January 7, 2009
Stated Clerk issues statement on Gaza-Israel crisis
The following statement is from Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in response to the Gaza-Israel crisis.
Whether Jew, Muslim, or Christian, we share commandments of love for God and neighbor. Therefore, all violence in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank must stop. Whatever its stated justifications, we know from years of conflict in the region that the resort to violence inevitably leaves behind death, injury, fear, and deepened feelings of hostility.
As the death toll and the numbers of those injured in Gaza continue to mount from the Israeli air assault and the ensuing ground war between the Israeli military and the fighters of Hamas, we call upon all parties involved to stop the violence and agree to an immediate cease-fire, under which the borders of Gaza can be opened to humanitarian aid and desperately needed medical assistance for the sick and wounded. To this end, it is imperative that the leaders of the international community, including the leaders of our own nation, step up and use their good offices to press the warring parties to bring an end to the killing.
The rockets that have long been fired from Gaza at Israeli communities must cease. They are not simply provocations, but undiscriminating instruments of fear and death. Suicide bombings also must be unconditionally condemned. Members of Hamas and other groups who continue to call for Israeli’s demise must stop their rhetoric of death.
By the same token, the massive destruction of an already crippled Gazan infrastructure by aerial bombardments must end. The virtual “lock-down” of Gaza for the last two years has paralyzed economic development and left public institutions unable to cope with the humanitarian emergencies they now face. Moreover, the growing deaths of non-combatants, even when they have sought shelter in legally protected United Nations facilities, must end. Any new cease-fire agreement must be honored, if necessary with the help of international monitors, so that there is neither the firing of rockets into Israel nor Israeli assassination raids into Gaza, both of which have brought fear and death.
Most importantly, while every effort must be made to bring an end to the immediate hostilities, we must recognize that this violence is only one symptom of the decades-long failure of the international community, the Israeli government, and the leaders of the divided Palestinian community in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem to make the wrenching commitments necessary to reach a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is imperative that our own government, current and future, move beyond rhetoric to forceful and active participation as an honest and impartial broker of a just and meaningful peace.
Finally, we recognize that no lasting peace is possible without the adherence of all parties to the rule of law, especially those laws upon which the international community has agreed. These include resolutions adopted by the United Nations that provide a basis for the future recognition of two states in the region, one Israeli and one Palestinian, in which the respective parties can live in peace, security, and freedom. They also include the Geneva Conventions. Our grief over the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis in the current conflict is exacerbated by the knowledge of how many non-combatants have died in recent days. It is a reminder that all nations are called to abide by the body of basic humanitarian law that requires the protection of non-combatants in any military conflict.
The 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), meeting in June 2008, reiterated long-standing benchmarks for a two-state solution in which both parties can live in peace and security. Most of those are reflected in “The Amman Call,” a declaration issued by the World Council of Churches International Peace Conference on the Middle East, June 19-20, 2007, and endorsed by the 218th General Assembly. They include the following:
5.1. That UN resolutions are the basis for peace and the Geneva conventions are applicable to the rights and responsibilities of the affected people.
5.2. That Palestinians have the right of self-determination and the right of return.
5.3. That a two-state solution must be viable politically, geographically, economically, and socially.
5.4 That Jerusalem must be an open, accessible, inclusive, and shared city for the two peoples and three religions.
5.5 That both Palestine and Israel have legitimate security needs.
5.6. That the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal and constitute an obstacle to peace.
5.7. That the “Separation Barrier” constructed by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories is a grave breach of international law and must be removed from the occupied territory.
5.8. That there is no military solution for this conflict. Violence in all its forms cannot be justified whether perpetrated by Israelis or Palestinians.
5.9. That comprehensive regional peace is indivisible from a just peace in Israel and Palestine.
5.10. That the life and witness of local churches is at the center of worldwide church advocacy for a just peace.
As followers of the Prince of Peace, who has shown us that true victory comes only through non-violent reconciliation, we yearn for an end to sixty years of conflict, violence, and oppression, all of which have left scars on all parties regardless of ethnic, religious, or political identification and have contributed to wider uncertainty about global peace. It will require not only our fervent prayers, but a renewed commitment to action so that when a cease-fire is achieved, it is followed by a new commitment by all parties to the rule of law as the only path to justice, security, and freedom for all.
July 30, 2008
Church leaders lift up Knoxville faith community in wake of shootings
The following letter — signed by Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218th General Assembly, Byron Wade, Vice-Moderator of the 218th General Assembly, Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, and Linda Valentine, Executive Director of the General Assembly Council — was sent to every PC(USA) congregation on Tuesday, July 29, 2008.
Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This past Sunday morning, the enthusiasm and joy that surrounded a children’s production at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (TVUUC) in Knoxville, Tenn., were shattered by the horror of shotgun blasts. Eight people were wounded or injured, two of them fatally.
The overwhelming response of support from congregations in Knoxville has been a strong example of the visible unity of Christ’s church. Second Presbyterian Church, located next to TVUUC, was a refuge for children running for safety in the immediate aftermath of the shootings, as well as a host of a candlelight service that same evening. First Baptist Church held a community prayer service earlier today. No doubt, countless more opportunities for ministry to the TVUUC congregation and to everyone affected by this brutal violence will be made available, and we who watch from a distance are grateful for such generous acts of kindness and presence.
We are writing to ask that you continue to pray for the victims of the shootings — for the families of those who were killed and those who survived; for those who witnessed the violence, especially the children; for the pastoral leadership of TVUUC; for the pastors and members of neighboring and area congregations, as well as all caregivers who are ambassadors of God’s grace; and for those who feel compelled to resort to violence in the midst of their anger.
While we have no answers for why these senseless acts happen — anytime, but especially in a church sanctuary — we do profess our strong faith that, even in this terrible circumstance, God’s sure and certain hand holds all of us securely.
From the apostle Paul, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God the Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word” (2 Thess. 2:16).
March 10, 2008
Stated Clerk on signing of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ petition to end modern-day slavery and exploitation in the fields
The year 2008 marks the 200th anniversary of this nation’s ban on the importation of slaves. And yet a new and vicious form of this sinful institution is alive and well in our country’s agricultural industry. Modern-day slavery, where people are forced to work for little or no pay through violence and threats of violence, continues to destroy lives even as it delivers extraordinarily cheap produce to fast-food restaurants and grocery stores across the country. The continued existence of slavery in our day attacks the very soul of our society, calling every one of us to awareness and action.
Consumers today are presented with a stark moral choice: will we allow ourselves to be complicit in the exploitation of our sisters and brothers, or will we hold the retail food industry accountable for their high-volume/low-cost purchasing practices that help to create the conditions in which poverty and slavery flourish?
By signing this petition  I have pledged that I will cease to patronize Burger King now and other food industry leaders in the future if these companies do not work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to improve the wages and working conditions of the men and women who harvest their tomatoes, and support an industry-wide effort to end human rights violations and modern-day slavery in all of Florida's fields.
It is my sincere hope that by my signing this petition, other people of faith and conscience will be inspired to make this commitment to advance human rights as well. And that Burger King, which has worked so assiduously to avoid responsibility for shameful conditions in the tomato fields of its suppliers, would change course now and work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.
Jesus Christ inaugurated his ministry and the ministry of what would become his church by quoting from the prophet Isaiah, announcing “good news to the poor” and “release to the captives.” Embracing that call and standing on the shoulders of our ancestors in the abolitionist movement, through this petition campaign, let us proclaim “freedom” for the men and women whose labor puts food on our tables.
February 15, 2008
Kirkpatrick and Valentine send letter of condolence in wake of Northern Illinois University shootings
On February 14, a former student of Northern Illinois University (NIU) opened fire in a lecture theater on campus, killing five students and injuring many more before killing himself.
Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick and GAC Executive Director Linda Bryant Valentine sent the following message to the staff of United Campus Ministries/Wesley Foundation at NIU.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are deeply shocked and saddened at the news of the shootings on the campus of Northern Illinois University yesterday. Our grief continues today with the news of yet another fatality from this terrible tragedy.
We are grateful that a team from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will be onsite to offer support in any way they can. We also hope it brings some measure of comfort to you to know that all of us across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are praying for you as you provide counseling and an invaluable presence to those affected by the shootings. We are also praying for the many families of those killed or injured and the entire campus community.
In senseless times such as this, we remember the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
May the hope and peace of Christ be with you this day and in all the difficult days ahead.
Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Linda Bryant Valentine
Executive Director, General Assembly Council
February 5, 2008
Stated Clerk sends statements of concern about recent suicide bombings
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has sent two statements to express his concern about recent suicide bombings in various parts of the world.
This first statement was addressed to the United States Secretary of State and the prime ministers of Iraq, Israel, and Sri Lanka.
I have just returned from Kenya, having traveled there with colleagues from the World Council of Churches and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in an effort to assure Kenya’s leaders, religious and secular, of our support as they work urgently to bring an end to the murderous violence that has followed that country’s recent presidential election.
Upon returning home, I learned of horrific suicide bombings in two Baghdad markets, killing at least 100 people and wounding over 200. I also heard of the bombing of a bus in Sri Lanka that resulted in the death of at least 18 people, many of them children.
The events in Iraq ironically come at precisely the time when we are informed that security in Iraq is improved and the danger to civilians, especially in Baghdad, has been greatly reduced. These are particularly egregious in that the bombs apparently were attached to two women with known mental infirmities. We know that violence in Sri Lanka and so many other places has increased, and the situation in Kenya even brings up memories of the Rwanda massacres.
Hardly had I prepared to respond to these two bombings, when word came of yet another such terrible act, this time in southern Israel, apparently at the hands of members of the Fatah-related Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has regularly condemned such violence as unconscionable, and yet we often feel powerless to stop such things from happening. We call upon the leaders of Iraq, Sri Lanka, and Israel, as we have called upon Kenya’s leaders, to quickly find paths to reconciliation, and we urge our own country’s leaders to use all the means at their disposal to support those who are working for peace.
In the end, as Reformed Christians we cannot be naïve about the concrete reality of evil in the affairs of humanity. Let us all increase our prayers to God that even in the midst of our brokenness, the Holy Spirit will make a way for peace and security for all of God’s children.
The Stated Clerk sent the following statement to the president of the Palestinian National Authority.
I am sending you a statement expressing our grave concern over recent suicide bombings, a tactic that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has condemned as “a crime against humanity.”
We refer you specifically to the incident at Dimona in southern Israel where the perpetrators have been linked to either Hamas or to Fatah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. We are well aware of the many challenges you face as President of the Palestinian National Authority, given the difficulty of holding in check various parties within the Palestinian community, the geographical separation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the conflict between Fatah and Hamas.
Nonetheless, we urge you to continue to use every aspect of your authority as President to heal the rifts within your constituency and to hold accountable those who perpetrate such unconscionable acts as these attacks on Israeli civilians.
Please be assured of our prayers and our unwavering commitment to a stable two-state solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace.
November 9, 2007
Stated Clerk issues statement on International Criminal Court
The ICC “resonates with the life-giving value of the gospel”
LOUISVILLE — Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has issued a statement in advance of the meeting later this month of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Assembly of States Parties.
The PC(USA) General Assembly approved a resolution in support of the ICC in 1999, one year after the ICC Statute was adopted in Rome. One hundred and five States worldwide have since ratified the Statute.
Early next year, the Court will conduct its first trial, a case involving an alleged militia leader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who is accused of using children under the age of fifteen in hostilities.
The full text of Kirkpatrick’s statement:
The International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties will hold its sixth session from November 30 to December 14, 2007, in New York.
The 211th General Assembly (1999) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) adopted a resolution supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC). This vote of support came just a year after the ICC Statute was adopted in Rome in 1998.
In the relatively short time of its existence, the ICC has opened investigations into situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, Sudan, Uganda, and Central African Republic.
The Court’s first trial will begin in January 2008. It is a case involving Mr. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, an alleged militia leader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who is accused of enlisting, conscripting, and using children under the age of fifteen to participate actively in hostilities. This is a specific and foundational instance in which the ICC is working with the support of the international community to hold accountable those who are responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to respond not just to specific injustices, but also to offer a positive moral foundation that engages faithfully with judicial systems. As we read in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The work of the ICC helps support a vision of justice at work in the world that clearly resonates with the life-giving value of the gospel.
The 105 States worldwide that have ratified the Rome Statute have signaled their commitment to a comprehensive system of international law meant to protect the fullness of life in community and promote peace. As they come together in New York later this month, let us hold them in our prayers as we continue to hold in prayer as well the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, Sudan, Uganda, and Central African Republic.
At a time when the International Criminal Court continues to be in need of our support, it is worth remembering the words of the prophet Micah: What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8).
The prophet’s words—coincidentally the theme of the PC(USA) General Assembly in 2008—are both a comfort and a challenge as we search for justice in a world that is still rife with atrocities. With these words in mind, may we continue to walk paths of discipleship that lead us to stand in solidarity with communities that have suffered genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. May the justice we seek be grounded in love and humility.
And may our support for the International Criminal Court be as strong as our support for the people it was created to serve.
Stated Clerk urges prayer for Middle East peace
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and leaders of the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace (NILI) encourage people of faith to pray for peace in the Middle East. Congregational prayers for peace are provided by the U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East.
The NILI leaders also ask people to communicate with Secretary of State Rice to indicate support for making Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace an urgent priority of U.S. Middle East policy and support for the United States hosting a peace conference at the highest level of U.S. leadership that will involve Israel and all of its neighbors.
Kirkpatrick welcomes invitation from Muslim religious leaders and scholars
Call for mutual accountability is ‘bold and heartening’
Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has issued a response to an invitation from Muslim religious leaders and scholars worldwide to Christians to pursue peace and justice together.
The invitation, “A Common Word Between Us and You,” from 138 Muslim leaders to the Christian world is online.
Calling the invitation “very important,” Kirkpatrick writes, “We might especially heed the letter’s appeal to Christians and Muslims to cooperate for peace since, as its writers’ note, ‘our common future is at stake,’ and the relationship between our two religious communities may be ‘the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world.’”
Read the full text of Kirkpatrick's statement. |
