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Ecumenical Consultation Statement Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We greet you from Havana, Cuba, where we have been meeting for two days in an ecumenical community of persons representing churches in Cuba, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean, and throughout the world through the World Council of Churches. We met in the days following the historic visit to Havana this month of His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and the celebration of the consecration of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, events that reflect the growth and diversity of religious life in Cuba today. We gathered at the invitation of the Cuban Council of Churches, which recognizes a growing polarization of political positions, increased tensions between the United States and Cuba, and a return to confrontational language that make dialogue and understanding very difficult. As Christians from many countries, we share concerns about policies that seek to impose the will of the powerful nations on weaker nations. And as brothers and sisters in faith, we recognize that hostility towards Cuba cannot be understood apart from the so-called war on terror that presumes to interpret and influence events in every nation through its own logic. Together we have praised God and reflected on the Word of God as it comes to us from 2 Kings 4:1-44 and 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, asking ourselves what God is calling us to do to address the challenges that our peoples face in their daily lives. In the context of current relations among our respective nations, we asked ourselves what we can do together for the common good of people in Cuba, in North America, in Latin America, in the Caribbean, and in the rest of the world. In our discussions, we heard: - affirmations of the work of the churches of many countries to maintain and increase contact among ourselves over recent decades; - concern about the negative consequences of economic globalization that are felt in a variety of ways in Cuba, the United States and throughout the hemisphere, even while recognizing some of the benefits of such globalization; - denunciations of the U.S. policy of pre-emptive military action and, after the war in Iraq, its implementation in other countries; and, - concern about the activity of some new “missionary” movements coming from outside and backed by large amounts of money that create divisions here. As a result of our discussions, we suggest that our churches: - encourage visiting leaders to share their experiences in Cuba more broadly across their denominations; - create more opportunities for exchanges among youth and young adults; - mutually support ecumenical formation efforts that are sensitive to cultures and contexts; - use internet web sites as a means to share information about Cuba more broadly; and, - take advantage of the World Council of Churches’ focus on the US in 2004 within the Decade to Overcome Violence to raise awareness within the churches around the world on the harmful consequences of the US economic embargo of Cuba. We are committed to returning to our churches to strengthen our efforts for dialogue and solidarity among our peoples. We believe that we are called to build bridges of understanding and peace among our countries. And we invite you to join us in these efforts. Representatives of: Caribbean Conference of Churches |