Four global Church networks, representing millions of Christians, have issued a joint call for peace in the Middle East. The statement from leaders of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Methodist Council said: “We are profoundly dismayed at the international community’s failure to prevent these tragedies. Instead of pursuing the difficult but necessary paths of diplomacy and dialogue, nations have increasingly resorted to military solutions, pouring vast amounts of resources into arms rather than into peace processes and humanitarian assistance for the vulnerable.”
It went on: “Justice demands that perpetrators of violence and the individuals and countries responsible for atrocities and violation of international law must be held accountable for their actions. The victims of their actions must be heard, and their dignity, rights, lives, and livelihoods must be protected.”
The statement was signed by the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo; the General Secretary of the World Methodist Council, the Revd Dr Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto; the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, the Revd Dr Anne Burghardt; and the General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), the Revd Philip Vinod Peacock.
The signatories reaffirmed their “strong commitment to peace, in a world increasingly amassing arms, and accepting destructive conflict as inevitable” and hoped for a peaceful world in which every person and nation acted “with justice and respect for international law”.
Read the full story here in the Church Times.