Message from Clergy and Laity Network United for Justice
Iraq War and Beyond
A Community of Conscience is gathering across our country! In a witness to the nation it will convene at the Riverside Church in New York City, on April 4, 2005. The date reclaims the great antiwar sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence!"
For too long, attacks on freedom and justice by religious voices from the right have gone effectively unanswered. Greed, fear and imperialism have been endorsed. Beginning now progressive religious communities are organizing. Their respected leaders are speaking out. Others are joining in. Please add your voice!
Service and Rally
April 4, Riverside Church, New York City
On Monday, April 4, at The Riverside Church in New York City, as the climax of initiatives across the country, an open gathering will come together in a service and rally of public witness. First proposed by Rabbi Arthur Waskow on behalf of Clergy and Laity Network, it has now been embraced by an inclusive body of co-sponsors.
Led by interfaith leaders, antiwar and social justice voices, young and old, it will claim for our time the faith and courage voiced in Dr. King's prophetic sermon. It was delivered from the pulpit of Riverside Church on April 4, 1967. Insert "Iraq," change a few words, and his antiwar heritage and social justice commitments speak strikingly to our day. This service marks a new beginning in the public witness of A Community of Conscience, including progressive religious and ethical communities.
April 4, Schedule of Events
The April 4th event will begin at 7 pm with service in the Church and concludes at 8 pm with a rally in the street and the Break the Silence Bus Tour send off. A press release of the event can be downloaded here.
Speakers will include Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Senior Minster, Riverside Church; Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families For Peace, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Push Coalition, Honorable Jane Campbell, Mayor of Cleveland; Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Shalom Center, Sister Joan Chittister, Catholic OSB, Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Secretary General of the World Sikh Council, Imam Feisel Rauf among dozens more from the inclusive religious coalition. A full list of speakers for the event can be downloaded here.
The Riverside Church is located at 490 Riverside Drive, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. Driving, bus and subway directions are available on the Riverside Church website.
In anticipation of April 4 at Riverside, one million committed Americans of conscience are being drawn together to write a Declaration to the Nation. It is made possible through Internet technology. So, get this Write-In invitation to everyone:
Join a virtual "Write-in Rally"
Send a declaration to the nation against the Iraq War and affirm God's future for us all.
One million Americans committed to peace and justice will share their ideas, faith and vision online. The write-in uses a friendly new collaborative writing system. You can participate from any Internet computer anywhere. You can focus your passion and concern over the Iraq War, share your insights, and create fresh new ways of speaking for peace and justice in our time, all while participating from your own computer space. You will need to register March 20-27 at www.peacenotpoverty.org. You can also receive further details from that site.
"Break the Silence" Bus Tour
From Riverside on April 4, the "Break the Silence" Bus Tour kicks off. A national bus tour, it represents taking the peace and justice message back home. It provides a rolling forum for hundreds of thousands of caring Americans who want to speak out against the Iraq War and its conduct, and to speak out as well for economic, civil and social justice in our own land.
The "Break the Silence" bus tour will leave from New York April 4 and initially visit Philadelphia, Washington. Later is will visit Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. Then it will head south to Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta. It will be stopping for rallies along the way. Suggestions for route stops are welcome. To learn more about "Break the Silence" bus rides and how you can make them happen visit drivedemocracy.org.
Public Witness
Simultaneously CALC-I (Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq) will be launching its prophetic public witness. Starting on March 20 with a dramatic gathering in New York, it will bring a spiritual voice to condemn the continuing Iraq violence. CALC-I will be taking peace and social justice teachings to every local faith community where its witness is welcome. It looks ahead to initiating a "sanctuary movement" of pastoral care for those who resist participation in the Iraq War.
Contribute and Learn More
To contribute and learn more about this emerging progressive interfaith movement, visit drivedemocracy.org. More information is also available from Clergy and Laity Network (CLN). A schedule of events for CLCI's social justice witness is available here. And for direct information about the Write-In, contact: www.peacenotpoverty.org.
Co-sponsors include the National Council of Churches, United for Peace and Justice, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq (CALC-I), Fellowship of Reconciliation, Unitarian Universalist Association, The Shalom Center, Faith Voices for the Common Good, Drive Democracy, Disciples Justice Action Network, Pax Christi USA, Progressive Christians Uniting, Baptist Peace Fellowship, Christians for Justice Action, Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, World Sikh Council - America Region, Faithful America, True Majority, Tikkun Community, Bruderhof Communities, Protestants for the Common Good, WHALE Center, Call to Action, Church of the Brethren Witness / Washington Office, The Witness Magazine, Global Justice and Peace Ministry - Riverside Church, Episcopal Divinity School, Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, Lutheran Human Relations Association, People for Peace and Justice, Gold Star Families for Peace, Peace and Security Project of Iowa, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Mercury Public Media, House of Imagene Shelters, Jewish Voice for Peace, African American Women's Clergy Association, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Disciples Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Peace Fellowship of East Carolina, Plowshares Institute, The Witherspoon Society, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Independent Anglo-Catholic Church of America, OneLife Institute for Spirituality & Social Transformation, American Ethical Union, Dare to Dream Network, Interfaith Alliance, The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, South Texas Alliance for Peace and Justice, Word and World, Starr King School for the Ministry, Lexington Diocesan Council for Peace and Justice (Catholic Diocese of Lexington, KY), Peace and Justice Committee of the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, CA, and a growing number of religious and social justice bodies. The Riverside Church is graciously serving as the April 4 host church. Clergy and Laity Network (CLN), also a co-sponsor, serves as coordinator. A regularly updated word document is also available that contains the growing list of co-sponsors. For links to the co-sponsoring organizations visit http://www.peacenotpoverty.org/.
