EPF Chair Linda Gaither speaks with Bishop Tom Breidenthal of Southern Ohio, a member of the HOB Theology Committee
On Wednesday, Jan. 13, EPF’s chair, Dr. Linda Gaither, and The Rev. Bill Exner, vice-chair, met with the House of Bishops’ Theology Committee at the Cathedral College in Washington, D.C. for a round-table discussion of the Bishops’ paper on Just War Theory in the age of terrorism. The Rt. Rev. Henry Parsley, chair of the Theology Committee, moderated. Also present were The Rt. Rev. George Packard, Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries, The Rev. Dr. Phil Cato and The Rev. Dr. George Clifford.
Dr. Clifford opened the meeting with a presentation of his Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Model which provides a paradigm for a just response to terrorist acts. Theology Committee members expressed their concern for the pressing issue of formation of moral conscience in the Episcopal Church. It was this concern that led to their proposal for a Pedagogy of Christian Citizenship, as presented in their paper. Bill Exner affirmed the need in parishes and dioceses for ways to pastorally address the extreme stress of current wars on both soliders and families, including multiple tours of duty, increased foreign deployment of the National Guard, and reintegration of war-wounded veterans. He urged consideration of selective conscientious objection as a way to address the moral challenges presented by modern warfare. Linda Gaither pointed out a congruence between the work of EPF and the proposed Pedagogy of Christian Citizenship, particularly Creating a Culture of Peace (nonviolence training modules), EPF’s Tools for parishes, chapters and dioceses which offer “how to” resources for prayer, reflection and action on behalf of peace with justice, and the Fellowship’s legislative work at General Convention, in collaboration with the Consultation.
At the meeting’s conclusion, participants were enthusiastic about the value of this exercise in collaborative thinking. EPF thanks the Theology Committee for inviting us and we look forward to continuing the dialogue on this critical aspect of the life of the Episcopal Church.
