5 years of a war that was a ‘disastrous mistake’
It’s a sermon that has been widely preached for five years and generally ignored in the halls of government.
As the fifth anniversary of the March 17 invasion of Iraq approaches, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA repeated the message: the war has been a ‘disastrous mistake’ and should be brought to an end.
Speaking on behalf of the NCC’s 35 member communions, all of whom have been critical of the war, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon also said the war intended to make America safe from terrorism “has made this country less secure.”
National Council of Churches laments a ‘disastrous’ war, now entering its sixth year
It’s a sermon that has been widely preached for five years and generally ignored in the halls of government.
As the fifth anniversary of the March 17 invasion of Iraq approaches, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA repeated the message: the war has been a ‘disastrous mistake’ and should be brought to an end.
Speaking on behalf of the NCC’s 35 member communions, all of whom have been critical of the war, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon also said the war intended to make America safe from terrorism “has made this country less secure.”
The NCC is the ecumenical voice of America’s Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. The 35 member communions have 45 million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.
“Anyone can observe that U.S. aggression is spawning new generations of terrorists,” Kinnamon said, “but the Christian critique runs deeper. Because human life is interdependent, because we are all children of one Creator, security can never be won through unilateral defense.”
He quoted Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who said: “There is no security apart from common security.”
“Israeli security depends, finally, on Palestinians having a stake in the development of the Middle East,” Kinnamon said. “U.S. security depends, among other things, on addressing the economic and social disparities that help fuel hatred of this nation.”
Common security is not born out of Christian idealism but is a practical approach to peace, Kinnamon said.
“Christians are realistic about evil in the world and, therefore, about the threat of terrorism,” he said. “We reject any ideology, however, which demonizes others while claiming all righteousness for ourselves; and we refuse to define life as a zero-sum game in which our security is gained at the expense of others.”
The full text of Kinnamon’s message follows:
Five years ago this week, the US invaded Iraq in the name of national security. Over the past 60 months, the war has repeatedly been declared a disastrous mistake by the leaders of the National Council of Churches’ 35 member communions, which represent a wide range of American Christianity from Orthodox to Historic African American churches. These leaders have called for the war to be brought to an end. They have also insisted that the war has made this country less secure. We are convinced, said the delegates to the Council’s 2006 General Assembly, that “genuine security is based in God and is served by the recognition of humanity’s interdependence, and by working with partners to bring about community, development, and reconciliation for all.”
On this tragic anniversary, and in the midst of an election campaign where security is a dominant topic, I want to underscore this last point. Anyone can observe that US aggression is spawning new generations of terrorists; but the Christian critique runs deeper. Because human life is interdependent, because we are all children of one Creator, security can never be won through unilateral defense. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, puts it succinctly: “There is no security apart from common security.” Israeli security depends, finally, on Palestinians having a stake in the development of the Middle East. U.S. security depends, among other things, on addressing the economic and social disparities that help fuel hatred of this nation.
Christians are realistic about evil in the world and, therefore, about the threat of terrorism. We reject any ideology, however, which demonizes others while claiming all righteousness for ourselves; and we refuse to define life as a zero-sum game in which our security is gained at the expense of others.
All of this has enormous implications for the budgeting process now underway in Congress. The President’s proposed defense budget for FY2008 is over a half trillion dollars–not counting extra appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A fraction of that amount could substantially reduce hunger, the shortage of adequate housing, the spread of HIV/AIDS, the shortage of classrooms, and environmental destruction around the world. Christians must ask with ever louder voice: Which expenditure will contribute most to our security? Pressing this question is not being soft on terrorism; it is being faithful to the message of the prophets (e.g., Isaiah 32 and Micah 4) that only justice will lead to lasting security.
May God strengthen all those who work for peace!
Michael Kinnamon
General Secretary
The NCC is the ecumenical voice of America’s Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. These 35 communions have 45 million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.