Steven Martin

On this World Children’s Day, faith leaders called for passage of the “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act” in the US Congress.  HR 2407, sponsored by Rep Betty McCollum, is currently before the House of Representatives. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) hosted this Congressional briefing which brought faith leaders together with members of Congress and congressional staff on the morning of November 20.  

“Today we’re gathered here to discuss a completely preventable, completely disruptive and completely immoral practice,” began Rep. McCollum. “It’s inflicting abuse, torture, and trauma on children. And it is the Israeli state-sponsored system, the military detention of Palestinian children, children who are already living every day of their lives under an oppressive military occupation.”

Rep. McCollum described how she came to understand the plight of children in the Occupied Territories.  “Four years ago, people in this room brought this issue to my attention. I did not know this was happening. But once I learned about the night raids, the forced confessions, the trauma inflicted on thousands of Palestinian children, some as young as eight, 9, or 10 years old… Once I knew about it, I could not turn away.”

The United Nations states that World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.

Kyle Cristofalo, CMEP’s Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, said “For there to be any hope for a just and lasting end to the conflict in Israel/Palestine, all children, including Palestinians, must live without fear of military detention. Congress has a responsibility to ensure US policy reflects values that prioritize concern for the most vulnerable. We call on Rep. McCollum’s congressional colleagues to cosponsor this critical legislation.”

The No Way to Treat a Child Campaign, a project of Defense for Children International – Palestine and the American Friends Service Committee, describes the current reality: “Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in military courts that lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections. Israeli military authorities prosecute an estimated 500 to 700 Palestinian children in military courts each year. Nearly three out of four Palestinian children experience some form of physical violence after arrest.”

Bishop Thomas Aiken of the northeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America told of his experience in Hebron, “As we were leaving, a youth was throwing some pebbles and was shot in the leg. When you’re there on the ground, your heart really gets transformed. Data is one thing, but to be there and to see the situation is an entirely different thing.”

HR 2407 amends Section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d) commonly known as the ‘‘Leahy Law’’ by adding a new subsection that includes a generally applicable limitation prohibiting U.S. military aid from being used by foreign armed forces to support the military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of children in violation of international humanitarian law.

The National Council of Churches is a partner with Churches for Middle East Peace.  Tony Kireopoulos, NCC Associate General Secretary, serves on its board of directors.

UPDATE: Stay of Execution Issued for Rodney Reed

WASHINGTON: This morning a vast coalition of faith groups joined together at the U.S. Supreme Court to call for the freedom of condemned Texas prisoner Rodney Reed.  Representatives from Reed’s family, the National Council of Churches, the United Methodist Church, Uri L’Tzedek, the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, Pax Christi USA, Pax Christi International, the Catholic Mobilizing Network, Death Penalty Action and Witness to Innocence all came to show support for Mr. Reed and to call for an end to the death penalty.

Rodney Reed is scheduled for execution on Wednesday, November 20th, by the state of Texas despite a bipartisan call for his freedom.  Reed’s counsel calls him “a demonstrably innocent man on Texas’ death row.”

Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Associate General Secretary for the National Council of Churches, began her remarks by saying, “We were told that the Supreme Court will be taking up the question of whether it is constitutional to murder somebody who was innocent? I’m devastated that this is a question.”

The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court considered whether to take up Rodney Reed’s case during their regular 10 am conference this morning. The petition before the Court includes the question: “Does the conviction or execution of a person who is actually innocent of the crime violate the United States Constitution?” 

Days ago, Texas Senator Ted Cruz joined a bipartisan call on behalf of Mr. Reed.  “Having spent years in law enforcement, I believe capital punishment can be justice for the very worst murderers,” Cruz tweeted. “But if there is credible evidence there’s a real chance a defendant is innocent, that evidence should be weighed carefully.”

Rev. Christopher Zacharias, Pastor of John Wesley AME Zion Church in Washington, DC, said, “I serve a risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who teaches if you come to him, the truth will set you free. But since that truth from my old childhood games, I double-dog dare the Supreme Court to set Rodney Reed free, based on the truth of his innocence.”

“In 2019, it is difficult to believe the question remains that it is OK to execute a person whose guilt is in doubt,” said Abraham Bonowitz, co-director of Death Penalty Action. “No one is well served by a legal system which allows a case to get to this point. We pray the Court takes this case so that it can declare without ambiguity that executing the innocent is unconstitutional.” 

Rev. Alexander continued, “And we’re talking about state-sanctioned murder. It’s not just sanctioned by the state. The state IS the murderer. The governor is the murderer. The prosecutor who knows that the person is innocent is the murderer.”

The National Council of Churches issued a call for the abolition of the death penalty in 1968, citing “the possibility of errors in judgment and the irreversibility of the penalty which make impossible any restitution to one who has been wrongfully executed.” The Council recently issued a statement opposing the reinstating of the Federal death penalty, reiterating that “Our Christian faith is clear that life and the dignity of human personhood are sacred gifts of God and as such shall not be violated.”

Persons are urged to call Texas Governor Greg Abbott (512)-463-2000 and District Attorney Bryan Goertz (512) 581-7125 and sign this petition to call for Rodney Reed’s freedom.

See also:

• CBS News: Will SCOTUS hear Rodney Reed’s case?
• Innocence Project fears Texas may execute Rodney Reed, an innocent person
• Justice for Rodney Reed: Millions Urge Texas to Halt Execution Amid New Evidence of His Innocence

Service of Remembrance and Lament remembers enslaved Africans brought to Old Point Comfort 400 years ago

As part of its bold pledge to A.C.T. Now! (Awaken, Confront, Transform) to End Racism, the National Council of Churches (NCC) and representatives of its 38 member communions gathered at Old Point Comfort near Hampton, Virginia to remember the “20 and odd” enslaved Africans brought there over 400 years ago.  More than 250 leaders came to lament and remember the enslaved Africans brought to this place 400 years ago, marking the beginning of institutionalized slavery in what would become the United States of America. 

“With the cries of our enslaved ancestors, ringing in our ears, we are called to this place, which has been made sacred by their blood and their tears,” said Bishop W. Darin Moore, Chair of the NCC board, as he opened the ceremony. “We are called to lament; we are called to repent. We are called to restore justice; we are called to worship.”

Many of us here have benefited greatly from the terrible events that transpired right here 400 years ago. We have much work to do to end racism in this country, but we’re dedicated to it.”

Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary

The site of Old Point Comfort came to prominence this year as the nation marked 400 years since enslaved Africans, first captured by Portuguese and Imbangala forces from the kingdom of Ndongo, in West Central Africa, arrived aboard the White Lion in 1619 after being taken from a Spanish slave ship.  Colonial officials traded these persons for food, valuing white lives above black lives, beginning the horrific legacy of race-based bondage that has defined the American experience ever since.

“It is the motivation that inspires us to a duty to be here at this site where no fewer than 20 African men and women were introduced to North America as slaves four centuries ago,” remarked Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Senior Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. “It is the reason we aspire to God’s perfect preferred future in which racism doesn’t have one.”

The National Council of Churches came together to lament and remember, to acknowledge the unique role white churches played in slavery, but also to recognize the Black Church’s formation out of the suffering of slavery and to strategize about what churches can do now to end racism. 

NCC General Secretary and President Jim Winkler said, “We’ve trod a long and bitter road. We know the road ahead will have bumps and detours, but we have to stay on it because at the end of that journey is God’s preferred future. Many of us here have benefited greatly from the terrible events that transpired right here 400 years ago.” Winkler proclaimed, “We have much work to do to end racism in this country, but we’re dedicated to it.”

“Racism insinuated itself into the very core of modernity, but we are here to say, human beings are not for sale,” remarked Dr. Agnes Aboum, Moderator of the World Council of Churches. “As a church, as self-proclaimed Christians, we must seek repentance for our complicity.  God’s preferred future is one that reminds us that we are all made, as humankind, in the image of God.”

The gathered crowd processed along the shores that first saw the first enslaved Africans’ arrival. They stopped to reflect upon the “20 and odd” with prayers, placing gladiolus flowers symbolizing remembrance at the site’s historical marker, and pouring libations in their memory.  

The procession gathered at one of the ancient trees at the site and placed Black-eyed Susan flowers as a call for justice.

This powerful witness of Christian repentance and solidarity began a day that included the acclaimed author and speaker Ibram X. Kendi, writer of “How to be an Antiracist,” and culminated in a service of commitment. More than 250 national and international Christian leaders came together on this special “Day of Remembrance,” part of the NCC’s strategic focus on ending racism. The goal of the initiative is for churches to A.C.T. Now! To End Racism: Awaken to the many manifestations of white supremacy and racism especially in the church, to Confront the need for change, and to work to Transform church and society into a reflection of the inclusive and equitable reign of God.

WASHINGTON: Today, top faith leaders gathered in Washington, DC, to declare their opposition to war in Iran.  For weeks, the Trump Administration has been making provocative moves upsetting the balance that has been in place since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the “Iran Nuclear Deal,” was put in place in July 2015.  

The United States pulled out of this agreement in May of 2018, setting in motion what many fear is a march toward war.  Iran shot down a surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz on June 20; earlier, the US had moved the USS Abraham Lincoln, with its 70 attack aircraft, into the Persian Gulf.

“Nearly all of our national leaders profess to come from the Abrahamic faiths, noted Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. “Have they so profoundly separated their faith in God? Are they so devoted to war and violence that they cannot imagine another way? Are they so addicted to dominance and the myth of redemptive violence and that they cannot follow the path of love and peace?”

Rev. Jim Wallis, Founder and President of Sojourners, spoke strongly: “It’s time to restore diplomacy between Iran and the US. A war with Iran would cost the world enormously in human lives, money, stability; a war with Iran would be disastrous and indefensible.”

A statement, released today and signed by over 200 faith leaders including Jim Winkler (National Council of Churches), Bishop W. Darin Moore (AME Zion Mid-Atlantic District), Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins (Christian Church – Disciples of Christ), Diane Randall (Friends Committee on National Legislation), and Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson (Presbyterian Church USA) reads:

With tensions rising over attacks on chemical tankers, the shooting down of an unmanned U.S. surveillance drone, and threatened retaliatory air strikes, urgent action is needed now, particularly in the context of an unraveling Iran nuclear deal from which the U.S. irresponsibly withdrew.

While we agree that Iran should repudiate terrorism and not resume uranium enrichment, we stand as religious leaders to say that war is not the answer with Iran and is unjustifiable on moral and religious grounds. Such war would likely have disastrous human and environmental consequences, would be strategically unnecessary, and would lead to regional destabilization, increased terrorism, and unsustainable financial burdens.

“Consider the recent wars since the start of the war in Iraq, over 15 years, the cost of the Middle East war has been over $6 trillion. Think of that,” said Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Skinner Leadership Institute. “Think of the schools, think of the hospitals, think of all of the job training, think of the rebuilding of our own nation.”

“17 years ago this summer, I was among the first religious leaders to issue a public statement urging us not to invade Iraq,” said Winkler. “And now, many of the very same people who are, in my view, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis, and the spending of trillions of our dollars on a war of folly, wish to repeat the same mistake.”

The full statement released today may be read here.

The National Council of Churches is pleased to announce the hiring of Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.  Copeland-Tune begins this newly created position on June 10th. She brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the Council.

One of America’s notable ecumenical leaders, Copeland-Tune is a tireless advocate for justice. Ordained into the Gospel ministry nearly 20 years ago, Copeland-Tune has worked for a number of faith-based organizations. She comes to the NCC after having served as the director of the Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice, a national conference that brings 1,000 faith advocates from across the country to the nation’s capital each year, and as Minister of Congregational Life for Clifton Park Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Md. She is also an associate minister of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.

In the 2000s, Rev. Dr. Copeland-Tune was the NCC’s Assistant Director for Justice and Advocacy. In that role, she staffed NCC’s Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.  She distinguished herself in 2018 serving as the Director of Mobilization for the NCC’s “A.C.T. Now to End Racism” events. In the fall of 2018, she was given the President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership at the NCC’s Christian Unity Gathering.

Dr. Copeland-Tune has held numerous other positions of importance in the ecumenical movement including that of director for the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative, an anti-poverty ministry which adds a prophetic voice and collective action to the fight to end poverty. She has also been a consultant for the Conference of National Black Churches and Faith in Public Life, a DC-based advocacy group.  She is also actively involved with Grace and Race Ministries and the One America Movement, organizations that are working toward racial understanding and reconciliation.

“We are very fortunate to have  Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland Tune join our staff,” said Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. “Leslie is one of the most effective ecumenists in our circles. She comes to this role with the right set of expertise and experiences.”

As Chief Operating Officer, she will assume many key roles within the organization to carry out the management, strategic and administrative functions of the Council, including developing, implementing and administering the operational aspects of the office, serving as Human Resources Director, and playing a vital role in advancing the NCC’s racial justice efforts.   

She will provide leadership to the NCC strategic planning process and lead the implementation of the annual Christian Unity Gathering.  She will also serve as a liaison to NCC partners and will work with NCC President/General Secretary on programmatic strategies and challenges.

“I am excited about returning to the National Council of Churches in this new role as Chief Operating Officer. NCC’s history of faithful public witness and fostering theological understanding and ecumenical relationships across a wide spectrum of Christian denominations is unmatched,” said Dr. Copeland-Tune. “I look forward to lending my gifts, skills and expertise to continue this great legacy and to help strengthen and advance NCC’s role as the leader in ecumenical witness and as a voice for peace and justice in our nation and around the world,” said Dr. Copeland-Tune of her new position.

Rev. Dr. Copeland-Tune was born and raised in Mt. Vernon, New York. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland with a concentration in marketing, and a Master of Theological Studies from Duke University. She also has a doctorate in metro-urban ministry from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Brunswick, New Jersey and studied at Oxford University in their Summer Theology Programme.