Statements / Challenging the Rush to War on Iraq

Archive of 2002-2003 Ecumenical, Denominational Statements

MAY 2003

May 9, 2003 -- 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, 2003 -- Interfaith Summit's "An Urgent Call for Reflection, Hope and Action" and "Words of Reflection"
April 17, 2003 -- Third "All Our Children" Shipment Reaches Baghdad's Outskirts; Is Being Distributed in the City Little by Little as Security Allows
April 16, 2003 - Statement of ELCA Presiding Bishop "End of Overt Hostilities in Iraq War"
April 15, 2003 -- 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, 2003 - Third 'All Our Children' Shipment Crosses Into Iraq; NCC, CWS Support Campaign for Iraqi Child Health
April 8, 2003 - Third Shipment for Iraqi Pediatrics Hospitals Ready in Jordan
April 8, 2003 - U.S. Church Support Critical in "All Our Children" Effort, Coordinator Says

MARCH 2003

March 31, 2003 - 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, 2003 - European Council of Churches Support Anti-War Position of American Churches
March 30, 2003 - War Must Never Be Allowed to Divide World Religions, Says Pope In His Address to Indonesian Bishops
March 27, 2003 - "War and Peace: Where We Go from Here, " a Statement from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
March 26, 2003 - Letter on War Against Iraq and MECC Humanitarian Services
March 26, 2003 - Iraq: CEC and National Council of Churches in USA Write to Greek EU Presidency
March 25, 2003 - As the War Begins, Interfaith Forum Explores 'Resistance and Reconciliation'
March 24, 2003 - Heads of NCC, Two Muslim Organizations Issue Joint Statement on Iraq
March 22, 2003 - As War Begins, CWS Accelerates Longstanding Relief to Iraqis
March 22, 2003 - 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, 2003 - Communiqué from Heads of Middle East Churches on Start of War in Iraq
March 21, 2003 - United Methodist bishop urges church to pray for peace
March 21, 2003 - WCC general secretary challenges Bush's religious claims
March 20, 2003 - What Constitutes Christian Citizenship in Wartime?
March 20, 2003 - WCC Statement on Iraq: "Wars cannot be won, only peace can"
March 20, 2003 - WAR ON IRAQ: A Statement by Sojourners
March 20, 2003 - The Intercommunity Center for Justice and Peace in New York City (ICJP) urges U.S. Government to cease military action against Iraq.
March 20, 2003 - LET NOT THE FLAME OF PEACE BE EXTINGUISHED (Statement of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines)
March 20, 2003 - Encyclical of the Holy Eparchial Synod on the Commencement of War in Iraq
March 20, 2003 - General Secretary of CEC on War in Iraq: If Christ is our Peace, We Cannot Believe in War
March 20, 2003 - A Statement on the Iraq War from the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
March 20, 2003 - Statement from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson in response to U.S. pre-emptive military strike on Iraq
March 20, 2003 - Statement from Leaders of Friends Organizations in the U.S.
March 19, 2003 - Church World Service Board of Directors 3/19 Opposes Iraq War, Promises Humanitarian Aid
March 19, 2003 - Statement on War with Iraq from United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 19, 2003 - Win Without War: Support U.S. Troops, Oppose Bush "First Strike Doctrine"
March 18, 2003 - Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
March 2, 2003 - 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, 2003 - International Church Leaders Plead for Peaceful Solution to Iraq Crisis
February 27, 2003 -- U.S. Church Leaders, in Rome, Ask Pope to Address U.N. Security Council
February 21, 2003 -- 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, 2003 -- Letter on Iraq to President Bush February 19, 2003, From the General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches
February 18, 2003 -- In London, U.S. Church Leaders Meet Tony Blair in Third of Five NCC Peace Delegations
February 17, 2003 -- Tuesday Meeting with Blair on U.S. Christian Leaders' London Schedule
February 14, 2003 -- A Letter To Women’s Organizations Worldwide from the Justice for Women Working Group of the National Council of Churches
February 14, 2003 -- World Conference on Religion and Peace International Executive Committee Issues Statement on Iraq
February 13, 2003 -- Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter Endorse "All Our Children" Campaign; Ecumenical Effort Seeks $1 Million for Health Assistance for Iraqi Children
February 11, 2003 -- NCC Delegation in Paris Feb. 10-11 Surprises France with U.S. Church Opposition to War
February 7, 2003 -- Iraq Crisis: U.S. Ecumenical Leaders Go to Paris for Meetings
February 7, 2003 -- Iraqis Face Enormous Human Disaster if There's War, Says Church World Service Executive Director McCullough
February 6, 2003 -- 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, 2003 -- In Berlin, NCC Delegation Meets With Church Leaders From Europe and Middle East, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
February 3, 2003 -- U.S., European Churches to Discuss Common Response to Iraq Crisis
February 3, 2003: Make Every Monday a Special Day of Prayer for Peace, NCC General Secretary Urges

JANUARY 2003

January 31, 2003 -- 49 U.S. Religious Leaders Ask Urgent Meeting with President Bush on Iraq
January 28, 2003 -- NCC General Secretary Dr. Bob Edgar Reflects on "State of the Union" 2003
January 27, 2003 -- France's Conference of Bishops' Statement Against Going to War with Iraq (In French)
January 23, 2003 - NCC General Secretary Calls for Fasting, Prayers for Peace Jan. 27
January 20, 2003 -- 'We Can Still Stop This War' - Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Service Draws 3,200 to Washington National Cathedral; Peace March Follows
January 30, 2003: Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church Statement "The Challenges of Global Citizenship"

DECEMBER 2002

December 22, 2002 -- $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 26: Statement of ELCA Presiding Bishop
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"
November 13: 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’ (Click here for full text.)

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

NCC-Led Religious Leaders' Humanitarian Mission to Iraq

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

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