In a letter sent to congressional leadership today, more than 50 national faith organizations urged Congress to support a key provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prevent war with Iran. This provision, passed earlier by the House, would block government funds from being used in a war with Iran without congressional authorization.
Dear Madam Speaker, Majority and Minority Leaders, Chairmen and Ranking Members:
In the coming months, House and Senate negotiators will be coming to a final agreement on a National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020 to send to the president’s desk for signature. We humbly ask you, as a matter of conscience and moral responsibility, to include in that agreement a prohibition on unauthorized war with Iran.
We can think of little more abhorrent than the idea of starting a new war in which thousands, possibly tens or hundreds of thousands, of innocent civilians would be needlessly slaughtered. Our political leaders often talk in terms of “limited strikes” and “surgical response”, but the truth is that any U.S. military attack, no matter how restrained, would risk escalation into a major conflagration and could trigger an unpredictable and devastating response. While we agree that Iran should repudiate terrorism and not increase uranium enrichment, we believe that diplomatic negotiations are a far more effective approach than the current policy of “maximum pressure”.
Under Article II of the Constitution, the president has the authority to order military action to repel a sudden attack against the United States. Otherwise, U.S. armed forces may be introduced into hostilities only pursuant to a congressional declaration of war or specific statutory authorization. No such declaration or authorization has been provided with respect to Iran, and we believe that Congress would be abdicating its constitutional duties by failing to insist upon this point at a time when the Executive Branch is claiming to have far more wide-ranging powers.
As leaders of faith-based organizations, we believe that war with Iran would be unjustifiable on moral and religious grounds and we urge a diplomatic and humanitarian solution to the current crisis. We pray that our government will step back from military acts as an option in this crisis atmosphere, and we call upon you to use your powers courageously and responsibly to avoid war with Iran.
In peace,
Diane Randall, Executive Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Jim Winkler, General Secretary and President, National Council of Churches
Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, The United Methodist Church
Rev. Jim Wallis, President and Founder, Sojourners
Sr. Patricia Twohill, Prioress, Dominican Sisters of Peace Lisa Sharon Harper, President and Founder, FreedomRoad.US
Bishop Carroll A. Baltimore, Global Alliance, Interfaith Networks
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Catholic Church
Stephen Schneck, Board Member, Sojourners
Sr. Danielle Bonetti, CSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley, Board Chair, Interfaith Power and Light
Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Operations, United Church of Christ
Rev. Julia Brown Karimu, President, Division of Overseas Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary Emeritus, Reformed Church in America
Rev. Rob Schenck, The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Churches for Middle East Peace
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Armenian Orthodox Church
Sister Patricia Siemen, OP, Prioress, Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan
Pastor Daniel Ruen, Grace Lutheran Church
Sister Carmen Hernandez, President, Sisters of the Presentation, Dubuque, Iowa Sister Patricia McDermott, RSM, President, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
Reginald Smith, Director, Office of Social Justice CRCNA
Carol Zinn, SSJ, Executive Director, Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Rev. Ron Stief, National Religious Campaign Against Torture
Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries, The United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Sr. Mary Christopher Moore, Leadership Team of the Felician Sisters of North America
Rev. Ms. Paula Clayton Dempsey, Alliance of Baptists
Rev. Carlos L. Malave, Christian Churches Together
Rev. Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Chairman of the Board, Community Resource Network
Joellen Sbrissa, CSJ, Coordinator, Peace and Justice Office, Congregation of St. Joseph
Rev. Dr. Chris J. Antal, Settled Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern
Ronald J. Sider, President Emeritus, Evangelicals for Social Action
Sister Mary Brigid Clingman, OP, Promoter of Justice, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, Church of the Brethren
Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley, Board Chair, Interfaith Power and Light
Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Rev. Dr. Nathan Hosler, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, Church of the Brethren
Patrick Carolan, Executive Director, Franciscan Action Network
Sister Carla Kovack, OP, Dominican Sisters of San Rafael
Sister Veronica Esparza Ramirez, Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose
Janice Cebula, President, Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa
Lawrence Couch, Director, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Suzanne Gallagher, RSM, Sisters of Mercy, Mid-Atlantic Community
Sister Judith Desmarais, Provincial Leader,Sisters of Providence
Mary E. Moore, Centro Corazon de Maria
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, Islamic Society of North America
Brigid Lawlor, Provincial Advocacy Liaison, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces