Media Releases 2001-2003 (33)
Australian churches today released a new peace-making resource; 'Give Peace a Hand'. Containing a wide variety of practical ideas, biblical and prayer materials, it is designed to strengthen Christian congregations in their witness to the Peace of Christ.
'It is heartening to see so many thousands of Christians taking a leading part in peace protests at this time', said the Revd Dr Jonathan Inkpin, on behalf of the Churches' 'Decade to Overcome Violence'. 'But we need to go much further in cultivating a culture of peace itself.
For whilst also acknowledging Government efforts towards better security, the real answer to terrorism lies in extending our compassion rather than further tightening our existing borders of fear and insecurity. What we require is a 'pre-emptive strike' against global poverty, and this begins by creating ripples of peace throughout our personal and corporate lives.'
The Decade to Overcome Violence is supported by leading national figures such as Sir William Deane and Lowitja O'Donaghue, and seeks to encourage a deeper conversion to peace and reconciliation at all levels of life in Australia. It will be formally launched nationally by the National Council of Churches in Sydney on Harmony Day, 21 March.
A variety of other initiatives alongside 'Give Peace a Hand' are also already being developed across Australia.
For further information contact: the Revd DrJon Inkpin, Programme Manager, Decade to Overcome Violence 02-9299 2215
AUSTRALIAN CHURCHES REMAIN FIRM ON HOPES FOR NON-MILITARY SOLUTION ON IRAQ
The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), John Henderson, reaffirmed the views of the Council which has 15 national Australian churches in its membership.
"Yesterday's report by Hans Blix to the UN does not change our view that every effort must be made to resolve the solution through non-military means, within the system created by the world's nations in the UN. Those efforts have not yet been exhausted," he said.
In August 2002 the NCCA wrote to the Prime Minister urging him not to encourage the threat of precipitate military action which would place thousands of lives at risk. It has continued to stress its belief that Australia should act in this situation only under UN resolution, and not take unilateral action.In the wake of yesterday's Blix report, the NCCA reaffirms its call for a deeper commitment to working through the United Nations to resolve the problems of the region.
"For the sake of world peace we must not undermine the UN, but allow it to do its job," the Revd Henderson said.
The NCCA is currently promoting the Decade to Overcome Violence, a call to transcend the 'logic' of violence and find constructive alternatives to war and injustice. The way to peace does not lie through war, but through transforming structures of injustice and the politics of exclusion. The Decade is an initiative of the World Council of Churches.
This is not the time to talk about a 'countdown to war', but a sober time to count the cost of such a war, and to do everything in our power to find an alternative solution. The NCCA joins many churches and millions of Christians around Australia in praying for the safety of Australian service personnel, including defence force chaplains, the lives of the people of Iraq, and for peace in the Middle East.
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For further information contact:
The Revd John Henderson (02) 9299 2215 / 0419 224 935
Historic Meeting of Jews, Christians and Muslims Reaffirms Australia's Climate of Tolerance and Communal Harmony
Written byRepresentatives of the peak national organisations of Christians, Muslims and Jews met in Sydney this week for the first ever formal three-way discussion between these groups in Australia.
The meeting, at The Great Synagogue, was an opportunity for the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) to exchange information and opinions in what proved to be a positive and harmonious manner.
Amjad Mehboob, of AFIC, the Revd John Henderson, of the NCCA, and Jeremy Jones, of the ECAJ, led their respective faith representatives.
Other participants were Rabbi Raymond Apple, Sheikh Amin Hady, Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, Sister Trish Madigan, Mr Hafez Malas, Mrs Peta Pellach, Ms Wendy Wilkie and Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia.
Participants agreed that Australia generally has a strong record of inter-communal harmony and has the potential to be an example to other societies as to how people of goodwill, from these three religions and others, can work together in the interests of the community.
The meeting took place a week after the three faith community bodies issued a joint statement calling for dialogue, as the way to peace in the Middle East, and condemning violence, vandalism and harassment on the basis of religion or race.
All present took part in the process of information sharing and learning about each other, in an open, warm and honest manner.
The group agreed to reconvene next month, as guests of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils.
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Further Information:
John Henderson, General Secretary, National Council of Churches in Australia - (02) 9299-2215
Amjad Ali Mehboob, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils - 0408-234-434
Jeremy Jones, President, Executive Council of Australian Jewry - 0411-536-436
New NCCA General Secretary Repeats Call for the Release of Children in Detention
Written byRevd John Henderson, the new General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), has repeated the call for the release of children in detention and reiterated the need for a royal commission into Australia’s system of mandatory detention.
“Through signing the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Australia is committed to acting in the best interests of every child. Why, then, do we create a situation where children are exposed to violence, heated protests and threats of suicide, and expose them to an atmosphere of despair, and the dehumanising effect of being treated as illegal?”
“Current detention practice takes away parents’ ability to protect their children from unnecessary violence and fear.
“Australians have been expressing concern about the detention of children for some time. While we do not encourage the practice of people smuggling, God calls us to show compassion to those who are suffering. What problems are we now creating for these children and for the community in general?
“Is the pain inflicted upon these children a just trade-off in deterring people from our shores?”
In Australia, all unauthorised asylum seekers, including children, are subject to indefinite, non-reviewable mandatory detention. The NCCA believes this practice breaches Article 37 of the CRC that the detention of a child shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest period of time.
Children can apply to be released from detention on bridging visas, but are rarely released in practice as there is no provision for the release of their parents and it is usually not considered in the best interests of the child to be separated. This system keeps children in detention and has been criticised by the NCCA.
Revd Henderson also asked Australian Christians to pray for these children and their families, who are caught up in circumstances beyond their control. He said we also need to pray for our government and decision makers, as well as the staff of the centres where asylum seekers are held.
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FOR COMMENT:
The Revd John Henderson, General Secretary, Tel: (02) 9299 2215
The Executive of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) has affirmed the Bringing Them Home report and its recommendations.
The statement was adopted after consultation between national heads of churches and the NCCA’s Aboriginal and Islander Commission. It appears on the eve of May 26 commemorations of the Journey of Healing.
Text follows :-
Australian governments of the past adopted laws which gave warrant to practices resulting in many Indigenous children being inappropriately and forcibly removed from their families.
It was a complex tragedy. But the fundamental truth of the stories of the Stolen Generations, and their pain, cannot be denied. As representatives of the churches, we call on our people, and the nation at large, to acknowledge the validity of the Bringing Them Home report and its recommendations.
The harm experienced by Indigenous people, and the healing that has been too long delayed, cry out for attention by governments, by others involved, by all Australians.
Christians must try to understand what happened from the perspective of the Christian faith. As church leaders, we commit ourselves to reflect theologically on the trauma experienced by the Stolen Generations and by the nation as a whole, and on our calling to be bearers of reconciliation.
In consultation with the Stolen Generations, we will
- help educate the churches on their involvement in the history of the Indigenous child removal,
- make church and agency records accessible,
- identify ways of supporting Indigenous groups working with removed people, and
- address instances of alleged abuses, particularly in church-related institutions.
Many churches have offered apologies and taken steps towards reconciliation. Reaffirming these initiatives, recognising the pain and trauma of the Stolen Generations, we advocate the establishment of a healing commission. The churches stand ready to participate in such a commission in whatever way may be appropriate.
Further, the churches support the establishment by the Council of Australian Governments of a national fund, as part of the healing process. We call on all Australian governments, whose predecessors legislated for laws which gave warrant to practices leading to the Stolen Generations, to contribute generously to the fund. Because all Australians were represented by those governments, all Australians and all agencies – including church agencies – which cooperated with such practices are urged to contribute to the fund.
Our churches will continue to pray and work for the healing of the nation.
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This statement has been endorsed by the following churches:
- Anglican Church of Australia - Archbishop Peter Carnley
- Antiochian Orthodox Church - Archbishop Paul Saliba
- Armenian Apostolic Church - Archbishop Aghan Baliozian
- Churches of Christ - The Revd Peter Overton
- Greek Orthodox Church - Archbishop Stylianos
- Lutheran Church of Australia - The Revd Mike Semmler
- Religious Society of Friends - Colin Wendell-Smith
- Roman Catholic Church - Archbishop Francis Carroll
- Romanian Orthodox Church - The Revd Dr Gabriel Popescu
- Salvation Army (Eastern Territory) - Commissioner Brian Morgan
- Salvation Army (Southern Territory) - Commissioner Douglas Davis
- Syrian Orthodox Church - The Very Revd Zeki Zitoun
- Uniting Church in Australia - The Revd Professor James Haire
