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Keep the A.B.M. treaty |
| UCC: Urge the U.S. not to
withdraw from the A.B.M. Treaty
[12-19-01]
This comes to us as the weekly message from the
UCC Justice and Peace Action Network
Last week, President Bush announced his intention to
withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (A.B.M.) Treaty so that the
Administration could move forward with the testing and deployment of
National Missile Defense (NMD) systems. Though the President has called
the ABM Treaty "outdated," it has served as the cornerstone of
nuclear stability for nearly 30 years.
The Justice and Witness Ministries of the United
Church of Christ is deeply concerned with the President's planned
withdrawal from a proven treaty that has greatly contributed to nuclear
arms reduction. Coming just weeks after the U.S. and Russia agreed to
reduce nuclear arsenals by two-thirds, such a unilateral approach
endangers our working relationship with Russia that is so critical to
achieving nuclear stability. Further, there is also the very real danger
that nuclear powers such as China, India and Pakistan will build up
their nuclear arsenals in response to our withdrawal from the A.B.M.
Treaty.
In light of September 11th, it is more important than
ever for the U.S. to work within the international community to address
global security threats for our common well-being. To achieve such
common security, the 15th General Synod encouraged "a combination
of negotiated agreements, new international institutions and
institutional power, non-violent strategies, unilateral initiatives to
lessen tensions, and new policies which will make the global economy
more just" (Pronouncement Affirming the United Church of Christ as
a Just Peace Church, 1985).
Please contact President Bush and your Members of
Congress and urge them not to withdraw from the A.B.M. Treaty. Encourage
them to cancel plans for testing and deployment of National Missile
Defense and to focus instead on multi-national efforts to counter
violence and create peace.
The President: 202-456-1414, president@whitehouse.gov
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Members of Congress' email addresses: www.house.gov
or www.senate.gov
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To add your name to the UCC mail list, contact jpanet@ucc.org.
For additional information on the UCC Justice and
Peace Action Network, log on to the UCC website at www.ucc.org. |
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.
Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
Darcy Hawk
4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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