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Interfaith Statements Mean Syrian Peace Pleas Unite

September 15, 2013

As Syria sits center in the world’s attention over the last weeks, watching the reaction of religious leaders to the prospect of military intervention has revived global anti-war sentiment. Peaceful resolution creating consensus across government and religious lines demonstrates a growing cohesion of interfaith harmony building sturdy coalitions. Some of the latest motions of religious leaders call for:

“We urge governments and the media to listen to the voices of all Syrians, particularly those who are working for a peaceful solution and who reject violence,” Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Buddhist leaders plus secular leaders have signed the statement by Australians for Reconciliation in Syria saying a US strike would be “an extreme escalation” of the conflict. The 34 signatories include Melbourne’s Catholic and Anglican archbishops, Denis Hart and Philip Freier, Sheikh Riad Galli, the president of the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia, Coptic Bishop Suriel, Greek Orthodox Bishop Ezekiel, barrister Julian Burnside, the National and Victorian Councils of Churches, the Victorian Buddhist Council, State Labor MP Bronwyn Halfpenny and Joseph Wakim, founder of the Australian Arabic Council.

“There is major consensus amongst the Christian leaders in this region that any military intervention would have a detrimental effect … on Christians in Syria,” – Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general/CEO of World Evangelical Alliance, in a letter to the State Department, the White House and the United Nation’s Security Council.

Pope Francis took the unusual step of penning a letter to world leaders ahead of a global day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria that Catholics will observe on Saturday (Sept. 7). Francis will also preside a marathon five-hour vigil in St. Peter’s Square, and the Vatican has invited believers of all faiths and even nonbelievers to join in whichever way they see fit.

Pope Francis has set Saturday September 7, 2013 as a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria. The Vatican has declared that it is against “armed intervention,” pointing to the havoc caused by the United States led war to topple Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003.

The crisis in Syria needs to be resolved through “human intervention, not military intervention”- Desmond Tutu.

Hundreds of people in Seattle were on hand Saturday night (September 7th) to join a vigil and procession to call for peace in Syria.

Military interventions are unlikely be supported by many religious leaders as they have reached out and connected with various religious groups to promote interfaith, non-violence and also advocating non-military actions to promote peace in Syria. By supporting peaceful resolutions and interfaith harmony building coalitions, religions around the world can establish a ground for a non-violent campaign towards peace in Syria.
Featured image courtesy of Flickr – Syrian Freedom