Thanks to the hard work of the EPF members on National and International Concerns and the Education Committee and the testimony of many EPF members, the Young Adult Presence and many others, these resolutionsPASSED!

1. Withdrawal from Iraq – Resolution D020 - PASSED both Houses

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention of The Episcopal Church affirm the conclusion of the October 1, 2002 letter of the House of Bishops to members of Congress, stating that the conditions of the “Just War” tradition have not been met in the national government’s decision to attack the nation of Iraq; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention of the Episcopal Church call upon the Congress and the President to immediately develop for implementation a plan for the stabilization of Iraq, to be followed by the prompt withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq, to provide for  transfer of peacekeeping functions to an international peacekeeping force, to work through international and Iraqi organizations in the reconstruction of Iraq’s civil and economic infrastructure, and for the full restoration of Iraqi sovereignty; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention call on The Episcopal Church to acknowledge and confess that our government’s participation in the war in Iraq has resulted in individual and global injustices including passive acceptance of the loss of our military personnel; lack of support and care for those returning home; indifference to the loss of countless Iraqi citizens; silent response to atrocities; illegal confinement without representation or formal charges and torture; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention call on The Episcopal Church to request the Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer step up dialogue with the Iraqi Muslim and Christian community to work toward nonviolent resolutions to conflict; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention, as a community of faith committed to reconciliation and nonviolence taught in the gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, direct the Presiding Bishop and the Executive Council to encourage wide use of Christian formation materials that stress nonviolent methods to conflict resolution and change; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention request the Standing Liturgical Commission to commission prayers and liturgies to be used in time of war, and that this General Convention call on Episcopalians to honor and support, through their prayers and actions, the armed service men and women who return home with injuries to body, mind, and spirit that they might be restored to wholeness of life and assisted in recovering from injury and trauma; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention call on all Episcopalians to honor through their prayers and actions the men and women who conscientiously serve their country and especially those who have been killed and wounded; and be it further

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention call upon all Episcopalians as an act of penitence, to oppose and resist through advocacy, protest and electoral action the continuation of the war in Iraq, and encourage the President and Congress to take proactive steps to end our participation as soon as possible.

EXPLANATION

On October 1, 2002, the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church sent a letter to members of Congress in which they argued that the conditions for a just war had not been met in the national government's decision to attack the nation of Iraq.  Nevertheless, the Armed Forces of the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, based upon the assertion by the national government that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction which presented a threat to the U.S.  No such weapons were ever found.  And on January 12, 2005, the President officially declared an end to the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

More than 2,400 members of the United States Armed Forces have been killed as part of the ongoing combat operations in Iraq. The Defense Department's official tally of US wounded as of April 28, 2006 was 17,648 .  Independent estimates of US wounded range from 15,000 to 48,100.  Various estimates place the number of unarmed, innocent Iraqi civilians killed as part of the ongoing combat operations in Iraq between 38,000 and 100,000.

The very presence of 150,000 American troops in Iraq is resented by the majority of the Iraqi population, fueling the insurgency and contributing to the continuing instability.  A majority of the people in both the United States and Iraq favor the withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from Iraq.

We certainly recognize that faithful Christians of good will may disagree with one another when it comes to questions of national policy. We trust, however, that all Christians will pray and work for peace, remembering the words, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Several measures are being considered in Congress that propose various timelines for withdrawal, many with bi-partisan support.  We would urge the adoption of one or more of them as soon as possible.

2. Active Nonviolence Training Resolution D018

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention urge the provinces, dioceses, congregations, and institutions of the Episcopal Church to adopt and support for the next triennium the nonviolence training for personal and social change, to advance the mission priorities of Congregational Transformation and Justice & Peace; and be it further
Resolved, That each Episcopal diocese be encouraged to make available active nonviolence training to congregations and institutions, to assist them in addressing conflicts, controversies, and divisions; to respond to violence, oppression, and injustice at all levels, including issues of racism, social & economic injustice, crime, and domestic violence; and where possible to create trainings that represent a diversity of perspectives within communities, including intergenerational trainings for youth/young adults with adults; and be it further
Resolved, That each diocese be invited to identify candidates to attend training to become training facilitators in the diocese.

EXPLANATION

This resolution follows resolutions commending active nonviolence training for all parishes and diocese from 2000 & 2003, and the Executive Council meeting in Austin, Texas, in February 2005 that: …"commend to the whole church the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's new training in Creative Peacemaking and urge Dioceses and congregations consider how such training might help Episcopalians address the culture of violence in their homes, their workplaces, their congregations and our society at large."

"Creating a Culture of Peace" peacemaking training is a dynamic tool for personal & social transformation, and builds on the nonviolent teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It also draws inspiration from peacemakers such as Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Coretta and Martin Luther King, Jr, Desmond Tutu, Margaret Lawrence, Rosa Parks, and many others. We are half-way through the United Nations "Decade for a Culture of Peace & Nonviolence", and it is critical to mainstream the principles & practice of active nonviolence to counter the violence at all levels of our culture and in the global environment, from the home, school, work-place, church, & community to the international context.  Active Nonviolence is quickly becoming an established and well-respected spiritual formation and academic discipline that provides effective alternatives to violence and injustice, promoting both personal and cultural transformation.

The EPF has hired a full-time member of staff to coordinate the "Creating a Culture of Peace" Nonviolence Training Program, and has committed at least $150,000 to this program for the next 3 years. Additional funding is critical to subsidize the costs of training for low-income groups, and for production of promotional materials, program content, and training packs. EPF partners with FOR (The Fellowship of Reconciliation) for program development, using a trusted curriculum developed for over a decade.

Appendix I (below) contains full text of recent GC Resolutions in support of nonviolence.
Appendix II (to follow) contains a report on the success of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's CCP Active Nonviolence Training Program to date, with testimonials from participating Episcopalians.
Appendix III (to follow) contains a detailed 3-year budget, with information on how funds will be allocated, as well as fundraising details for the program to date.

APPENDIX I
A. July 2000 General Convention
1. Resolution on a Pledge of Nonviolence
Resolved: That each congregation of the Episcopal Church become a model for peace making in our violent society by encouraging its members to commit to nonviolent and peaceable behavior in their relationships with others - at home, at school, at work, at church, in the community, and wherever they find themselves; and be it further
Resolved: That every congregation also encourages its members to adopt the pledge of Nonviolence as it comes from the Institute of Peace and Justice, St Louis Missouri:
Making peace must start within ourselves. I commit myself:
" To become, with God's help, a nonviolent and peaceable person.
" To respect myself, to affirm others and avoid uncaring criticism, hateful words, physical attacks, and self-destructive behavior.
" To share my feelings honestly, to look for safe ways to express my anger, and to work at solving problems peacefully.

2. Resolution on the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence
Resolved: That the Episcopal Church promote a culture of nonviolence which values love, compassion, and justice, and rejects violence as a means of solving problems and join with other faith communities in observing the United Nations' Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the World (2001-2010) by prayer, action, and study of "the things that make for peace" (Luke 19:42) and be it further
Resolved: That the Episcopal Church at national, provincial, diocesan, and congregational levels, with the assistance of Church staff and peace, justice, and education networks, provide worship, study, and action resources and opportunities throughout the Decade which promote the development of a culture of peace and nonviolence at all levels of society, with special attention to the unique gifts for peace and justice of the faith community in its history, theology, and practice; and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of General Convention send this resolution with letters of encouragement in their work for peace and justice to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the President of the United States, and Episcopal Members of Congress.

B. General Convention 2003
Resolved: That the Episcopal Church develop specific plans at national, provincial, and diocesan levels in the next triennium for the church to live into a culture of nonviolence which values love, compassion, and justice, and which rejects violence as a means of solving problems; and be it further
Resolved, That curricula in nonviolence awareness and training be promoted for use in dioceses and congregations; and be it further
Resolved: That the results of these plans be compiled by the Office of Peace and Justice and presented to the General Convention in 2006

C. Executive Council Resolution - February 2005, Austin, Texas
Resolved: That the Executive Council meeting in Austin, Texas, commend to the whole church the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's new training in Creative Peacemaking and urge Dioceses and congregations consider how such training might help Episcopalians address the culture of violence in their homes, their workplaces, their congregations and our society at large.

Resolutions that had committee hearings and due to time restraints must now be referred to the National Executive Council:

1. Pre-Emptive Military Strike Against Islamic Republic of Iran Resolution D016

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention, most strongly urge the United States government to respect the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran; and be it further
Resolved, That the General Convention most strongly urge the United States government not to conduct pre-emptive military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran; and be it further
Resolved, That the Convention most strongly urge the United States government to work with other nations in diplomatic talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran, towards the de-escalation of the current crisis over nuclear research and development in the Islamic Republic of Iran. 
 

EXPLANATION

2. Pre-Emptive Military Strikes  - Resolution D053

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention condemns in any nation the nihilistic policy option of pre-emptive military strikes and war; and be it further
Resolved, That the Convention encourages the United States government to obey its own laws and international agreements, and renounce this as a policy option.
 

EXPLANATION

The policy option of pre-emptive military strikes and pre-emptive war is contrary to both strands of Christian tradition on war.  Nonviolence rejects all war; Just War ethics requires, among other criteria, that wars be fought in response to an attack.  A pre-emptive option is antithetical to the teachings and example of Jesus, the traditions of the Church, and to constructive policy-making.  

This policy contradicts the very function of international law.  It gives to any nation a precedent to act unilaterally and aggressively towards others.  It has the affect of multiplying violence, chaos, and evil rather than quelling them.



3. Condemning the Use of Torture - C033

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church condemn the use of torture (and the practice of extraordinary rendition), and call upon the United States Government to renounce its use in compliance with the Geneva Convention and United Nations’ declarations regarding Human Rights and the administration of justice, and to enact policies to prevent its use both domestically and abroad, as well as, provide just compensation for the victims of torture, and their families.
 

EXPLANATION

Every time the Church recites the Nicene Creed, we confess that our Lord Jesus Christ was a victim of state-sponsored torture: "For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried." Remembering our Lord's suffering for us, and in imitation of his example, we commit ourselves in our baptismal covenant "to strive for justice and peace among all people", and to "respect the dignity of every human being". Consistent with this promise, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church has adopted and promoted Amnesty International's program for the prevention of torture (EXC061, 1984). The use of torture is manifestly contrary to Christian faith and teaching, and erodes the credibility of the United States Government at home and abroad. This resolution calls for a renewed commitment to opposition to torture in all its forms and for appropriate care for victims of torture. Copies of relevant United Nations' declarations can be found at http://www.unhchr.ch/html/intlinst.htm.

Note: Extraordinary rendition is the practice of sending prisoners to other countries in which it is not illegal to use torture, as a means of bypassing our laws and constitution, which forbid torture.

4.Conscientious Objection to Paying for War Resolution D076

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75^th General Convention continues the Episcopal Church’s historic support of conscientious objectors to military service and supports the adoption of legislation which would provide opportunity for those taxpayers morally opposed, but legally bound, to pay taxes to pay for war, to direct their taxes for peaceful purposes; and be it further
Resolved, That dioceses and congregations be encouraged to call upon the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund and other groups to assist them in their efforts to better understand the concerns of those morally opposed to war; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution be communicated by the General Convention to the President of the United States and to appropriate leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
 

 EXPLANATION

General Convention has repeatedly reaffirmed that "War as a means of resolving conflict is incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ".  General Convention and Lambeth Conferences have affirmed the right of conscientious objection and have declared that non-violent refusal to participate in or prepare for war is a faithful response o a member of this Church and that such persons have the respect, the support, and the ministry of this Church.  Conscientious objectors to war are still legally bound to pay for war through a variety of taxes.  The current federal budget contains outlays of between 42 % and 47% to be spent on current and past military expenses.   Potential legislation would provide that a designated conscientious objector is a taxpayer who is opposed to participation in war in any form based upon the taxpayer's deeply held moral, ethical or religious beliefs or training, and who has certified these beliefs with the government.