March 20, 2003 (Released with a Letter to
Rostered Leaders)
In the midst of the anguish of
today's events, and aware of the continuing unfolding and unknown
consequences of war, we in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America share with all Christians the call to be peacemakers. This
call is grounded in the belief that God in Christ reconciles the
whole creation and sends us forth in a ministry of peace and
reconciliation. In our liturgies we pray "for the peace of
the whole world," uniting our faith in the Triune God with
our world's suffering and hopes.
The decision of the United States
to attack Iraq with a pre-emptive military strike without the
support of the United Nations marks a sobering moment for this
nation and world. I express my profound concern that the United
States has chosen to take this step. Our country, especially
because of its wealth and might, has a particular responsibility
to pursue policies of cooperation and to seek to resolve conflicts
peacefully. In my view, neither has the United States responsibly
exercised its leadership role within the United Nations and in
related diplomatic efforts to avert war, nor have our national
leaders sufficiently made the case that they have pursued all
reasonable avenues other than war. I am particularly troubled that
this decision has been made without broad consensus and support
within the international community.
As a church our task of engaging in
moral deliberation about this war, and its wider implications,
does not and will not end now that war has begun. We will continue
to press the ongoing moral and ethical questions, which
include-but are not limited to-the conduct of war or the
leadership of Saddam Hussein. We must continue to ask questions
about the humanitarian effects of the decision to go to war,
especially protection for noncombatants and the scale of military
force used. We must be prepared to respond to the needs of
displaced persons and refugees, address the regional
destabilization which the war will cause, and demonstrate a
readiness to assist with rebuilding after the war. We must ensure
that the human rights of all, both within and outside of the
United States, are respected and protected. Our searching
questions include how our nation addresses the poverty and sense
of hopelessness that pervade the Middle East.
As citizens of a country of immense
power, influence, and wealth, and as members of the ELCA, we are
compelled, I believe, to grapple with questions of how to use our
power and wealth responsibly to disarm Iraq, to alleviate human
suffering in the region, and to exercise leadership within the
international community. The ELCA grounds its position on these
matters in its social statement, "For Peace in God's
World:"
We also affirm that governments
should vigorously pursue less coercive measures over more coercive
ones: consent over compulsion, nonviolence over violence,
diplomacy over military engagement, and deterrence over war.
With its significant economic,
political, cultural, and military power, the United States plays a
vital leadership role in world affairs. It cannot and should not
withdraw or isolate itself from the rest of the world. Neither
should it seek to control or police the world. Global challenges
cannot be addressed by the United States alone; yet few can be met
without the United States' participation. In pursuing their
interests, all nations, including the United States, have an
obligation to respect the interests of other states and
international actors and to comply with international law. Nations
should seek their own common good in the context of the global
common good. International bodies should work for the welfare of
all nations.
In the days and weeks ahead I call
on all ELCA members to pray fervently for peace, for the members
of our military, and for all who come in harm's way because of
this war. I continue to encourage all ELCA members to engage in
moral deliberation and to live out their baptismal vocations
striving for justice and peace in all the earth.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
