Canberra Commission (1996)

Common Elements

De-alerting

Jonathan Dean

A variety of religious organizations have spoken in opposition to war against Iraq. We present references to their statements and resolutions.

American Baptist Churches

• Delegation Joins Religious Leaders Action Days on Iraq, September 25, 2002
• Leaders Call for Prayer in Time of War, March 19, 2003
• Support of Relief Efforts in Post-War Iraq Encouraged, March 20, 2003
  

British Christian Leaders' Statement

• The Morality and Legality of a War against Iraq: A Christian Declaration, August 6, 2002

Canadian Council of Churches

• Letter to President Bush, September 25, 2002
• Canadian churches speak out on Iraq
  

Canadian Religious Leaders

• Letter to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, September 25, 2002
  

Canadian, British, and U.S. Christian Leaders' Statement

• Stop the Rush to War, August 29, 2002
  

Catholic Church

• The Holy See: Vatican Urges U.S. to Seek U.N. Approval on Iraq, September 11, 2002
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Letter to President Bush on Iraq, September 13, 2002
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Statement on Iraq, November 13, 2002
• Statements by Pope John Paul II, other Vatican Officials, and Catholic conferences from around the world
• Bishop John H. Ricard, Chairman, Bishops' International Policy Committee, Moral Concerns about War in Iraq: Still "Valid and Useful", February 11, 2003
• Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Statement on Iraq, February 26, 2003
• Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, Statement on War with Iraq, March 19, 2003
• Church Statements on Iraq

Central Conference of American Rabbis
CCAR Responsa, Preventive War, 2002.

Christian Ethicists

• Statement on Iraq
  

Church of the Brethren General Board

• Statement on the Threat of War between the United States and Iraq, October 14, 2002
• Statement by Judy Mills Reimer, General Secretary, March 20, 2003
• Iraq: Church of the Brethren Resources

Churches for Middle East Peace

• Letter to President George W. Bush to Reconsider Iraq Invasion, September 12, 2002
• Signed by 48 Protestant Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical leaders
• Letter to President George W. Bush, February 4, 2003
  

Conference of European Churches

• Letter on Iraq from General Secretary to President Bush, February 19, 2003
• If Christ Is Our Peace, We Cannot Believe In War, March 20, 2003
  

Disciples Peace Fellowship

• Statement on Iraq: The time for peace is now, March 2003
  

Episcopal Church

• Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold's Statement on Military Action Against Iraq, September 6, 2002
• Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold, The Challenges of Global Citizenship, January 30, 2003
• House of Bishops, In The Shadow Of War: A Pastoral Letter, March 18, 2003
  

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

• ELCA President Bishop Mark S. Hanson's Statement on Iraq Situation, August 30, 2002
• Bishop Mark S. Hanson, Statement in response to U.S. pre-emptive military strike on Iraq, March 20, 2003
• Bishop Mark S. Hanson, Pastoral Letter on War with Iraq, March 20, 2003
  

Fellowship of Reconciliation, USA

• No War with Iraq!
• We Refuse To Kill The People Of Iraq In The Name Of "Disarmament", March 20, 2003
  

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

• Encyclical of the Holy Eparchial Synod on the Commencement of War in Iraq, March 20, 2003

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

• Statement Regarding the War against Iraq, March 21, 2003
  

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

• Maryknoll Missioners Oppose War on Iraq and Advocate for
  Peaceful Solutions
  

Mennonite Central Committee

• Threats of War
• The War in Iraq, March 21, 2003
  

Mennonite Church USA

• Letter to President Bush, August 27, 2002

Middle East Council of Churches

• Statement on recent situation concerning Iraq. August 5, 2002
• Plea for Diplomacy, Not War, October 29, 2002

Muslim Peace Fellowship

• Statement, March 20, 2003
  

National Council of Churches

• Justice for Women Working Group: Potential War on Iraq: A Threat to Women and Children, September 24, 2002
• Executive Board: Letter to President Bush, "Move, Even Now, Away from War", October 7, 2002
• General Assembly: "Do All Possible, Without Going to War", November 16, 2002

NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

• Oppose Attack on Iraq, October 7 , 2002
• Statement on War with Iraq, March 20, 2003
  

Pax Christi, USA

• Iraq Peace Pledge/Iraq Pledge of Resistance
• War Against Iraq: A Defeat for Humanity, March 2003
  

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

• General Assembly Council calls for U.S. restraint on Iraq, September 28, 2002
• Church leaders issue pastoral letter on war, March 19, 2003
  

Progressive Religious Partnership

• Statement of Conscience on Iraq War, October 24, 2002
  

Reformed Church in America

• Action Alert: Possible U.S. Military Action Against Iraq, August 2002
• Action Alert: An Alternative to War for Defeating Saddam Hussein, March
  2003
  

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Iraq Resources, 2003

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

• American Friends Service Committee: Letter to President Bush, September 20, 2002
• Friends Committee on National Legislation: Letter to Congress -- Oppose unilateral, preemptive U.S. military attack against Iraq, September 12, 2002
• Heads of Five Quaker Organizations: Joint Statement in Response to Threat of War with Iraq, September 24, 2002
• Leaders of Friends Organizations in the U.S., Regarding the War in Iraq, March 20, 2003
  

Shalom Center
Why Jews Should Oppose War on Iraq, March 21, 2003

Sisters of Mercy
Public Statement Opposing War Against Iraq, March 18, 2003

Sojourners

• Disarm Iraq without war by Jim Wallis, September 18, 2002
• 6-Point Plan to Avoid War, March 17, 2003
• An urgent appeal to the churches:"We must resist this war" March 2003
  

Unitarian Universalist Association

• Responding to the Threat of War, A Pastoral Letter from the Rev. William G. Sinkford, President, September 20, 2002
• Rev. William G. Sinkford, President, Concerning Military Actions of the United States, March 20, 2003
  

United Church of Christ

• Statement of United Church of Christ leaders opposing U.S. war against Iraq, September 13, 2002
• Regarding United Church of Christ position statements on Iraq, March 13,2003
• Executive Council, A message to the church, March 18, 2003
• Collegium statement, "When we go to war...." March 20, 2003
  

United Methodist Church

• General Board of Church and Society: Bush Urged to Turn Back from War, August 30, 2002
• Women's Division: Statement on Iraq, September 4, 2002
• Council of Bishops: Pastoral Letter on Iraq from Bishop Sharon A. Brown Christopher, October 4, 2002
• General Board of Church and Society: Statement on Iraq, October 12, 2002
• General Board of Global Ministries voices concern over Iraq. October 24, 2002.
• Council of Bishops: Endorsement of Bishop Christopher's letter, November 8, 2002.
• Council of Bishops: Bishops' president urges Bush to use restraint with Iraq, February 6, 2002
• Council of Bishops: Letter to Methodists around the World from Bishop Sharon A. Brown Christopher, February 6, 2003
• General Board of Global Ministries, What The United Methodist Church Says on War and Peace with Iraq
• General Board of Church and Society, A Statement on the Iraq War, March 20, 2003
• United Methodist bishop urges church to pray for peace, March 21, 2003
  

Union of American Hebrew Congregations

• Executive Committee, Unilateral Action by the U.S. Against Iraq, September 23, 2002
• Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President,Concerning Iraq, January 29, 2003
  

U.S. and U.K. Religious Leaders

• Disarm Iraq without War, October 11, 2002
  

World Alliance of Reformed Churches

• War on Iraq Is Simply Wrong, February 21, 2003
• WARC Condemns War on Iraq, March 20, 2003
  

World Council of Churches

• WCC cautions Iraq, US, UK, France, Russia and China on threatened military action, September 20, 2002
• Pre-emptive war against Iraq illegal, immoral and unwise, October 15, 2002
• Wars cannot be won, only peace can. March 20, 2003
• General Secretary Challenges Bush's Religious Claims, March 21, 2003
  

World Conference on Religion and Peace

• Statement of Executive Committee, The Crisis in Iraq, February 14, 2003

World Methodist Council

• Youth Committee, Statement on Iraq, November 4, 2002

We list articles and reports that offer ideas on how to deal with Iraq's weapons of mass destruction without going to war. We present them as a contribution to public discussion without necessarily endorsing particular recommendations.

Sources of Articles and Reports

Sources of Articles and Reports on Alternatives to War against Iraq
There is a wide variety of information on alternatives to war against Iraq for the purpose of eliminating weapons of mass destruction. The following organizations are excellent sources.

Arms Control Association

American Friends Service Committee

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Non-Proliferation Project

Center for Defense Information

Churches for Middle East Peace

Education for Peace in Iraq Center

Foreign Policy in Focus

Fourth Freedom Forum

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Iraq Policy Working Group

Monterey Institute of International Studies
Center for Nonproliferation Studies

National Council of Churches

Sojourners