The National Council of Churches mourns for those who died in recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, and Lahore, Pakistan and prays for those who are recovering from injuries. We condemn all acts of violence that intentionally target innocent people. We view these incidents as attacks on individual human lives, communities, people of faith, and on civilization itself, abhor this cowardly violence, and call for its end.
We are shocked the attack in Lahore was carried out on the holiest day of the Christian calendar. We mourn also for victims of attacks, seemingly too frequent to count, in Turkey, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Honduras. Although media attention tends to focus on terrorism in Western European countries, God is the God of all. God cares for all, grieves with all, and desires justice and love above all.
The terrorist organizations that carry out such acts must be brought to justice through a coordinated, international police and intelligence effort. The vast majority of people of faith oppose terrorism carried out in the name of religion for it is antithetical to the tenets of our faiths. We stand with those of all faiths who seek justice and peace and an end to terrorism and the killing of innocents.