THE WAR: Antiochian Resolution

That’s my boss, Fr John Salem, in the middle (Fathers Michael Pavez & Thomas Zain flanking).

The Antiochian Archdiocese held its biannual Clergy Symposium last week at Antiochian Village. Yours truly was excused due to 1) travel conflicts, and 2) I’m the assistant!

Rumour has it that the War in the Middle East weighed heavily on the souls at the gathering. (A resolution concerning the war follows.)

Not only that, but the war seems to have affected the thoughts, words, and emotions of us all. This is as it should be. God forbid that such a war were happening and no one cared.

But, much like election time, passions are roused and folks start emoting more than thinking. Friends go at friends, civil discourse becomes difficult … and the war rages on.

I’ve got an old friend in Syria, parishioners in Lebanon and Ramallah. They’re all Orthodox Christians. I wonder what they think of the war.

I don’t watch TV, but have they been interviewing Christians in that area (Lebanon, Syria, Palestine) and soliciting their thoughts?

While on vacation, when the war first started, I only heard voices of Jews and Muslims — and commentators that said a lot of ignorant things.

Appeal for Intervention in the Middle East

On July 20, 2006 the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America appeals to President Bush for intervention in the Crisis in Lebanon and the Middle East.

RESOLUTION

The Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba, and his diocesan bishops: His Grace Bishop ANTOUN of Miami and the Southeast, His Grace Bishop JOSEPH of Los Angeles and the West, His Grace Bishop BASIL of Wichita and Mid-America, His Grace Bishop THOMAS of Oakland and the East, His Grace Bishop MARK of Toledo and the Mid-West, His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York, along with the priests and deacons of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, who serve some one million faithful, and who are gathered at the Antiochian Village during their 14th Clergy Symposium make the following resolution:

Whereas for the past 60 years the Middle East region has been one of the most explosive areas in the world, and

Whereas all efforts in the past failed to bring a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and

Whereas the recent hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel have brought much bloodshed, death, and destruction to both Lebanon and Israel, and

Whereas the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Fouad Siniora stated recently that over 300 Lebanese have been killed and 500,000 people have become refugees in their own country, and

Whereas much destruction and devastation has occurred to the Lebanese airport, seaports, roads, bridges, and the entire infrastructure of Lebanon that we appeal to the President of the United States of America, Mr. George W. Bush, to use his good office

1) To bring immediate cessation of hostilities on both sides.

2) To help in the exchanging of prisoners of all warring parties in the region.

3) And that her Excellency, the Secretary of State, Dr. Rice, be dispatched to the region to utilize her diplomatic skills to bring about a just and lasting peace for the entire Middle East.

Source.