Dear President Bush

"The Peace of the world begins in Jerusalem"-Rev. Theodore Hessburgh

The following wake up call to USA Christians is from
Corinne Whitlatch, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace

http://www.cmep.org/Alerts/2007Jan24.htm

January 24, 2007

Christian leaders of American churches and Christian institutions from a range of traditions – Orthodox, Catholic, mainstream and evangelical Protestants – have appealed to President Bush for peace in the Holy Land. The January 23rd letter, signed by 39 church leaders, encourages President Bush to make Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, in the context of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace initiative, an urgent priority for his Administration. The letter states a deepening concern for the welfare and future of the Palestinian Christian community. It also calls attention to the very grave situation of Jerusalem. The full letter is included below.

The church leaders' letter to President Bush will be delivered Thursday to all Senate and House offices. It is also the basis of an ad in the January 30th edition of Roll Call , a widely read publication on Capitol Hill. CMEP encourages advocates to contact their Congressional offices to raise up the main points of the letter. In the new political climate on Capitol Hill, this is a good opportunity to urge bi- partisan work towards a resolution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict that, as stated by President Bush in his 2007 State of the Union address, results in two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.

TAKE ACTION

Call the Washington offices of your Representative and two Senators. Say you are calling to endorse the January 23 church leaders' letter to President Bush urging Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. Ask the Senator/Representative to work with the Administration towards negotiations that guarantee two viable and secure states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side and sharing Jerusalem.

DO SOMETHING:

Email or Call your Senators and Representative.

Church Leaders' Letter to President Bush

January 23, 2007

Dear Mr. President,

As leaders of churches and Christian institutions in the United States, we bring you greetings for the New Year and encouragement as you meet the challenges that face our nation and the global community. Even though we are from a wide range of Christian traditions – Orthodox, Catholic, mainstream and evangelical Protestants – we stand close together in our hopes and prayers for peace in the land we all call Holy and for the reconciliation of the children of Abraham – Jews, Christians and Muslims.

We come to you with two interrelated appeals that are central to our faith-motivated quest for peace with justice. First, we ask that you make Israeli- Palestinian peacemaking, in the context of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace initiative, an urgent priority for your Administration. We recognize the great many difficulties and struggles that the people of the Middle East region must confront and the heavy responsibilities that fall upon you to help restore hope for a better future for them and for the citizens of the United States. We know that many view the Israeli-Palestinian situation as the most intractable in our troubled world, but we know that when it is resolved, the positive repercussions will go well beyond that small geographic area.

We commend your vision of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state living as a peaceful neighbor alongside the state of Israel, with both nations secure and recognized by their neighbors. With your active engagement, this vision could reignite a passion for peace that can overcome the appeal of violence, vengeance and exclusivity. The United States and the world will become safer as confidence grows that the U.S. is willing to take leadership and work cooperatively with the United Nations and other nations to resolve this conflict.

We bring to you our deepening concern for the welfare and future of the Palestinian Christian community. A small but vital part of the Palestinian society, Christians are rapidly emigrating to countries where they can gain the economic and physical security that is denied all Palestinians living under occupation. The future of the Palestinian Christians requires a solution to the conflict that will allow both peoples – Israelis and Palestinians - to live side-by- side in two states where all enjoy justice, peace and security.

The Palestinian Christian leaders have asked us to bring to your attention the very grave situation of Jerusalem. They remind us that Jerusalem is the location of “not only historical memories and sacred places of pilgrimage, but also living communities of believers.� With the construction by Israel of the separation barrier, many of the faithful – both Christians and Muslims – are excluded from the Holy City, and Jerusalem is severed from Bethlehem. Our second appeal is for you to work with Israelis, Palestinians and the international community to guarantee access to Jerusalem’s Holy Places and religious liberty for all peoples. Resolving the status of Jerusalem is key to achieving a workable two- state solution.

Mr. President, as this New Year begins, we encourage you to maintain the faith, the courage and the resolve to work with other world leaders toward negotiations that guarantee two viable and secure states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by- side and sharing Jerusalem. For guidance we look to the examples of the great prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah who declared that God calls all nations and all people to do justice to one another. We join in praying for peace in the Holy Land and at home.

Sincerely,

The Most Rev. Archbishop Barsamian
Primate, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

+Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos
Ecumenical Officer
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Chairman, Committee on International Policy
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop
The Episcopal Church

Are joined by:

The Rt. Rev. Wayne Burkette
President, Provincial Elders’ Conference
Moravian Church in America, Southern Province

Simone Campbell, SSS
Executive Director
NETWORK

Tony Campolo
Founder
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education

Sister Mary Dacey, SSJ
President
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Marie Dennis
Director
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Rev. Robert Edgar
General Secretary
National Council of Churches

Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary
Reformed Church in America

Ken Hackett
President
Catholic Relief Services

Rev. Dr. Stan Hastey
Executive Director
Alliance of Baptists

Bishop Janice Riggle Huie
President, Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church

Very Rev. Dominic Izzo, OP
President
Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes

Rev. Phillip L. Jones
Director, Washington Office
Church of the Brethren

Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Michael E. Livingston
Executive Director, International Council of Community Churches
President, National Council of Churches

Albert C. Lobe
Interim Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee

E. Earl McCloud, Jr. Bishop
Office of Ecumenical & Urban Affairs
African Methodist Episcopal Church

Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director & CEO
Church World Service

Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee

A. Roy Medley
General Secretary
American Baptist Churches U.S.A.

Richard J. Mouw
President
Fuller Seminary

David Neff
Editor and Vice-President
Christianity Today

Leonard Rodgers
Executive Director
Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Br. Mark Schroeder, OFM
President, Franciscan Friars (OFM)
English Speaking Conference
JPIC Council

Metropolitan PHILIP (Saliba)
Primate
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America

Ambassador Robert A. Seiple
Former Ambassador-at-Large for International
Religious Freedom

Ronald J. Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action

Rev. William G. Sinkford
President
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

Msgr. Robert L. Stern
Secretary General, CNEWA
President, Pontifical Mission for Palestine

The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ

Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation

Jim Wallis
CEO
Sojourners/Call to Renewal

The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Corinne Whitlatch
Executive Director
Churches for Middle East Peace

Bishop Gabino Zavala
Bishop President
Pax Christi USA: National Catholic Peace Movement

PDF Format: Letter / Press Release

Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace is a Washington-based program of the Alliance of Baptists, American Friends Service Committee, Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Church World Service, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Franciscan Friars OFM (English Speaking Conference, JPIC Council), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Maryknoll Missioners, Mennonite Central Committee, Moravian Church in America, National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, Unitarian Universalist Association, United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church (GBCS & GBGM).

Churches for Middle East Peace
Email: info@cmep.org
Phone: 202-543-1222
Web: http://www.cmep.org