A Call to the Anglican Church to Refuse to Divest from Israel

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    The Archbishops of the Worldwide Anglican Communion and the Members of the Anglican Consultative Council
  • Sponsored By:
  • More Info at:
Are you the Author?

As men and women who long for peace and mutual respect to prevail among the peoples of the world, we call on you to repudiate the initiative of the Anglican Peace and Justtice Network to adopt an anti-Israel divestment policy. Divestment is morally wrong because it unfairly singles out the nation of Israel for opprobrium, and it is bad policy because it is likely to lead not to peace but to war.

Professor Michael Walzer of the Princeton University, a moral philosopher, is the leading scholar in the world today of the Just War theory developed by generations of Christian theologians. He has written, "The current boycott campaign against Israel, modeled on the 1980s campaign against South Africa, aims at a very one-sided delegitimation. And because the other side isn't led by an organization remotely like the African National Congress, or by a man remotely like Nelson Mandela, the success of this campaign would be disastrous. It would strengthen the forces fighting the (Palestinian war to destroy the state of Israel)."

Nor has the Anglican Communion been an honest broker in the Middle East. A study released on Sept. 26, 2004 by the Institute on Religion and Democracy shows that fully one-third of church statements on human rights issues are aimed at Israel. Another third are aimed at the United States.

By contrast, "Only 19 percent of the church criticisms were aimed at nations deemed "not free" in the 2004 Freedom House assessments. Many of the countries rated lowest by Freedom House-such as China, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia-were not criticized even once. Of the fifteen worst human rights abusers listed by Freedom House, only five received any criticism during the four years studied."

The Anglican Church has not divested from China in protest over its illegal occupations of Tibet and Eastern Turkmenistan. It has not divested from Syria despite that nations occupation of Lebanon and massacres of minority Kurds. It has not divested form Nigeria despite brutal efforts to impose shaaria on unwilling Christians. It has not divested from Iran where Bahai are murdered by their own government for their faith. Against this background, the initiative to divest from only one nation state, the national state of the Jewish people, is highly suspect.

As Harvard University President Lawrence Summers said with regard to another effort to promote divestment from Israel, such actions are anti-Semitic in their effect, if not their intent.

The Catholic Church has officially stated: We oppose anti-Semitism in any way and form, including anti-Zionism that has become of late a manifestation of anti-Semitism.

This is a moment when Canterbury would do well to listen to Rome.

1302 Signatures

  • Joyce L
    • city, state, country
    • Santa Monica, CA. USA
    • congregation or parish
    • Leo Baeck Temple
  • Carol R
    • city, state, country
    • Bayside,New York, USA
  • june b
    • city, state, country
    • oakland, CA
    • congregation or parish
    • Sequoyah
    • comments
    • Your anti-Israel action is not only unfair; it is an action that will lead to more violence. What is the Anglican church's response to suicide bombers who murder in the name of Allah?
  • Howard S
    • city, state, country
    • West Orange, NJ USA
  • Jerome S. Seiler, M
    • city, state, country
    • Great Neck, N.Y., USA
    • congregation or parish
    • Temple Israel of Great Neck
  • Howard L
    • city, state, country
    • Chesterfield,MO USA
    • comments
    • It is a sad day for the Anglican Church to again target the Jews Does it ever end?
  • mera
    • city, state, country
    • ny, ny, usa
    • congregation or parish
    • я
    • comments
    • я
  • Marc H
    • city, state, country
    • Kansas City, MO, USA
  • Judith Gividen C
    • city, state, country
    • St. Louis, MO USA
  • jerome v
    • city, state, country
    • elkins park pa 19027
  • julie l
    • city, state, country
    • Farmington Hills, MI USA
  • Jay Z
    • city, state, country
    • Woodland Hills, CA USA
  • Ginette R. M
    • city, state, country
    • Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Louis C
    • city, state, country
    • Greeneville,Tennessee
    • comments
    • A grave and serious error to do so , political correctness gone overboard,a cowering to the Ultra-liberal establishment.From someone who would not be considered consertive.
  • Louis P
    • city, state, country
    • Williamston, MI 48895
    • comments
    • The Anglican Church has a broken moral compas
  • Larry R
    • city, state, country
    • St. Louis, MO, USA
  • Lauren H
    • city, state, country
    • New York, New York, USA
  • Luchianna S
    • city, state, country
    • morrison co usa
    • congregation or parish
    • Resurrection Anglican Fellowship
    • comments
    • The consideration to divest from Israel is shameful. As a Christian I am fully aware of the suffering of my fellow Christians living in the midsts of this conflict and support them in any way that I can. However, BECAUSE I am a Christian I must stand with Israel and recognize their right to defend themselves, their borders and their right to exsist. In other words, this is not a matter where you can arbitrarily choose one side over the other. To choose to divest from Israel is clearly anti-semetic and therefore a sin against God. I urge you to consider the fact that Israel contributes financial support to the Christians in the Holy Land whereas the Palestinian Authority does not contribute and it is probably safe to say that even if they become a state they will still not contribute or provide any aid to our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. So clearly the members of the Anglican Consultive Councils'plan to impose anti-semetic measures under the guise of goodwill is deplorable.
  • Lanette S
    • city, state, country
    • Aurora, Colorado, USA
    • congregation or parish
    • Cherry Hills Community Church
    • comments
    • Shame to all who curse Israel.
  • kate b
    • city, state, country
    • great britain
    • congregation or parish
    • st martin's heaton norris
    • comments
    • God's judgement is on those who harm Israel, the apple of God's eye
  • Jonathan K
    • city, state, country
    • Denver, Colorado, USA
  • Lynda H
    • city, state, country
    • Eastbourne
  • Keith H
    • city, state, country
    • Cambridge, England
  • Carol S. J
    • city, state, country
    • Lone Tree, Colorado, USA
    • congregation or parish
    • Resurrection Anglican Fellowship
    • comments
    • Peace be on Israel
  • Dorothy Litwin, P
    • city, state, country
    • New York, NY
    • comments
    • The church should be ashamed of itself.
  • kenin f
    • city, state, country
    • denver, co, usa
  • Gilbert L
    • city, state, country
    • Tiberias, Israel
    • congregation or parish
    • The Face of God
    • comments
    • Born Episcipalian, worked for the Anglican School 6 years, I am ashamed. How could a Christian hate the parrents and family of our Lord and Savoir Jesus the Messiah. To hate God's chosen is to hate God Himself.
  • Gerry Leisman, MD, P
    • city, state, country
    • Merrick, NY USA
  • Lela K
    • city, state, country
    • Denver,CO
  • Elizabeth l
    • city, state, country
    • Ny,NY USA
  • C Leonard G
    • city, state, country
    • New York NY USA
  • Joseph Madalia, M
    • city, state, country
    • Boulder, Colorado, USA
    • comments
    • Better to divest from Anti-Semitic beliefs
  • SurgX
    • city, state, country
    • Winterthur
    • congregation or parish
    • TwiXP
    • comments
    • You couldn't even prove the White House staff sane beyond a reasonable doubt. http://igsequ.22web.net/100-carisoprodol-pill/hydrocodone-oxycodone-comparison.html - hydrocodone oxycodone comparison http://wqaqequ.200gigs.com/somali-cat-club/aspirin-effects-side.html - aspirin effects side http://piros.10001mb.com/fosomax-generic/plavix-and-aspirin-together.html - plavix and aspirin together http://worutepiak.isgreat.org/what-is-life-like-for-women-in-somaila/modos-de-produccion-esclavismo.html - modos de produccion esclavismo http://oqotytis.200gigs.com/addiction-cure-vicodin/aspirin-synthesis-mechanism.html - aspirin synthesis mechanism http://etoripiro.totalh.com/card-checkout-master-mobic-username-visa/lakota-herbal-pain-reliever.html - lakota herbal pain reliever http://typitepo.200gigs.com/generic-ultracet/lower-back-pain-nausea-vomiting.html - lower back pain nausea vomiting
  • David C
    • city, state, country
    • Greeneville TN,United States
    • congregation or parish
    • St.James Episcopal
    • comments
    • i belive that we should not divest from Israel because our mission in the Anglican Church is to expand the minds of people and know they are Gods people
  • Sandy L
    • city, state, country
    • Houston, TX
  • Harold L
    • city, state, country
    • Pittsburgh, PA, USA
  • Linda L
    • city, state, country
    • Arlington, TX USA
  • Michael S
    • city, state, country
    • West Hollywood, CA USA
    • congregation or parish
    • St. Mary's Anglican Church, Hollywood
    • comments
    • Sirs, I can't believe that you would consider divesting in Israel, when over a million Christians have been slaughtered, while another 350,000 have been sold into SLAVERY in Sudan. Or, when China has destroyed the country and culture of Tibet. Or, when Syria has destroyed dozens of Christian Communities In Lebanon while occupying and destroying that country and using it for a terrorists' springboard. And the Anglican Church can only see Israel? For Shame!
  • Diane E. L
    • city, state, country
    • West Hollywood, CA USA
    • congregation or parish
    • St. Mary's Anglican Church, Hollywood
  • Lottie Lee H
    • city, state, country
    • Roeland Park, KS, USA
    • comments
    • The Lord said "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you".. Can the Anglican church not see they are playing right into the hands of the enemy SATAN?
  • Claire M
    • city, state, country
    • Braintree, UK
    • congregation or parish
    • Church of England
    • comments
    • Please, Anglican leaders, remember that both Israel and Palestine need peace and security, and help that is sensitive to the needs of both. Please support opportunities for dialogue.
  • Ellen M
    • city, state, country
    • New York, NY, USA
  • Linda K
    • city, state, country
    • Denver, CO, USA
  • Emanuel Z
    • city, state, country
    • NYC, NY, USA
  • Kochavi G
    • city, state, country
    • New York, NY USA
  • Michael G
    • city, state, country
    • Fair Lawn, NJ, USA
    • congregation or parish
    • Shomrei Torah
  • Mikko P
    • city, state, country
    • Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
    • congregation or parish
    • Lutheran
  • Marion M. S
    • city, state, country
    • Brooklyn NY USA
  • N.Britton
    • city, state, country
    • Auckland, New Zealand
  • Marshall C
    • city, state, country
    • New York, NY USA