Maryknoll leadership supports diplomatic agreement with Iran

For immediate release:

Date: August 25, 2015
Contact: Kate Gould, Friends Committee on National Legislation: Kate@fcnl.org
Steven D. Martin, National Council of Churches: steven.martin@nationalcouncilofchurches.us, 202-412-4323

The following letter, signed by over 50 national Christian faith leaders, will be distributed among members of Congress today:

Christian leaders urge Congress to vote for diplomatic agreement with Iran

Dear Member of Congress:

As Christian leaders in the United States, we are writing to urge you to vote in support of the negotiated settlement over Iran’s nuclear program. We live by God’s call to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). After decades of hostility, the international community has crafted a nuclear accord to limit Iran’s nuclear program and prevent the United States from moving closer toward another devastating war in the Middle East.

The July 2015 diplomatic agreement with Iran will dramatically shrink and impose unprecedented constraints on Iran’s nuclear program. In exchange, the international community will begin to lift sanctions on Iran. It also establishes the most robust monitoring and inspection regime ever negotiated to verify Iran’s compliance with the restrictions on its nuclear program.

As Christians, we feel called to speak out for the possibility of peace. As faith leaders from the only country that has ever used nuclear weapons in war, we have a particular responsibility to speak boldly when opportunities arise that lead to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation at home and around the world. This historic accord moves us one small step closer to a world free of nuclear weapons.

This agreement helps de-escalate tension in a region that is already suffering the effects of war and violence in ways unimaginable to most of us in the United States. It is also a testament to the effectiveness of diplomacy to take countries from the brink of war and resolve concerns peacefully. 

This is a moment to remember the wisdom of Jesus who proclaimed from the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).This agreement moves us further away from the possibility of war and another nuclear-armed nation. There is no question we are all better off with this deal than without it. Rejection of this deal would be a rejection of the historic progress our diplomats have made to make this world a safer place.

The stakes on this matter have never been higher. That is why more than 40 national organizations, including more than a dozen faith-based groups, wrote a letter earlier this year urging lawmakers to vote in support of this deal. The groups noted that this “will be among the most consequential national security votes taken by Congress since the decision to authorize the invasion of Iraq.”

As people of faith, we urge you to support the international agreement with Iran and reject legislation to undermine the deal. We will be praying for you.

Blessings, 

Paul Nathan Alexander, PhD 
Director, The Sider Center 
President, Evangelicals for Social Action 

Rev. Donald H Ashmall 
Council Minister 
International Council of Community Churches 

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian 
Legate 
Armenian Orthodox Church 

Bishop Warner H. Brown 
President, The Council of Bishops 
The United Methodist Church 

Rev Julia Brown Karimu 
Co-Executive 
Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ 

J Ron Byler 
Executive Director 
Mennonite Central Committee 

Sister Patricia Chappell 
Executive Director 
Pax Christi USA 

Simone Campbell, SSS 
Executive Director 
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby 

Patrick Carolan 
Executive Director 
Franciscan Action Network 

Shane Claiborne 
Founder
The Simple Way/Red Letter Christians

Rev. Paula Clayton Dempsey 
Director of Partnership Relations 
Alliance of Baptists 

Shan Cretin 
General Secretary 
American Friends Service Committee 

Marie Dennis 
Co-President 
Pax Christi International 

Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer 
General Minister and President 
United Church of Christ 

Rev. Thomas De Vries 
General Secretary 
Reformed Church in America 

Adam Estle
Executive Director 
Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding 

Rev. Raymond Finch, MM 
Superior General 
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers 

Very Rev. Jim Greenfield OSFS 
President 
Conference of Major Superiors of Men 

Sr. Antoinette Gutzler, MM 
President
Maryknoll Sisters 

John Hartley* 
Executive Director 
Pathways for Mutual Respect 

Nathan Hosler
Director, Office of Public Witness
Church of the Brethren 

Jon Huckins* 
Co-Founding Director 
The Global Immersion Project 

Dr. Joel C. Hunter* 
Senior Pastor 
Northland A Church Distributed 

Rev. Linda Jaramillo 
Executive Minister 
Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ 

The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori 
President Bishop and Primate 
The Episcopal Church 

Francis E. Kreps 
Presiding Bishop Elect 
Ecumenical Catholic Communion 

Rev. Carlos Malave* 
Executive Director 
Christian Churches Together 

Ed Martin* 
Director 
Center for Interfaith Engagement 
Eastern Mennonite University 

Rev. John L. McCullough 
President and CEO 
Church World Service 

Sister Patricia McDermott RSM 
President Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 

Rev. Dr. Roy Medley 
General Secretary 
American Baptist Churches USA 

Rev. Dr James Moos 
Co-Executive 
Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ 

Bishop W. Darin Moore 
Bishop 
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 

Very Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM 
Provincial Superior, Holy Name Province 
Franciscans 

Rev. Timothy Mulroy, SSC 
U.S. Regional Director 
Missionary Society of St. Columban 

Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson 
Director 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness

Stanley J. Noffsinger 
General Secretary 
Church of the Brethren 

Rev. Grayde Parsons 
Stated Clerk 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 

Diane Randall 
Executive Secretary 
Friends Committee on National Legislation 

Fred Rotondaro 
Chairman 
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good 

Colin Saxton * 
General Secretary 
Friends United Meeting 

Stephen Schneck 
Director, Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies 
Catholic University of America 

Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Sidorak 
Ecumenical Staff Officer 
The United Methodist Church 

Sam Stanton 
President 
Maryknoll Lay Missioners 

Joan Marie Stedman, CSC 
Executive Director 
Leadership Conference of Women Religious 

Rev. Kristin Stoneking 
Executive Director 
Fellowship of Reconciliation 

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson 
Ecumenical Officer of the Council of Bishops 
The United Methodist Church 

Bishop Geevarghese Mar Theodosius 
Diocesan Bishop 
Mar Thoma Church 

Jim Wallis 
President and Founder 
Sojourners 

Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins 
General Minister and President 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 

Jim Winkler 
President and General Secretary 
National Council of Churches 

 * Affiliation listed for identification purposes only