Italian Methodists express solidarity with U.S., urge peace
3/25/2003 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York By United Methodist News Service Italian
Methodists reaffirmed their "solidarity with the American people" while
calling for a peaceful resolution to the war with Iraq.
The
statement about the Iraq war was adopted during a March 23 special
session of the synod of the Waldensian/Methodist Church of Italy,
meeting in Torre Pellicle, Italy.
Synod members noted the "vast
opposition" to a war and the resulting damage to international
relations, but did express solidarity with Americans themselves.
"We
have not forgotten Sept. 11, 2001, the day of profound injury that so
profoundly touched the Western world," the statement said. "We have not
forgotten June 6, 1944, when thousands of young men gave their lives on
the beaches of our continent for the liberation of everyone."
Citing
Bible passages that support peacemaking, justice and reconciliation,
the statement implores Americans "to abandon the road on which you
started" and not try to decide unilaterally what is good and bad.
"The
dictator in Iraq is certainly one of the bloodiest and most odious of
those who chain their people under a yoke of tyranny," the statement
said. "But there are others who are equally odious and perhaps more
dangerous. Will you continue along this road?
"Fraternally, we
appeal to you to listen to the voices for peace in your churches who
call for a change of policy, to turn to the consensus of the nations at
the point at which you left them, to contribute to the reformulation and
renewal of that consensus, so that the multilateral, global base for a
just and stable governance might re-emerge."
The synod also
acknowledged the failure of others to ensure peace. "In addressing this
appeal to you, we are sadly aware of our own inconsistency: all of us in
fact have failed to pursue peace, and all of us on this side of the
Atlantic as well as the other, have contributed to the planting in the
Two-Thirds World seeds of resentment through the old shame of
colonialism and the new robbery of exploitation.
"Having this
sense of inadequacy, set humbly before God in prayer, we now offer, for
our country and our church, a serious responsibility for Iraq: to bring
the hostilities to a close, to bring relief to the families who suffer,
and to reconstruct a stable society when the armies finally fall
silent," the statement concluded.
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