Catholic theologians urge USCCB to speak out about war against Iran

A group of US Catholic theologians recently worked together on a sign-on letter to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, both to thank those bishops who have spoken out against US military action against Iran and to encourage and support them to continue speaking out for the peace of Christ, especially as they prepare for their meeting in Baltimore in November. The letter is open for signatures from Catholic theologians and educators; if you are theologian or Catholic educator, please use this link to add your name.

The text of the letter reads:

We write as Catholic theologians and educators who share a deep concern about the continued war with Iran and the growing danger of renewed or expanded hostilities. We are deeply moved by the grave suffering caused by this war and the wider conflict that is engulfing Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and beyond. We see the links between these conflicts and wars in other regions and the other structures of violence dividing our nation and human family. It is truly, as Pope Francis often reminded us, “a third world war fought piecemeal.” 

We are grateful for the statements that you and other bishops have already made in support of peace. We also recall Pope Leo boldly proclaiming that “(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood’…” He went on, “(Jesus) did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war,” but rather “He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.” He also said that “Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

More than seven months into this de-humanizing war, we respectfully ask you and your brother bishops to speak with still greater clarity, urgency, and unity against further warfare and to offer a compelling public witness to the nonviolence of the Gospels and ways of just peace. 

As scholars and people of faith in the United States, we were profoundly inspired by those courageous bishops who were willing to speak out in public against the war in its early stages. We saw in our classrooms and parishes the positive ways these prophetic initiatives for peace and against the war were received.  

As theologians, we invite you ahead of the November meeting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to:  

• Publicly oppose any renewal or expansion of military operations against Iran, including the unprecedented expansion of the US Pentagon budget.
• Continue to promote the church’s teachings on peace and be more explicit about the call to active, courageous Gospel nonviolence.
• Lift up the legacy of Servant of God, Dorothy Day, as a model of nonviolence.
• Focus our attention on how to break cycles of violence, engage in conflict constructively, and build sustainable peace.
• Insist upon the protection of all people, rejection of nuclear threats, and unrestricted access to humanitarian assistance.
• Encourage political leaders to re-humanize our adversaries and resist language that demonizes entire nations or peoples or those calling for peace in the region.
• Use the Church’s moral influence to press elected officials to prioritize diplomacy, humanitarian relief, acknowledge responsibility for harm, support nonviolent resistance, nuclear disarmament, and the long-term work of reconciliation rather than military escalation and arms sales.
• Invite Catholics to prayer, fasting, public advocacy, and other forms of nonviolent action for peace, including support for communities suffering from the war and its regional consequences.
• Strengthen Catholic formation in the active nonviolence of Jesus, peacebuilding, conflict transformation, restorative justice, the value of conscientious objection, unarmed civilian protection, and (as Myanmar’s Cardinal Charles Bo called for) nonviolent defense in seminaries, universities, schools, parishes, and diocesan programs.
• Attend to Catholics presently in the military as they discern their consciences and respond accordingly, including by disobeying unjust and unloving orders. 

Please know our gratitude for your ministry and our prayers for you. We would welcome opportunities to support the bishops’ work through theological reflection, public education, prayer, and advocacy. Together, may we help the Church become an ever more credible witness to the reconciling love of Christ and an artisan of a just and lasting peace.