AN INTERFAITH COMMITMENT FOR PEACE

We, members and leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities in the Greater Richmond area - all having deep and symbolic ties to the land and peoples of the Middle East - are anguished by the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza. Recognizing the legitimate needs of all peoples, including all those living in the Middle East, for dignity, peace, safety and security –- regardless of religion, race, or national origin—we issue this joint statement with the hope and belief that our interfaith voices will be heard clearly, above the noise of war. We would like our Richmond community to hear our prayers and our collective call for peace.

We realize, that often what is “not said” can be just as hurtful as what is actually said. Silence at these times can contribute to misunderstanding, distrust and tension. We refuse to be reduced to powerless spectators. We are committed to speaking together for justice and peace when silence is hurtful. We in the Richmond region, Jews, Christians and Muslims want to be modeling positive relationships here, and hoping that pattern offers a way forward over there.

As guiding principles,

•We acknowledge the long, complex, and painful history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

•We acknowledge the wide range of deeply-held beliefs, and intensely-felt narratives on all sides

•We acknowledge that all sides are capable of assigning blame to others, and asserting justification for their cause

•We observe that violence by any side begets more violence, hatred, and retaliation. Palestinians and Israelis are both losers from violence.

•We deplore any invocation of religion as a justification for violence against others, or the deprivation of the rights of others

•We decry any use of inflammatory rhetoric that demonizes the other and is intended, or is likely, to promote hatred and disrespect

•We believe the conflict can be resolved only through a political and diplomatic solution and not a military one.

In the face of many competing narratives, we recognize that the overriding common need of the peoples of the region is the prompt implementation of a just and lasting peace. Toward that end, we call on all parties involved in the conflict to work sincerely and vigorously toward a just and lasting peace that addresses and promotes the national aspirations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. We call on our President to make it clear that as President he will urgently assert US leadership to achieve a comprehensive diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts.

Through this joint statement we affirm our commitment to engage with one another, even, and especially, during times of great stress. We also affirm our common humanity and our common belief –—as Jews, Muslims and Christians—- that all human life is valued, and that all people in the Middle East must cooperate to make the peace –- a just and lasting peace desperately needed and deserved by all the peoples of the region.

Signed:

The Reverend D. Wallace Adams-Riley, Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Imam Ammar Amonette, Islamic Center of Virginia

The Rev. Jonathan Barton, General Minister, Virginia Council of Churches

Rev. Dr. Charles F. Baugham, Sr., Chairman, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman, Congregation Brith Achim

Rabbi Martin P. Beifield Jr. Congregation Beth Ahabah

The Rev. Dr. Judith FaGalde Bennett, Executive Director, The Resource Center and Adjunct Faculty, Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, VUU

Steve Blanchard, Minister of Missions, First Baptist Church

The Rev. Dr. John Paul Boucher, Rector, St. Matthias Episcopal Church

Rev. Dixie Brachlow, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell, Pastoral Director, Richmond Hill

Rabbi Gary S. Creditor, Temple Beth-El

Dr. M. Imad Damaj, President, Virginia Muslim Coalition For Public Affairs

Dr. William A. Davis, Jr., Bon Air United Methodist Church

Most Rev. Francis X. DiLorenzo, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond

Imam Bilal Yasin El-Amin, The Propagation Center

Asghar A. Goraya, Executive Director, Muslim Chaplain Services of Virginia

R. Charles Grant, Pastor, Bon Air Presbyterian Church

Deacon Bob Griffin, Pastoral Associate, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

Dr. R. Michael Harton

Zaneera Hassan, President of the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) at VCU

Dr. Timothy D. Hazlett, Pastor, Emmanuel United Methodist Church

Jonathan L. Heaslet, Senior Pastor, St. John’s United Church of Christ

The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Rector, St. James’s Episcopal Church

Mary H. Johns, Interim Pastor, New Covenant Presbyterian Church

The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, Bishop Coadjutor, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Rev. Tom Joyce, President, Virginia Council of Churches

Charlene P. Kammerer, Bishop, The United Methodist Church, Virginia Conference

Rev. Carla Pratt Keyes, Pastor, Ginter Park Presbyterian Church,

Rabbi Joseph M. Kolakowski - Congregation Kol Emes/Young Israel of Richmond

Peter James Lee, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Richard H. Lindsey, Jr., Pastor, Southminster Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Canon J. Fletcher Lowe, Jr.

Father John Manuel, Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Tyrone Nelson, Pastor, Sixth Mount Baptist Church    
           
Joyce Fisher Pierce, Minister, Unity Christ Church of Bon Air

Rabbi Ben Romer, Congregation Or Ami

Dawud & Mahasin Shakoor of Shakoor’s Merchandise

Lucinda Shamsid-Deen, President, Concerned Muslims for Change

Rev. Charles Swadley, Pastor, Lakeside United Methodist Church