June, 22, 2000, NEW YORK CITY-- The
Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC), is
among signers of the "Joint Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament Statement" calling for
a ban on nuclear weapons.
The statement, an initiative of the
Washington National Cathedral, brings together two groups that have long been in
disagreement on issues of national security--military professionals and religious leaders.
"We are striving to build a
grassroots-based coalition that represents the diversity of faiths in the U.S. and the
spectrum within each denomination," said organizers of the Nuclear
Reduction/Disarmament Initiative. "We
are inviting a broad range of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders to set their
differences aside and join together to coalesce around this important global issue."
The statement declares that "it is
past time for a great national and international discussion and examination of the true
and full implications of reliance on nuclear weapons, to be followed by action leading to
the international prohibition of these weapons."
The grassroots effort is a three-step
process that began with a news conference on Wednesday, June 21, where the document was
released. The event, held at the Washington
National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., featured several of the signatories, who presented
this joint call for nuclear reduction/disarmament.
The second step of the initiative
followed immediately -- the interfaith service to “pray for the protection of all
creation from nuclear dangers.” The
final step will be an educational outreach program to increase awareness about the dangers
of nuclear weapons. Organizers will
distribute free materials to a broad array of religious denominations to educate people
about the nuclear dangers that face the world in the 21st century.
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