26 June 2006
Church faces the challenge of Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation
Addressing matters of life and death, today the Methodist
Conference commended a resource considering the ethics of modern
warfare. Produced jointly by the Methodist Church and the United
Reformed Church, Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation aims to help
Christians reflect on Jesus' call to be peacemakers, love our
enemies and pray for our persecutors.
Asserting that armed conflict should only ever be a last resort, it
asks whether there can ever be a positive use of force in conflict
and if so, who has the authority to pursue war? It explores the
possibility of non-violent strategies for dealing with conflict and
speaks of peacemaking on both local and international levels. It
also addresses the economic, social, political and environmental
factors that contribute to conflict in communities and between
nations.
The book features the stories of soldiers, military chaplains and
those unwillingly caught up in conflict. It considers how we can
respond to terrorism in a volatile environment and calls upon the
leaders of the nations to join Christians in seeking out the way of
peace.
Speaking from his own experience of the 7/7 bombings, Steve
Hucklesby, Secretary for International Affairs, says: "I was
suddenly caught up in an indescribable scene of carnage, death,
chaos and fear. I've met again with those who were with me at the
time, including some who were very severely injured. In various
ways their lives have been changed. I can appreciate the struggle
that some have had in coming to terms with the trauma of the
experience.
"In the week following the bombing 50 people were killed in
explosions in Iraq. Israel experienced its first suicide bombing
for many months and in Gaza a young woman was killed as the result
of Israeli military action. The danger is that we become so
familiar with such images that we overlook the grief of those
involved and the trauma not only of individuals but also of whole
communities.
"Peacemaking does not mean passivity or indifference to injustice Ð
it is an active, creative and challenging task in which we are all
called to engage as Christians. It's at the heart of Jesus'
teaching, not an optional extra. This report challenges the Church
to move out of its comfort zone of familiar debates and mild
protest and into real action for justice and reconciliation."
The Conference also voted to oppose replacement of the Trident
nuclear weapons system when it comes to the end of its life in
about 2025. It urged the Government to take the lead in disarmament
negotiations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, working towards
the ultimate intention of eliminating all nuclear weapons.
Steve Hucklesby said "replacing Trident would send the wrong
message to the rest of the world. The Non-Proliferation Treaty has
worked well in limiting the spread of nuclear weapons, and the
Government should instead continue its practice of reducing the
size of Britain's nuclear arsenal, with a goal of ultimately
disarming once the last Trident elements go out of
commission."
The Conference welcomed the report, recommending the resource for
reflection and study and resolving to produce further resources and
to continue to work with other churches and faith groups.