Religious leaders have issued "a
religious response to terrorism," with the heading "Deny them
their victory"
To add your name to the signers of
this important statement, go to the Sojourners
web site.
[9-13-01]
Thanks to the Presbyterian Washington Office for
distributing this so quickly.
DENY THEM THEIR VICTORY:
A RELIGIOUS RESPONSE TO TERRORISM
We, American religious leaders, share the broken
hearts of our fellow citizens. The worst terrorist attack in history
that assaulted New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania has
been felt in every American community. Each life lost was of unique and
sacred value in the eyes of God, and the connections Americans feel to
those lives run very deep. In the face of such a cruel catastrophe, it
is a time to look to God and to each other for the strength we need and
the response we will make. We must dig deep to the roots of our faith
for sustenance, solace, and wisdom.
First, we must find a word of consolation for the
untold pain and suffering of our people. Our congregations will offer
their practical and pastoral resources to bind up the wounds of the
nation. We can become safe places to weep and secure places to begin
rebuilding our shattered lives and communities. Our houses of worship
should become public arenas for common prayer, community discussion,
eventual healing, and forgiveness.
Second, we offer a word of sober restraint as our
nation discerns what its response will be. We share the deep anger
toward those who so callously and massively destroy innocent lives, no
matter what the grievances or injustices invoked. In the name of God, we
too demand that those responsible for these utterly evil acts be found
and brought to justice. Those culpable must not escape accountability.
But we must not, out of anger and vengeance, indiscriminately retaliate
in ways that bring on even more loss of innocent life. We pray that
President Bush and members of Congress will seek the wisdom of God as
they decide upon the appropriate response.
Third, we face deep and profound questions of what
this attack on America will do to us as a nation. The terrorists have
offered us a stark view of the world they would create, where the remedy
to every human grievance and injustice is a resort to the random and
cowardly violence of revenge - even against the most innocent. Having
taken thousands of our lives, attacked our national symbols, forced our
political leaders to flee their chambers of governance, disrupted our
work and families, and struck fear into the hearts of our children, the
terrorists must feel victorious.
But we can deny them their victory by refusing to
submit to a world created in their image. Terrorism inflicts not only
death and destruction but also emotional oppression to further its aims.
We must not allow this terror to drive us away from being the people God
has called us to be. We assert the vision of community, tolerance,
compassion, justice, and the sacredness of human life, which lies at the
heart of all our religious traditions. America must be a safe place for
all our citizens in all their diversity. It is especially important that
our citizens who share national origins, ethnicity, or religion with
whoever attacked us are, themselves, protected among us.
Our American illusion of invulnerability has been
shattered. From now on, we will look at the world in a different way,
and this attack on our life as a nation will become a test of our
national character. Let us make the right choices in this crisis - to
pray, act, and unite against the bitter fruits of division, hatred, and
violence. Let us rededicate ourselves to global peace, human dignity,
and the eradication of the injustice that breeds rage and vengeance.
As we gather in our houses of worship, let us begin a
process of seeking the healing and grace of God.
Initiating Signers:
Rev. Jim Wallis
Call to Renewal and Sojourners
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
Reformed Church of America
Rabbi David Saperstein
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Dr. Bob Edgar
National Council of Churches
Dr. Ron Sider
Evangelicals for Social Action
Respond to this statement in an online
forum.
You can add your name to the
growing list of signers by going to a special page on
the Sojourners web site.
