Resolution of the Synod of Western Australia 2002

On the weekend of 27 – 30 October, 2002 the WA Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia RESOLVED:

To call on the Australian Government

- to use its influence to dissuade the US from the threat of military action;

- to continue with diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution of the problems
of the region;

- to act in accordance with the United Nations Charter, which does not permit
a re-emptive military strike against a nation and requires the use of non-violent
means of resolving disputes, and thus rule out any participation by Australia
in a “pre-emptive strike” on Iraq or any other nation;

- to urge Australia’s allies, especially the United States of America to work
through the United Nations, as the duly constituted international body, for
building a secure basis for world peace.

To affirm that God loves all humanity, and that all people – regardless of race, nation or religion – are created in the image of God. This draws the world together, makes us children of God, and unites us as brothers and sisters.

To reject any and all forms of violence, whether manifested as sanctions, occupation, terrorism or war.

To affirm the importance of peacemaking through non-violence, not only because of its effectiveness, but because Jesus came as a peacemaker.

To endorse the statement of church leaders in the United Kingdom: “It is deplorable that the world’s most powerful nations are regarding war and the threat of war as an acceptable instrument of foreign policy. The way to peace does not lie through war but through the transformation of structures of injustice and of the politics of exclusion.”

—————– Stephen Webb Media Officer Communications Unit NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia

Related Articles:

• SUDAN & BURMA: CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IN PERIL
• Pray for the World 6 February 2012
• PRAYER OF A HUMBLE SERVANT
• Prayers for Help in Times of Trouble
• Pray for the World (January 31, 2012)

This work, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Australia License.