 is a joint initiative of the 
World Council of Churches (WCC) and the To receive this bulletin by e-mail, contact us! |
| This bulletin/website is intended to provide an ecumenical space for "visions for peace" and "voices of faith". These materials do not necessarily reflect official policy documents of the WCC, ACT or EAA. |
|
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of 342 churches in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the Assembly, which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Action by Churches Together (ACT) is an international alliance of churches and relief agencies assisting thousands of people recovering from emergencies in more than 50 countries worldwide. Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) is a global action network of 62 churches and church-related organizations who have pledged themselves to change unjust policies and practices related to global trade and HIV/AIDS, and to take up as a special concern work on peace and conflict resolution by forging strategic partnership. Alliance participants come from every corner of the globe and varied traditions within the ecumenical family - Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican, as well as church-related organizations who themselves represent and serve many Christian faith traditions. Alliance participants are committed to speak out with one voice against injustice and structures which deprive human beings of dignity, and for alternative visions based on the Gospel. |
|
25 October 2001 Providing church, ecumenical and inter-faith information, resources, and analysis on issues of current global concern 1) Background In response to the threatening global situation in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States, Action by Churches Together (ACT), the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), have set up a short-term response mechanism to offer a selection of statements, useful information, thought-provoking reflections, and worship resources which might aid churches in responding to the unfolding situation. This weekly bulletin contains summaries and references to selected resources. Please feel free to share this bulletin widely by e-mail and in hard copy. We appreciate feedback on what you find helpful and what other information you may need. Please contact us! 2. Statements and actions of the global church and ecumenical family a) The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Pakistan, Mr. Victor Azariah, has called on the world community to seek peace at this time and to stop the war in Afghanistan. In remarks delivered at the Christian Conference of Asia, he explained that the Pakistani churches are actively engaged with inter-faith discussions with Muslims, noting that "the Christian community in Pakistan always feels a backlash when something goes against Pakistan at the behest of the West." b) In a meeting at the Vatican on 22 October 2001 between Pope John Paul II and Ignatius IV, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, His Beatitude Ignatius IV emphasized that we must work for justice not vengeance. "In promoting this quest for justice, we must join with all men and women of good will, and especially with Muslims, eschewing thoughtless generalizations and primitive reactions. Let us preach harmony among the nations and do all in our power to avoid a clash of civilizations between Muslims and the West." c) Canadian churches have recently sent two letters: an ecumenical appeal sent to Canadian Members of Parliament on 12 October in advance of a debate on Canada's response to terrorism in the Parliament, and a letter from the Canadian Council of Churches to the Prime Minister of Canada on 21 September. d) According to the German press agency EPD, the Bishop of Hanover, Germany, Margot Kässman, has spoken out for a ceasefire in Afghanistan. Expressing doubts that terrorists can be defeated through war, the Bishop emphasized that it is now important for civilian conflict resolution. "Why is it always so much easier to mobilize money and resources for arms than to invest in peace?" Kässman asked, calling for a "war against hunger." e) On 20 October, 40 days after the tragic deaths of thousands of people in the USA, a requiem service was held at the Church of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, the service commemorated in prayer all the victims of the acts of terror. Full report, including photos f) The Synod Assembly of the Reformed Churches of Argentina adopted a statement called "Witnesses of Hope" in the aftermath of the US/UK bombing of Afghanistan, noting the difficulties of maintaining hope in times like these. The statement concludes that "as witnesses of hope, we unite with all God's people and all people of good will to reaffirm that another Argentina and another world are possible". g) Dr Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, in a statement issued on 15 October, cautions that the "war deepens the cycle of violence" and calls for an end to the military attacks. "The World Alliance of Reformed Churches is firmly committed to justice, the integrity of God's creation, dialogue between relgions and cultures, and life in fullness for all." He calls on all churches to pray "for all who are caugt up in these events, careful analysis in the light of our vision of peace born from justice, and renewed service to our neighbors." h) German President Johannes Rau called for cooperation between faith communities during a visit to Geneva-based international Christian organizations at the invitation of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Visibly concerned about the effects of international terrorism and the military action in Afghanistan following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA, Dr. Rau stated, "Without peace between the world's religions, world peace is not possible." i) The Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions, during their General Assembly in Budapest on 30 September, declared "Whereas international law recognises the inherent right to self-defence against attack, we, as Christians, also insist that any unrestrained military operation would utterly deny our beliefs and our morality. Nor must any response to the attacks begin a new and possibly even greater cycle of violence. Indeed we believe that the decisive test at this time is to prevent our own human values from being diminished in reaction to the inhumanity of others." j) The steering committee of the Commission for Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America agreed on a resolution calling for a response to terrorism that seeks "justice through legal, diplomatic and other nonviolent means so as to enhance human security and prevent further loss of life." k) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany has released a major document on peace ethics which was commissioned after the Kosovo conflict in 1999. The document, written before the 11 September attacks, calls for political solutions to take precedence over military action in dealing with civil wars, intra-state conflicts and terrorism. A foreword to the document, written by Manfred Kock after the attacks, specifically argues that the struggle against terrorism should not be based primarily on military means. Summary l) In a statement to the press, His Holiness Aram I, Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia) said that the "punitive approach is not an efficient way to combat terrorism" and that "while military strikes may contain terrorism, they cannot eradicate terrorism."
m) Archbishop Anastasios of Tiran, Durres and All Albania, Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, was interviewed by Stavros Tzimas of Kathimerini in Athens, on inter-faith relations in light of the September 11 attacks. "Religion should not get caught up in the cogs of terrorism" he said and stressed the importance of dialogue which "Is better than silence, which only cultivates suspicion and often hate."
n) The Washington-based Center of Concern has collected articles and perspectives, statements, human faces, and resources on the aftermath of September 11th.
|