Statement from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson in response to U.S. pre-emptive military strike on Iraq

March 20, 2003 (Released with a Letter to Rostered Leaders)

In the midst of the anguish of today's events, and aware of the continuing unfolding and unknown consequences of war, we in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America share with all Christians the call to be peacemakers. This call is grounded in the belief that God in Christ reconciles the whole creation and sends us forth in a ministry of peace and reconciliation. In our liturgies we pray "for the peace of the whole world," uniting our faith in the Triune God with our world's suffering and hopes.

The decision of the United States to attack Iraq with a pre-emptive military strike without the support of the United Nations marks a sobering moment for this nation and world. I express my profound concern that the United States has chosen to take this step. Our country, especially because of its wealth and might, has a particular responsibility to pursue policies of cooperation and to seek to resolve conflicts peacefully. In my view, neither has the United States responsibly exercised its leadership role within the United Nations and in related diplomatic efforts to avert war, nor have our national leaders sufficiently made the case that they have pursued all reasonable avenues other than war. I am particularly troubled that this decision has been made without broad consensus and support within the international community.

As a church our task of engaging in moral deliberation about this war, and its wider implications, does not and will not end now that war has begun. We will continue to press the ongoing moral and ethical questions, which include-but are not limited to-the conduct of war or the leadership of Saddam Hussein. We must continue to ask questions about the humanitarian effects of the decision to go to war, especially protection for noncombatants and the scale of military force used. We must be prepared to respond to the needs of displaced persons and refugees, address the regional destabilization which the war will cause, and demonstrate a readiness to assist with rebuilding after the war. We must ensure that the human rights of all, both within and outside of the United States, are respected and protected. Our searching questions include how our nation addresses the poverty and sense of hopelessness that pervade the Middle East.

As citizens of a country of immense power, influence, and wealth, and as members of the ELCA, we are compelled, I believe, to grapple with questions of how to use our power and wealth responsibly to disarm Iraq, to alleviate human suffering in the region, and to exercise leadership within the international community. The ELCA grounds its position on these matters in its social statement, "For Peace in God's World:"

We also affirm that governments should vigorously pursue less coercive measures over more coercive ones: consent over compulsion, nonviolence over violence, diplomacy over military engagement, and deterrence over war.

With its significant economic, political, cultural, and military power, the United States plays a vital leadership role in world affairs. It cannot and should not withdraw or isolate itself from the rest of the world. Neither should it seek to control or police the world. Global challenges cannot be addressed by the United States alone; yet few can be met without the United States' participation. In pursuing their interests, all nations, including the United States, have an obligation to respect the interests of other states and international actors and to comply with international law. Nations should seek their own common good in the context of the global common good. International bodies should work for the welfare of all nations.

In the days and weeks ahead I call on all ELCA members to pray fervently for peace, for the members of our military, and for all who come in harm's way because of this war. I continue to encourage all ELCA members to engage in moral deliberation and to live out their baptismal vocations striving for justice and peace in all the earth.

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