A Plea for Peace from the Orthodox Peace Fellowship in North America 

As Orthodox Christians, we seek the conversion of enemies to friends in Christ. Saddam Hussein is an enemy of the United States and of the people of Iraq, but we declare that there are better ways to respond to terrorism than to respond in kind.

We do not argue against attacking Iraq because of any admiration for Saddam Hussein. He came to office by intrigue and murder, and remains in power by the same means; he is his own country's worst enemy. The Iraqi people deserve to be rid of him.

The United States is ready to overthrow him by any means, including an attack which would kill thousands of civilians and maim many more, justifying such an attack on the possibility that Hussein's regime is producing weapons of mass destruction and preparing to use them against America and Israel and their allies. Because we seek the reconciliation of enemies, a conversion which grows from striving to be faithful to the Gospel, the Orthodox Church has never regarded any war as just or good, and fighting an elusive enemy by means which cause the death of innocent people can be regarded only as murder. Individual murderers are treated by psychiatrists and priests and isolated from society. But who heals the national psyche, the wounded soul of a nation, when it is untroubled by the slaughter of non-combatant civilians?  

As Orthodox Christians, we find healing in Christ, Who made us responsible for His sacred gift of life. God created us in His image and likeness, and we best reflect Christ -- Who neither killed anyone nor blessed anyone to kill -- by loving, helping, and forgiving.

Friends help each other do good things, not evil things. We find echoes of holy friendship in the world's unfolding reaction to events in Iraq. Many nations traditionally allied with America -- along with many patriotic Americans -- oppose an invasion of Iraq. They see how difficult a position the US will assume by attacking Iraq, and seek instead a renewed program of weapons inspection.

Iraq's closest neighbors are far from supportive of the course the United States is pursuing, even though they are aware of Saddam's shameful, destructive regime. Not having rallied to America's side does not mean that they support Saddam. An attack on Iraq will be seen by many as an attack on all Arabic and Islamic states. America, despite the rhetoric, is perceived as seeing itself under attack by Islam. America helped install and maintain the despotic Shah of Iran, but withdrew its support when Iran became an Islamic republic (itself undemocratic in many ways). Now America is seen as the largely uncritical supporter of Israel, against the interests of Palestinians, both Muslim and Christian. Bombing Iraq will confirm these perceptions among Muslims.

An attack by Saddam on any nation would be viewed as proper cause for a military response to Iraq by the attacked nation and its allies, as was the case with Kuwait. This may not be good, but it is true. Saddam now attacks only his own people, and they need help -- but not the "help" of being killed in an effort by other countries to bring about "regime change" in Iraq.

"Pre-emption" (the notion that one nation may attack another because of what it might do) is philosophically, ethically, and pragmatically perilous. After all, an enemy may return the favor. Once "pre-emption" is established as a valid principle for international relations, nations which invoke that principle will have no conceptual shelter.

If the world can be convinced that it's possible to work peacefully to make life more livable for all, we will all be better off. This is the reconciliation we hope for as Christians among individuals. Can it not happen among nations, between Iraq and its neighbors, and for all the good people of the world?

The Orthodox Peace Fellowship calls on the United States and the United Nations to follow diplomatic paths predicated on mercy, honesty, and justice, and to seek peacefully negotiated resolutions to the impasse in Iraq.  e implore Christ, Who is our peace, to bless every endeavor directed toward our complete reconciliation with each other, and with Him. 

-----The Council for the Orthodox Peace Fellowship in North America:
John Brady, Jim Forest, David Holden, Daniel Lieuwen, John Oliver, John Oliver III, Alex Patico, Sheri San Chirico, Monk James Silver and Renee Zitzloff

A partial list of other signers as of 16 January 2003: 

Archbishop Peter of New York and New Jersey, Orthodox Church in America, External Affairs
Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
+ Job, Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America
Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada, Orthodox Church in America
Bishop Mercurius of Zaraisk, Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Administrator of Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA
Bishop Basil of Sergievo, Diocese of Sourozh, Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain
Carmela Biggs, R.N., case manager, Raphael House, shelter for homeless families, San Francisco, California
Rev. Ted Bobosh, priest, St. Paul's Orthodox Church, Dayton, Ohio
V. Rev. John Breck, Professor of Bioethics and Patristic Exegesis, St. Sergius Theological Institute, Paris, France Director, St. Silouan Retreat, Charleston, South Carolina
Catherine Brockenborough, Esq., attorney, Nashville, Tennessee
Rev. Marcus C. Burch, St John of the Ladder Orthodox Church, Greenville, South Carolina
Prof. Sheila D. Campbell, Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, Canada
Fr. John Chryssavgis, Professor of Theology, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts
Fr. Dragan and Mirjana Filipovic, St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Canton, Ohio
Fr. Hilarion Frakes, St.John of Kronstadt Orthodox Mission, Reno, Nevada
Fr. John Garvey, priest of the Orthodox Church in America; Commonweal columnist; New York City
Archimandrite Michael Graves, Maison Orthodoxe, Petion-Ville, Haiti, West Indies
Deacon James Gresh, Diocese of the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America, Canton, Ohio
Fr. Stanley Harakas, retired Professor of Orthodox Theology, Holy Cross
Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts
Fr. Gregory Havrilak, Associate General Secretary, Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, New York City
Fr. Stephen C. Headley, priest, parish of St. Stephen and St. Herman, Vezeley, France
Seraphim Alton Honeywell, Warden, Russian Parish of the Annunciation, Oxford, England
Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, New York
Fr. David Hudson, Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America & Canada, Alpharetta, Georgia
Fr. Bratso Krsic, Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Butte, Montana
Fr. Alexander Kuchta, pastor, Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, Palatine, Illinois
Kevin Lawrence, Chair, String Department, North Carolina School of the Arts, University of North Carolina; Choir Director, Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church, Greensboro, North Carolina
Fr. Brooks Ledford, Director of San Antonio Catholic Worker House, priest of the Orthodox Church in America, attached: St. Anthony Orthodox Church, San Antonio, Texas
Dr. Philip LeMasters, Professor of Religion, McMurry University, Abilene, Texas
Dr. Andrew Louth, Professor of Patristic and Byzantine Studies, University of Durham, England
Anne Glynn Mackoul, Princeton, New Jersey
Fr. John Manuel, Richmond, Virginia
Fr. Lawrence Margitich, Santa Rosa, California
Mother Mary Ann, Presentation of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Monastery, Canton, Ohio
Frederica Mathewes-Green, author, Baltimore, Maryland
Joe May, director, Matthew 25 House of Hospitality, Akron, Ohio
Fr. Thomas Moore, priest, Holy Apostles Orthodox Church, West Columbia, South Carolina
Fr. Elijah Mueller, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Jamaica Estates, New York
Fr. Thomas Mueller, Dean, Chicago Deanery, Orthodox Church in America
Father Frederick & Presbytera Carol Janecek, Pastor, SS. Cyril & Methodius Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Very Rev. John Nehrebecki, Dean of New Jersey, Orthodox Church in America
Archpriest Michael J. Oleksa, Dean, St. Innocent Cathedral, Anchorage, Alaska
Archpriest Sergei Ovsiannikov, rector, St. Nicholas of Myra Russian Orthodox Church, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Fr. George C. Papademetriou, Associate Professor of Theology, Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts
Fr. Harry Pappas, St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Alexander Patico, Senior Program Manager, Institute of International Education
Fr Michael Plekon, professor, Sociology/Anthropology, Program in Religion & Culture, Baruch College of the City University of New York
Fr. Victor S. Potapov, Rector, Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Washington, D.C.
Fr. Theodore Pulcini, Associate Professor of Religion, Department of Religion, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
Dr. Albert Raboteau, Professor of Religion, Princeton University
Jessica Rose, choir director, Russian Orthodox parish, Oxford, England
Fr. Dmitri Ross, St.Dunstan Orthodox Parish, New Zealand
Archimandrite Michael Rymer, Stockton, California
Fr. Paul Schroeder, Chancellor, Greek Orthodox Diocese of San Francisco
Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, parish priest in Boise, Idaho, and president of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund USA
Philip Tamoush, Orthodox Christian Communications Network, Torrance, California
Very Rev. Andrew Tregubov; iconographer; rector of Holy Resurrection Church, St. Claremont, New Hampshire
Fr. Alexis Vinogradov, parish priest, Wappingers, New York
Rev. Aleksandar Vlajkovic, St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Boston, Massachusetts
Fr. Theodoor van der Voort, Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church, Deventer, the Netherlands
Martin D. Watt, C.P.A., St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Parish, Dayton, Ohio
Deacon Timothy Wilkinson, Diocese of the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America, Canton, Ohio

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The Orthodox Peace Fellowship in North America is a branch of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship International. For information on OPF International contact www.incommunion.org.

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