A working group of the Church of England’s House of Bishops has released a 100 page report, ‘Countering Terrorism: Power, Violence and Democracy Post 9/11’ stating that churches have a vital role to play in combating the threat of terrorism.
The report released yesterday observes the issues around terrorism; international order and American power; political reform and the Middle East; and sets out 13 Christian principles for addressing “a world characterised by power and violence.”
The report mentions the “complex relationship between religion and violence” and the churches’ “tradition of self-examination and penitence” that “could make a distinctive contribution to the quest for reconciliation.”
It states: “Religion is now a major player on the public stage of the world in a way that few foresaw two decades ago. We believe that the churches have an important role to play, not simply in urging the importance and applicability of Christian principles, but in a proper awareness of the role of religion, for good as well as ill, and initiatives it might take towards reconciliation between adversaries.
“For the Church is called on both to be a witness to the Kingdom of God, which bears on relationships between states as well as individuals, but to be a sign of that kingdom, both in its own life and the role it plays in the international order.”
In the preface, the Bishop of Oxford writes on terrorism: “All governments have a proper responsibility to take the necessary steps to safeguard their citizens. People in Britain are acutely aware of this following the London bomb attacks of July 2005.
“But citizens need to be vigilant that these steps do not infringe hard won civil liberties, particularly the right to due process of law. The churches have a particular message here based on Biblical insights about fear and how playing on the fears of enemies makes for unwise policies.”
The United States’ sense of ‘moral righteousness’ is examined in the report. It also questions the way Biblical texts have been used by American Christians to support a political agenda in the Middle East. The bishops wrote: “There is no uniquely righteous nation. No country should see itself as the redeemer nation, singled out by God as part of his providential plan.”
The report calls for the United Nations to be strengthened as “the legitimate authority for military intervention”. It opposes democracy being “imposed on any other country by force” and says it must be adopted “in culturally appropriate ways” by a nation.
In a case study attached to the report, the bishops review the current controversy concerning Iran’s nuclear activities. It recognised the legitimate security concerns of the West but suggested that “Tehran might forgo a nuclear weapons capability, if the EU-3 delivered a suitably attractive incentive package.” The report revealed that it was “disappointing” that “the EU-3 did not use the Framework Agreement to offer more security assurances.”
It also states that arguments against nuclear proliferation must be more convincing. “If certain countries retain their nuclear weapons on the basis of the uncertainty and potentially violent volatility of international relations, on what basis are the same weapons denied to other states?”
They conclude: “The non-nuclear weapon states need to be presented with rather more convincing arguments and incentives than they have been up to now, as to why it might be in their best interests not to go nuclear.”
