pediatrics Hospitals Ready in Jordan
April 8 – U.S.
Church Support Critical in "All Our Children" Effort, Coordinator
Says
MARCH 2003
March 31 – Shipment
of Soap for Pediatric Hospitals Arrives in Baghdad Today; Second Round
of ‘All Our Children’ Supplies to Benefit Nearly 15,000 Iraqi
Children
March 31 – European
Council of Churches Support Anti-War Position of American Churches
March 30 – War
Must Never Be Allowed to Divide World Religions, Says Pope In His Address
to Indonesian Bishops
March 27 – "War
and Peace: Where We Go from Here," a Statement from the Unitarian
Universalist Association of Congregations
March 26 – Letter
on War Against Iraq and MECC Humanitarian Services
March 26 – Iraq:
CEC and National Council of Churches in USA Write to Greek EU Presidency
March 22 – United
States Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East: Jewish,
Christian and Muslim Leaders Pray for All Victims of the War, Express
Concerns Over Possible Consequences, and Renew A Call for Active U.S.
Efforts for Peace in the Middle East.
March 21 – United
Methodist bishop urges church to pray for peace
March 21 – WCC
general secretary challenges Bush's religious claims
March 20 – WCC
Statement on Iraq: "Wars cannot be won, only peace can"
March 20 – WAR
ON IRAQ: A Statement by Sojourners
March 20 – The
Intercommunity Center for Justice and Peace in New York City (ICJP) urges
U.S. Government to cease military action against Iraq.
March 20 – LET
NOT THE FLAME OF PEACE BE EXTINGUISHED (Statement of the National Council
of Churches in the Philippines)
March 20 – Encyclical
of the Holy Eparchial Synod on the Commencement of War in Iraq
March 20 – General
Secretary of CEC on War in Iraq: If Christ is our Peace, We Cannot Believe
in War
March 20 – A
Statement on the Iraq War from the General Board of Church and Society
of the United Methodist Church
March 20 – Statement
from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson in response to U.S. pre-emptive military
strike on Iraq
March 20 – Pastoral
Letter to ELCA Rostered Leaders on War with Iraq
March 20 – Statement
from Leaders of Friends Organizations in the U.S.
March 19 – Statement
on War with Iraq from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 19 – Win
Without War: Support U.S. Troops, Oppose Bush "First Strike Doctrine"
March 2 – Many
Faiths, Joined Together for Prayer in San Francisco, Call for End to Unjust
War on Iraq – and on America's Poor
FEBRUARY 2003
February 27 – International
Church Leaders Plead for Peaceful Solution to Iraq Crisis
February 27 – U.S.
Church Leaders, in Rome, Ask Pope to Address U.N. Security Council
February 21 – Interreligious
Committee Calls for Urgent U.S.-Led Push for Mideast Peace; Believes Such
an Effort Would Evoke Strong Support at Home and Worldwide
February 19 – Letter
on Iraq to President Bush February 19, 2003, From the General Secretary
of the Conference of European Churches
February 18 – In
London, U.S. Church Leaders Meet Tony Blair in Third of Five NCC Peace
Delegations
February 17 – Tuesday
Meeting with Blair on U.S. Christian Leaders' London Schedule
February 14 – A
Letter To Women’s Organizations Worldwide from the Justice for Women
Working Group of the National Council of Churches
February 14 – World
Conference on Religion and Peace International Executive Committee Issues
Statement on Iraq
February 13 – Jimmy,
Rosalynn Carter Endorse "All Our Children" Campaign; Ecumenical
Effort Seeks $1 Million for Health Assistance for Iraqi Children
February 11 – NCC
Delegation in Paris Feb. 10-11 Surprises France with U.S. Church Opposition
to War
February 7 – Iraq
Crisis: U.S. Ecumenical Leaders Go to Paris for Meetings
February 7 – Iraqis
Face Enormous Human Disaster if There's War, Says Church World Service
Executive Director McCullough
February 6 – Bishop
Sharon A. Brown Christopher, President of the Council of Bishops of the
United Methodist Church writes to fellow United Methodist, Pres. George
W. Bush
February 5 – In
Berlin, NCC Delegation Meets With Church Leaders From Europe and Middle
East, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
February 3 – U.S.,
European Churches to Discuss Common Response to Iraq Crisis
February 3 – Make
Every Monday a Special Day of Prayer for Peace, NCC General Secretary
Urges
JANUARY 2003
January 31 –
49 U.S. Religious Leaders Ask Urgent Meeting with President Bush on Iraq
January 30 –
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church Statement "The Challenges
of Global Citizenship"
January 28 – NCC
General Secretary Dr. Bob Edgar Reflects on "State of the Union"
2003
January 27 –
France's Conference of Bishops' Statement Against Going to War with Iraq
(In French)
January 23 –
NCC General Secretary Calls for Fasting, Prayers for Peace Jan. 27
January 20 –
'We Can Still Stop This War' - Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Service Draws
3,200 to Washington National Cathedral; Peace March Follows
NCC-Led
Religious Leaders' Humanitarian Mission to Iraq
Click here for the
Iraq mission's photo gallery
January 3, 2003 –
NCC-Led Religious Leaders' Humanitarian Mission to Iraq Concludes
January 3, 2003 –
Statement by the NCC-Led Religious Leaders' Humanitarian Mission to Iraq
December 30, 2002 –
Religious Leaders Arrive in Iraq for NCC-Led Humanitarian Mission
December 30, 2002 –
Global Partners' Messages of Solidarity with the NCC-Led Iraq Mission
DECEMBER 2002
December 22–
$1 Million Campaign Responds to Iraqi Children's Health Needs
December 8-21 –
Pax Christi Delegation Visit to Iraq
December 9 –
26 State Ecumenical/Interfaith Council Leaders Issue Statement Against
U.S. War on Iraq
December 11 –
Launch of 'Keep America Safe: Win Without War'
December 4 –
NY Times Ad from Religious Leaders for Sensible Priorities
NOVEMBER 2002
November 20 –
"A Call to Peace" by Church Women United, Connecticut
November 16 –
NCC to U.S.: "Do All Possible, Without Going to War" to Resolve
the Iraq Crisis
Full text –
"After September 11, 2001: Public Policy Considerations for the United
States of America"
Full text –
"Resolution Expressing Appreciation for the U.S. Catholic Bishops'
Statement on Iraq"
Statement on Iraq: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Nov. 13, 2002,
Washington, D.C.
November 4 –
Statement on Iraq from the World Methodist Council Youth Committee
OCTOBER 2002
October 31 –
The Age Newspaper, Australia - "On Iraq, the Churches Must Speak
Out"
October 29 –
Middle East Church Leader Pleads for Diplomacy, Not War
October 24 –
United Methodist Board of Global Ministries Statement of Concern on Iraq
October 24 –
Statement of Conscience on the Iraq War
October 21 –
United Methodist Women Oppose War with Iraq
October 15 –
WCC Letter to U.N. Security Council on Iraq: "Pre-emptive war against
Iraq illegal, immoral and unwise"
October 18:
Kentucky Council of Churches Resolution on Question of War Against Saddam
Hussein and Iraq
October 14 –
Church of the Brethren General Board "Statement on the Threat of
War Between the United States and Iraq
October 12 –
United Methodist General Board of Church and Society Statement on Iraq
October 11 –
War is Not the Answer – an ecumenical statement
October 7 –
NCC Board Asks Bush to "Move, Even Now, Away from War"
October 5: News Story –
In Pastoral Letter, President of United Methodist Bishops Counsels Bush
to Avoid ‘Preemptive Strike’
SEPTEMBER 2002
September 28 –
Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly Council (GAC) Call for U.S.
Restraint on Iraq
September 25 –
Letter from Canadian Council of Churches to U.S. President Bush
September 25 –
Letter from 16 Canadian Religious Leaders to Canada's Prime Minister,
Jean Chretien
September 24 –
NCC Justice for Women Working Group: "Potential War on Iraq: A Threat
to Women and Children"
September 24 –
Heads of Five Quaker Organizations' "Joint Statement in Response
to Threat of War with Iraq"
September 20 –
American Friends Service Committee Letter to President Bush
September 20 –
World Council of Churches Letter and Statement on Iraq
September 18 –
Declaration of the Florida Council of Churches Regarding Iraq
September 16 –
Religious Leaders Meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza
Rice
September 13 –
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Letter to President Bush on Iraq
September 13 –
Statement of United Church of Christ Leaders Opposing U.S. War Against
Iraq
September 12 –
Letter to Congress from Friends Committee on National Legislation
September 12 –
Letter from 51 U.S. Religious Leaders to President Bush
September 6 –
Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold's Statement on Military Action
Against Iraq
September 4 –
United Methodist Women's Division Statement on Iraq
AUGUST 2002
August 30 –
United Methodist General Board of Church and Society: Bush Urged to Turn
Back from War
August 30 –
ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson issues statement against U.S. attack on Iraq
August 29 –
Leaders from American, Canadian, British Churches to U.S. Government:
'Stop the Rush to War'
August 27 –
Letter from Mennonite Church U.S.A. to President Bush
August 6 –
Pax Christi - U.K.'s "Christian Declaration on the Morality and Legality
of War with Iraq"
August 5 –
Middle East Council of Churches Statement on Iraq
UNDATED STATEMENTS
Christian Ethicists' Statement Against a U.S. Preemptive War on Iraq
Bread for the World Statement on War Against Iraq
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Talking with
Children
about War & Terrorism
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Evangelical Lutheran Church in America –
www.elca.org/dhes/schools/peace/index.html
Purdue extension school –
www.ces.purdue.edu/terrorism
Red Cross –
www.redcross.org/services.afes/
Reading to Kids Program –
www.read2kids.org/uniting.htm
Web MD: "Telling your Kids About War"
www.my.webmd.com
Time for Kids "Kids Speak out Against War"
www.timeforkids.com
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Advocacy
Resources
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Sign
the Citizens' Declaration reaffirming out commitment to international
cooperation!
Would War Help or Hurt Human Rights in Iraq? – Amnesty International's
Viewpoint
Minnesota Council of Churches Resources on Peacemaking
January Peace Blitz – Resources from the Mennonite Church
New Video of December 2002 Service at The Riverside Church is a Valuable
Teaching Tool for People of Faith Concerned About War; Multiracial and
Interfaith Leaders Gathered for Prayer Service Opposing War Against Iraq
The War on Iraq: What We Can Do for Peace – A New Resource from Church
World Service
"Citizen Demands for More Information," A Grassroots Advocacy
Tool
Resources for Peacemaking from the American Friends Service Committee
"Talking Points for Religious Leaders' Action Days for Peace"
from the Lutheran Office on Governmental Affairs
Talking Points From Churches for Middle East Peace
Protestants for the Common Good Network
From the Institute for Policy Studies' Foreign Policy in Focus Economic
Costs
Iraq Talking Points (Long Version) –
http://www.fpif.org/papers/iraq2.html
Iraq Talking Points –
http://www.presentdanger.org/cgaa/talkingpoints/0208iraq.html
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Curricula
and
Discussion Guides
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"Teaching
with the News" Curriculum Resources on the Iraq Crisis from the Watson
Institute for International Studies
"U.S. Policy Toward Iraq: What Should We Do?" A Guide for Public
Dialogue from the Studies Circles Resource Center
Friends Committee on National Legislation Resources on U.S.-Iraq Relations
Just
War Principles – Among Resources on the Center of Concern Web Site
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Prayers,
Litanies & Liturgies
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A
Hymn of Faith in the Face of War – Fourth Week in Lent
A Litany of Light in A Time of War – Third Week in Lent
A Litany of Light for Peace – Second Week in Lent
Ecumenical Prayer Service for Peace – (from the World Council
of Churches)
World Council of Churches U.S. Conference Lenten Fast Against Violence
(March 5-April 20 in Western church
traditions; March 10-27 in Orthodox traditions)
Links to WCC Prayers for Peace in Iraq: Liturgical
resources in various languages contributed by members of the international
ecumenical community are available on our website at:
English:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/iraqprayers-e.html
Français:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/iraqprayers-f.html
Español:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/iraqprayers-s.html
Deutsch:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/iraqprayers-g.html
What Makes America Strong: A Litany for Peace
Liturgy for Calling a Communal Fast for Peace
Multireligious Call to a Fast for Peace
Peace Prayer:
www.peaceprayer.org
More Prayers for Peace
Ta'anit Tzibbur al HaTzarah:Call to a Communal Fast to Avert Calamity
Poem 'For the Children of Iraq'
Prayers for Peace in the Middle East and Selections from Jewish, Christian
and Islamic Texts
"Deeds of Darkness" A sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent
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Other Web
Sites
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All Our Children Campaign for Humanitarian Assistance
for Iraqi Children:
http://www.allourchildren.org
American Friends Service Committee:
http://www.afsc.org
American Nobel Laureates' Position on a Unilateral,
Preventive Attack on Iraq:
http://www.nobellaureatesoniraq.org
Better World Links:
http://www.betterworldlinks.org
Bread for the World:
http://www.bread.org
Church of the Brethren:
http://www.brethren.org/Iraq.html
Churches for Middle East Peace:
http://www.cmep.org
Education for Peace in Iraq Center:
http://epic-usa.org
Every Church a Peace Church:
http://www.ecapc.org
FaithandValues.com Iraq Files:
http://www.faithandvalues.com/channels/iraq.asp
Friends Committee on National Legislation:
http://fcnl.org
The Interfaith Committee for Nuclear Disarmament:
http://www.zero-nukes.org
Iraq Pledge of Resistance:
http://www.peacepledge.org
Lutheran Office on Governmental Affairs:
http://www.loga.org
National Interfaith Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament
Initiative: http://www.nrdi.org
Network - A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby:
http://www.networklobby.org
Patriots for Peace:
http://www.patriotsforpeace.org
Pax Christi:
http://www.paxchristiusa.org
Peaceful Ends Through Peaceful Means: A Christian
Witness for Peace in Israel and Palestine:
http://www.pepm.org
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers for a Better World:
http://www.epic-usa.org/rpcv
Rhode Island Peace Mission:
http://www.peacemissionri.org
Shalom Center:
http://www.shalomctr.org
Sojourners:
http://www.sojo.net
Stop the War Fast:
http://www.webofcreation.org/ncc
Taking Sides:
http://www.takingsides.blogspot.com
True Majority:
http://www.truemajority.com
United for Peace:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org
Virtual March on Washington February 26, 2003:
http://www.moveon.org/winwithoutwar
Veterans' View of the War on Iraq:
www.veteransforcommonsense.org
World Council of Churches:
http://www.wcc-coe.org
WCC's Interactive Web Site for the Decade to Overcome
Violence 2001-2010: Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/dov
Seasons of Peacemaking Vision Statement
Write President Bush and Your Members of Congress
Current and Upcoming Events
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