“I think it speaks to the intensity with which Presbyterians care about these matters and our extensive involvement with Christian partners around the world.”
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) poured time, reasoning, and emotion into deliberations over resolutions relating to peacemaking in the Middle East, specifically with respect to the situation between Israel and Palestine. The Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues had communicated their strong desire to express a balanced perspective that called for both justice and mercy in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East.
On the committee’s behalf, their moderator, Nancy Kahaian, addressed the assembly by noting the words of one of the committee’s youth advisory delegates that even between Israelis and Palestinians there is no monolithic voice on issues of peace in the region.
The General Assembly expressed that it, as well, did not speak monolithically, but from a spectrum of diversity. The assembly voted against a resolution that called for suspension of military aid to the state of Israel. This vote can be seen as a win for those who urge strong support for the state of Israel.
Prior to that vote, however, Resolution 11-01, “On Peace and Justice in Palestine and Israel,” which includes a call to endorse the Amman Call regarding Arab-Israeli peace, was passed by the assembly and it was allowed to address a number of the other resolutions. In supporting the Amman Call there are those who would argue that the assembly voted in line with those who support the Palestinian side of the issues.
The previously controversial issue of divestment was addressed by the assembly with relatively little discussion or debate. The assembly voted to receive the MRTI (Mission Responsibility Through Investment) report, which urges continued dialog with companies such as Caterpillar, Inc., and Motorola, Inc., not divestment or sanctions.
The actions of the assembly “represent our concern to speak both for issues of justice,” said Kirkpatrick, “but always to do that in a balanced way.” He noted that the Presbyterian Church does not take a stand on the issue of the occupation because it favors Palestinians over Israelis, asserting that the church and the world need to be committed to both. Kirkpatrick also noted that as a church, “we have a particular commitment and burden to the Christian community in the region that is suffering greatly because of a failure to reach peace.”
Elaborating on all that, Kahaian said in a news conference, “We are called to be involved and engaged in the world that God cares deeply about.” She added, “I believe that Presbyterians can truly lead the way.”
Accordingly, the assembly addressed a wide-range of international matters that affirmed the church’s commitment to caring for the suffering of the world through a variety of resolutions passed in its plenary sessions. The commissioners passed statements of support for the Presbyterian Church in Zimbabwe and the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, as well as statements against human trafficking, in acknowledgement of the global food crisis especially in North Korea, and in support for those who wish to seek status as conscientious objectors.
The assembly also passed a number of overtures relating to the war in Iraq, mostly with an eye toward expressing compassion with those impacted by the war more than directing foreign policy. Specifically, issues of assistance to Iraqi refugees and of the violence and suffering of Iraqi women easily passed with a near unanimous voice vote.
Such a response reflected the pain expressed in greetings brought to the assembly in its evening session June 25 by Archbishop Avak Asadourian, the primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Iraq. “I come from a severely wounded land,” he said.
Many Iraqi Christians are endangered, Asadourian said — from his own Armenian community, 34 have been killed and 40 others kidnapped.
“As Iraqis, we live under the shadow of death. … And thus the dictum of the Lord to pick up our crosses and follow him has become an existential reality for the Christians of Iraq.”
The conditions of daily life are hard. “We get electricity only two hours a day.” When the United States invaded in 2003, American leaders said the conflict would “improve the lot of the Iraqi people. This has not been the case,” Asadourian said.
He spoke of polluted water, of the “brain drain” of professionals, engineers and professors leaving the country – perhaps never to return. He stated: “I wonder who’s going to rebuild and reconstruct Iraq.”
He described Christianity as “indigenous to Iraq” since the time of the apostles, but churches and individual Christians now are in peril.
“Your prayer sustains us and gives us strength,” Asadourian told the American Presbyterians, but “we also need your tangible support.” He said: “I am here to witness to the plight of the Christians (in Iraq) and to be their voice in this General Assembly.”
Resolution 11-10, “On Building Peace in Iraq,” was the subject of a prolonged discussion regarding wording and terminology within the resolution. The resolution calls for commending and thanking both peacemakers who have worked non-violently to end the war in Iraq as well as members of the armed forces for their service and sacrifice.
The assembly’s deliberations set aside proposed language that would have called upon the U.S. government to end its military presence in Iraq. In its place the approved recommendation called upon the U.S. government to develop and implement a lasting peaceful solution, responsibly bring the troops home, and reaffirm the decision of the 216th General Assembly for the U.S. government to engage with the international community.
