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Background
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The world is facing many challenges, exacerbated by the events and
aftermath of September 11, 2001. What has been clear since the fall of
the Soviet Union is that the United States is the lone global
superpower. During the George W. Bush presidency, that role has been
parlayed into unilateralism. In the last three years, such direction
has been used to wage a “war against terrorism” that has removed from
power the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussain’s regime in Iraq.
The military campaigns, however, have lingered. The ensuing occupations
have led to increased hostility to allied troops and exacerbated levels
of animosity toward the United States. The growing isolation the U.S.
is experiencing in the international community has been caused largely
by its inconsistent policies and actions, taken both without
consultation with, and in some cases in spite of, friends and allies,
not only in the Arab world, but also in Europe, Asia, Africa, and
throughout the Americas. Power is often measured militarily, but
national and international interests can better be served through
nurturing other kinds of strength, including the willingness to
coordinate economic directions to diminish the effects of poverty, the
enthusiasm to cultivate cultural exchanges to increase mutual
understanding rather than promulgating stereotypes, and the courage to
develop grass root cooperation to address issues beyond the traditional
realm of government policy. The United States has apparently decided to
forego the pursuit of these possible avenues that are essential to a
more complete understanding of justice for all people.
The problems of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, inaccessible
technology, and marginalization affect most of the people in the U.S.
and throughout the world. Despite the efforts of NGO’s
and people of faith to address these social, economic, and political
maladies, their systemic roots remain firmly planted in governmental
policy and private corporate interests. A “war on terrorism,”
disinterest in international treaties, laws, and institutions, and
minuscule financial pledges–paltry in comparison with the cost of
militarized war–only further the embedded nature of the problems facing
American society and the people of the world today. Foreign policy has
implications, and bad foreign policy has wide-reaching impact.
As two denominations committed to peace and justice, the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ continue to
hear the concerns of Common Global Ministries’ partners throughout the
world. Our partners consistently express the desire that the American
churches continue the work of challenging governmental policy directions,
offering voice to those rendered voiceless or whose voice is
misunderstood. Our partners want to ensure that the worldwide community
of the faithful cooperate to keep lines of communication and access open,
especially in this time of increased border-building. Our partners seek
ways to engage in actions that can have an impact. Our partners expect
that we will continue to be mindful of the hopes they have and the
challenges they face for a better future.
RECALLING all previous Common
Global Ministries’, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United
Church of Christ statements and resolutions affirming our consistent cry
for peace and justice; and
RECALLING that both the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ
have endorsed the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence,
and
WHEREAS the current
international situation is marked by a climate of war and hostility,
particularly in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel-Palestine, Columbia, Liberia,
and the Philippines, but not limited to those places; and
WHEREAS the people of the
world, and especially partners of Common Global Ministries, are critical
of American unilateralism and call for a more responsible use of American
power; and
WHEREAS Common Global
Ministries is called as a North American denominational mission board to
bring attention to the systemic roots of global poverty, hunger, disease,
illiteracy, conflict and other economic, political, and social maladies in
an attempt to effect change in the causes and to address the symptoms; and
WHEREAS the United States
current unilateral approach to international problems relies upon military
intervention and coercive policies–approaches that never have and never
will reduce the levels of suffering in the world,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that
Common Global Ministries participate with ecumenical partners in North
America and throughout the world in efforts to understand the realities of
the world’s people and their needs, analyze the root causes of and the
obstacles to addressing these realities, and communicate such conclusions
to appropriate officials; and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that
Common Global Ministries offer critical presence in its many forms to
partners throughout the world to help to build bridges and address the
conditions that pose threats to human community and human dignity; and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the
Common Global Ministries Board expresses its clear affirmation of peaceful
resolution to conflict, and its criticism of forceful preemptive American
intervention in the world; and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that
Common Global Ministries continue to work to educate its constituencies so
that the dangers of putting faith in the powers and principalities are
made clear; and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that
this resolution be referred to the Global Education and Advocacy Team of
Common Global Ministries for implementation and follow-up, subject to the
availability of funds. |
