A PASTORAL LETTER
TO ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL

December 9, 2002

In the name of our savior, Jesus Christ, whose Advent, birth and Gospel we celebrate most especially at this time of year, we send greetings to American Christians and to all people of good will.

Remembering our Lord’s call for peace, justice and equality, we, a group of more than 20 Executives of state councils of churches, that met in New Orleans December 7-9, express our profound concerns about the imminent possibility of United States military action against Iraq.

We are the Executive Directors of more than 20 of state councils of churches-representing communities of Churches that seek to follow Jesus’ way of love-and we grieve the violence of terrorism and the suffering this violence is inflicting on people all over the world. We also grieve the violence of military action that accepts the deaths of innocent people as a price worth paying in war. We lift up the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

War encourages us to put patriotism above all other allegiances. The Gospel encourages us to delineate clearly how to render to Caesar and how to render to God. War encourages us to think of enemies as less than human. The Gospel encourages us to think of all people as brothers and sisters, children of God. War encourages us to accept the suffering of others while praying for an absence of suffering for "our side." The Gospel encourages us to work for the welfare of all people and to suffer when any of God’s children suffer.

We represent diverse Christian communions, and we have differing perspectives on the need and justification for war. Some of us hold to the theory of "just war" as articulated by Christian theologians, which acknowledges the necessity for military action in particular and very limited circumstances. Some of us believe that military action is never justified and hold to a practice of absolute pacifism. Nevertheless, we all agree that the call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a call to the values of peace, justice, compassion, reconciliation and care for neighbor. We agree that these are the principles that should guide our actions at this time.

We acknowledge that the government of Iraq is a deeply corrupt and criminal regime capable and culpable of heinous crimes against its own citizens, its neighbors and the world community. However, we join with many in the Christian community, including the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the national leadership of many of our constituent denominations to express our opposition to pre-emptive and unilateral military action against Iraq.

We believe that pre-emptive, unilateral military action towards any nation is not consistent with United States and United Nations policy and would set an unsettling precedent for other nations. We are concerned that such military action has the potential to destabilize further the Middle East region. We are opposed to any action that would result in civilian casualties and further victimize the innocent people of Iraq, who have already suffered more than two decades of war and economic deprivation. We are concerned that the costs of war against Iraq will be high for the United States as well, exacting an economic, moral and spiritual toll on our citizens, both civilian and military.

Our conviction is that the values of peace, justice, compassion, reconciliation and care for neighbor expressed by our Christian faith call us to a different course of action. We call upon President Bush and the government of the United States to explore fully all diplomatic means of diminishing the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, including the new weapons-inspection program and renewed international peace efforts.

As do many in the world, we look to the United States government to set an example for the international community. As Christian religious leaders responsible to American citizens, we expect our government to reflect the morals and values we hold dear-pursuing peace, not war; working with the community of nations, not overthrowing governments by force; respecting international law and treaties, while holding in high regard all human life.

Realizing that the members of our congregations may disagree with one another on this matter and that we have much to learn from one another, we urge the leaders of our congregations to engage their members in discussions, remembering that the purpose of such dialogue is not to win an argument, but to discern God’s will. We also encourage members of our congregations to communicate their positions to their elected leaders, to pray for a just and nonviolent resolution to the problem of terrorism and to pray for peace with justice in the Middle East and around the world.

Ohio Council of Churches
Rev. Rebecca J. Tollefson, Executive Director
17 denominational groups

Minnesota Council of Churches
The Rev. Peg A. B. Chemberlin, Executive Director
19 denominational groups

New Mexico Conference of Churches
Rev. Barbara Dua, Executive Director
10 denominational groups

Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Dr. James R. Ryan, Council Executive
12 denominational groups

New York State Community of Churches
Mary Lu Bowen, Executive Director
29 denominational groups

Ecumenical Ministries Of Oregon
David A. Leslie, Executive Director

Oklahoma Conference of Churches
Dr. Rita Newton, Executive Director
17 denominational groups

* For identification purposes only