November 26, 2002
Since the end of the Gulf War
nearly 12 years ago, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) and a number of partners working for peace in the Middle
East have expressed concern about Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction and have supported a strict embargo on
military-related items. The ELCA continues to support United
Nations efforts to disarm Iraq and, in relation to U.N. Security
Council Resolution 687 that ended the Gulf War, to reach "the
goal of establishing in the Middle East a zone free of weapons of
mass destruction."
In recent months I have raised
concerns, in public statements and in private conversation with
officials in the Bush Administration, about the legitimacy of
unilateral use of military force to control weapons of mass
destruction. I welcome the unanimous vote in the U.N. Security
Council on Nov. 8 and the efforts of President Bush to seek an
international consensus on steps to ensure Iraqi disarmament.
Because this church begins with a strong presumption against all
war and supports military action only as a last resort, it is our
prayer that Iraq will comply fully with U.N. Security Council
Resolution 1441, and that this resolution will be a tool for
avoiding war.
While the actions by the U.N.
Security Council and the U.S. Congress are helpful in the process
of establishing legitimate authority for the use of force,
important issues remain.
The ELCA Church Council, through
action at its November 2002 meeting, welcomes the attention given
by churches and others in this country to invite a deeper moral
deliberation regarding a potential war with Iraq. I am mindful of
the many messages which I receive from church leaders around the
world. I hear their deep concerns about the possibility of war as
a pre-emptive measure either to control the weapons of mass
destruction or for the overthrow of threatening regimes. They
continue to encourage me to raise questions about the impact of
war on Iraqi civilians and the potential destabilizing effects of
a war within the region. I especially hear their call that efforts
to prevent terrorism be considered in relation to the broader
questions of human security, especially poverty and economic
sustainability. I am deeply moved and encouraged by the promises
of churches around the world to hold the U.S. churches and the
people of the United States in their prayers.
In accord with our Church Council
action, we will continue to urge the U.S. government to work with
the international community to find peaceful means to disarm Iraq,
to pursue regional arms control agreements and to work to
alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
