EPF Calls for Immediate Plan to Withdraw U.S. Military from Iraq
Thursday, November 17, 2005
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) is calling for the development and implementation of a plan for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces in Iraq.
In a statement approved by the organization's national executive council, the EPF concludes that "modern warfare, with its inevitable killing of God's innocent children and its inevitable destruction of God's innocent creation," is always inconsistent with the message and life of Jesus.
"We see in the conduct, process, and consequences of the Iraq war a tragic confirmation of these truths," stated the elected members of the EPF national executive council.
The statement calls upon American citizens and government officials to "bear heavy responsibility for the sin that is the Iraq War," and to repent in heart, mind, and action.
The EPF's statement has four points:
- implementation of immediate U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq,
- reconstruction of Iraq's ruined civil and economic infrastructure,
- the establishment of an international peacekeeping presence,
- and guarantee of Iraqi self-determination.
"This was a heartfelt and challenging decision on the part of our 15-member executive council," said Janet Chisholm, chair, EPF national executive council. "We hope there will be a thoughtful and wise solution very soon that will stop the needless killing of innocent women, children and men."
Complete text of the EPF NEC statement:
THE IRAQ WAR AND AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL: A statement of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's National Executive Council from its October 2005 meeting, Collegeville, Minnesota
As Christians, we believe that the life and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ proclaim that the purposes of justice and peace are never achieved by means contrary to the nature of justice and peace. Modern warfare-with its inevitable killing of God's innocent children and its inevitable destruction of God's innocent creation-can never be the way to justice and peace.
We see in the conduct, process, and consequences of the Iraq war a tragic confirmation of these truths.
As Christian American citizens, we confess that we, and our nation bear heavy responsibility for the sin that is the Iraq war and the sin that is its consequence.
We believe, as Christians, that we are called to repentance in mind, in heart, and in action.
In mind, we repent of habits of thought, analysis, and imagination that see war as the only realistic response to evils we discern in the world.
In heart, we repent our sin of considering pre-emptive violence against those we fear more important than the suffering we inflict upon them, upon other human beings, and on the natural world.
As one action through which we may begin a process of authenticating in deeds our repentance of mind and heart, we commend the measures urged in a resolution of the Peace and Justice Commission and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship in the Diocese of Chicago: That the United States government immediately implement a plan for the prompt withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces and military contractors from Iraq by taking the following actions:
- Developing and implementing a plan to begin immediate withdrawal of United States Armed Forces and military contractors from Iraq
- Developing and implementing a plan for reconstructing Iraq's civil and economic infrastructure;
- Convening an emergency meeting of Iraq's leadership, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, and the Arab League to create an international peacekeeping force in Iraq to ensure Iraq's security; and
- Taking all steps necessary to provide the Iraqi people with the opportunity to completely control their internal affairs.
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship is a 60-year-old organization within the Episcopal Church devoted to the renunciation of war, militarism, and other forms of violence. It is headquartered in Chicago with dozens of local chapters and thousands of members throughout the United States. Members pledge to practice Jesus' "way of redemptive love" by praying, studying, and working for peace. More information about the Fellowship is available at www.episcopalpeacefellowship.org. The Rev. Jackie Lynn, Executive Director, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, may be reached by telephone at 312-922-8628, or by email at epfnational@ameritech.net
Reprinted with permission from The Witness.
