January 30, 2003               

 

President George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear Mr. President:

 

We greet you—our President, our nation’s highest military leader, and a member of the community of faith—in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

At a time when our nation, and you as its leader, face unprecedented challenges affecting the security of the United States and of the entire world, we wish to bring to you the insights and perspective of one of the largest segments of the Christian community of our country.

 

Because you are weighing the prospect of war on Iraq and all the terrible consequences that war involves, you will have faced firsthand the truth that war is not only—or even primarily—a military matter. It is a moral and ethical matter of the highest order, one that we have made a priority for many months as the possibility of war has loomed on our national horizon.

 

As leaders of tens of millions of Protestant and Orthodox Christians across the United States, we are in touch with our clergy, with lay leaders and with church members everywhere on this issue. We are also in communication with our counterparts in Europe and elsewhere around the globe. Several of us have traveled to Iraq in recent years, and even in recent days, to speak with Iraqi people of faith. We draw on the tenets of our Christian faith in all these encounters, seeking a way toward peace that is both prophetic and practical.

 

It is with the utmost urgency that we seek a meeting with you to convey face-to-face the message of the religious community that we represent on the moral choices that confront this nation and your Administration. You are no doubt well aware of our activities to slow the rush to war and our continuing uneasiness about the moral justification for war on Iraq. What we ask now, as fellow believers and as the spiritual leaders of Americans in congregations in every community of our great nation, is a pastoral opportunity to bring this message to you in person.

 

Be assured of our prayers always for you and the members of your Administration, that God may keep and guide you.

 

The following religious leaders have signed this letter.

Mr. Ray Buchanan

Stop Hunger Now

2501 Clark Avenue, Suite 301

Raleigh, NC 27607-7213

888-501-8440

[email protected]

 

Bishop Kenneth L. Carder

United Methodist Church

321 East Mississippi Street - 39201

PO Box 931

Jackson, MS 39205-0931

601-948-4561

[email protected]

 

The Rt. Rev. Dr. John Chane

Bishop of Washington, DC, Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church House

Mt. St. Alban/ National Cathedral

Washington, DC,  20016

202-537-6536

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Roberto Delgado

Presbyterian Church (USA)

Ramey

Calle King 122-A

Aguadilla, PR 00603

787-890-6091

[email protected]

 

His Grace Bishop  Dimitrios (Couchell) of Xanthos

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

10 East 79th Street

New York, NY 10021

212-570-3526

[email protected]

 

Bishop R. Sheldon Duecker

United Methodist Church

8625 Sweet Blossom Court

Fort Wayne, IN 46835-9625

219-485-8255

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar

General Secretary

National Council of Churches

475 Riverside Dr., Rm. 880

New York, NY 10115

212-870-3398

[email protected]


The Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting

Bishop, Episcopal Church

815 Second Avenue

New York, NY 10017

212-716-6220

[email protected]

 

Bishop William Boyd Grove

United Methodist Church

109 McDavid Lane

Charleston, WV 25311

304-344-1384

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

P.O Box 1986

Indianapolis, IN 46206

317-635-3100

[email protected]

 

Bishop Mark Hanson                 

Presiding Bishop

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

8765 West Higgins Road                       

Chicago, Illinois  60631-4197

 

The Rev. Dr. Stan Hastey

Alliance of Baptists

1328 16th Street NW

Washington, DC 20036

202-745-7609

[email protected]

 

Ms. Karen Hessel

National Council of Churches

475 Riverside Drive, 8th Floor

New York, NY 10115

212-870-2421

[email protected] or [email protected]

 

Bishop Kenneth Hicks

United Methodist Church

3909 South Lookout

Little Rock, AR 72205-2027

501-663-9670

 

Ms. Elenie K. Huszagh, Esq.

President

National Council of Churches

475 Riverside Dr., 8th Floor

New York, NY 10115

212-870-2025

[email protected]

 


Bishop William W. Hutchinson

United Methodist Church

527 North Boulevard

Baton Rouge, LA 70802-5720

888-239-5286

[email protected]

 

Bishop S. Clifton Ives

United Methodist Church

900 Washington Street East, Room 300F

Charleston, WV 25301

304-344-8330

[email protected]

 

Bishop Reuben P. Job

United Methodist Church

4900 Huffman Rod

Goodlettsville, TN 37072-9612

615-876-3110

[email protected]

 

Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan

United Methodist Church

1014 Deborah Street

Upland, CA 91784-1206

[email protected]

 

Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt Jr.

President Elect

National Council of Churches

109 Holcomb Street

Shreveport, LA 71103

(318) 424-2980

[email protected]

 

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim

Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch

260 Elm Avenue

Teaneck, NJ 07666-2323

201-801-0660

[email protected]

 

Bishop Leontine T.C. Kelly

United Methodist Church

316 N El Camino Real Ste. 112

San Mateo, CA 94401-2529

650-343-9029

 

The Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick

Presbyterian Church (USA)

100 Witherspoon St.

Louisville, KY 40202

502-569-5439

[email protected]


Bishop James Lloyd Knox

United Methodist Church

6848 15th St. South

St. Petersburg, FL 33705-6024

727-864-2874

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Dr. Felton Edwin May, Bishop

United Methodist Church

100 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 510

Washington, DC,  20002-5611

202-546-3110

[email protected]

 

Bishop Marshall L. Meadors

United Methodist Church

Candler School of Theology

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 30322

404-727-6326

[email protected]

 

The Rev. A. Roy Medley

American Baptist Churches in the USA

PO Box 851

Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851

610-768-2274

[email protected]

 

Dr. Audrey Miller

United Church of Christ

700 Prospect Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44115

216-736-3751

[email protected]

 

Mr. Don Mosley

Jubilee Partners

PO Box 68

Comer, GA 30629-0068

706-783-5133

[email protected]

 

Bishop Fredrick Mutti

United Methodist Church

4201 West 15th Street

PO Box 4187

Topeka, KS 66604-0187

785-272-0587

[email protected]

 

Bishop Donald Ott

United Methodist Church

N22W24040 Cloister 3D

Pewaukee, WI 53072-4677

262-523-2624

[email protected]


Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader

United Methodist Church

750 Windsor Street, #303

Sun Prairie, WI 53590

608-837-8526

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Judy Mills Reimer

Church of the Brethren

1451 Dundee Avenue

Elgin, IL 60120

847-742-5100

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Dr. Bruce Robbins

United Methodist Church

General Secretary of General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns

475 Riverside Dr., Room 1300

New York, NY 10115

212-870-3800

[email protected]

 

Bishop Roy Sano

United Methodist Church

110 Maryland Avenue NE Box 1

Washington DC,  20002

510-635-7916

 

The Rev. John H. Thomas

United Church of Christ

700 Prospect Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44115

216-736-2101

[email protected]

 

Bishop Jack M. Tuell

United Methodist Church

816 So 216th St #637

Des Moines, WA 98198-6331

206-870-8637

 

The Rev. Lydia Veliko

United Church of Christ

700 Prospect Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44115

216-736-2191

[email protected]

 

Mr. Jim Wallis

Sojourners

Call to Renewal/Sojourners

2401 15th Street NW

Washington, DC,  20009

202-328-8842 x 225

[email protected]


The Rev. Dr. Robert Welsh

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

P.O. Box 1986

Indianapolis, IN 46206-1986

317-713-2582

[email protected]

 

Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker

United Methodist Church

1122 East McDonald Street - 33801-5641

PO Box 1747

Lakeland, FL 33802-1747

863-688-4427

[email protected]

 

Bishop Richard B. Wilke

United Methodist Church

904 North Clyde Drive

Winfield, KS 67156-1517

620-221-0307

 

The Rev. Robina Winbush

Presbyterian Church (USA)

100 Witherspoon Street, Room 4412

Louisville, KY 40202

502-569-5431

[email protected]

 

Mr. James Edward Winkler

United Methodist Church

General Secretary of the General Board on Church and Society

100 Maryland Avenue, NE

Washington, DC 20002

202-488-5620

[email protected]

 

The Rev. Bertrice Y. Wood

United Church of Christ

847 Arboretum Circle

Sagamore Hills, OH 44067

216-791-5760

[email protected]

 

Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel

United Methodist Church

14137 Windy Haven Road

Smithsburg, MD 21783-1126

301-824-7002

[email protected]