Iraq Action Group Report: Can I get a witness??

by Hal Hayek

As part of our ongoing support for the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq St. Anne’s in Winston-Salem, NC reads the names of the service personnel who have died in the previous week. A little over a month ago the local paper did a story on faith communities who are incorporating the names as part of their weekly worship. It is an act of witness to the actual cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and joins our prayers with those who are grieving. I was away at the time the editor was writing the story, but one of our faithful and peace loving members took the interview. Linda recounted that during the interview the reporter asked if she knew of other communities who were also reading the names. She mentioned two and that others were printing the names in their bulletins. For some reason simply printing the names was not sufficient for his work and he added a comment that he did not want to give the pro war readers ammunition for criticism. When Linda asked what “giving them ammunition” meant he responded that many found reading the names to be a political act, and that did not belong in church.

Now I grew up with the notion that there are certain acts that a Christian does and that these acts are done without reserve. One of those actions is known as burying the dead. No matter what a person’s politics, economics, or social strata you were obligated out of respect to honor her life and see to a fitting burial. It seems that death as the great equalizer of all things was the chance for the body of Christ to come around and exercise one last time the symbols of our unity through Jesus life, death, resurrection and giving of the Spirit. It was our chance to bear witness to that great revelation that we are all children of God and beloved.

Now here is my problem. If we compelled to uphold the dignity of all people and to strive for justice and peace in the baptismal covenant, how can praying for the dead be outside of the work of the church? How can it be called a political act that we need to avoid? Is there some manner by which the American service personnel, Iraqi military personnel, police and civilians are excluded from the all in our covenant? Can I get a witness? Is there anyone one else who understands the problem that I see in this dichotomy? Justice for all but don’t talk about what that might look like!

While the political world seeks a resolution and the military runs another surge effort there are people who are dying, they are the real cost of the war. Theirs is the blood that has been shed by the choice to use violence. We are unable to discuss the politics of the Iraq war without holding in front of us the names and faces of those who have died, lest we forget and their death is in vain. Then we have walked away from the Gospel and the Church fails to be faithful. I am convinced that we are compelled by faith to witness to their lives and call for a quick and just resolution of the war. Can I get a witness to stand for those who have died? Can I get a witness to the political leadership that children are being orphaned and widows are too many in our towns, USA and Iraq? Can I get a witness for sacrifice to be made by all of us and not by soldiers and Iraqis alone?
Ask yourself a few questions: How has this war touched my life? How have I worked to give a witness to end this war before the 5th anniversary? What am I willing to do to work for justice and peace?

Now read on and see what is available and how you, even alone, can make a difference. For remember our work shares in the work of Jesus as he told us the kingdom of God has come near.

Hal Hayek, Rector, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Winston Salem, NC and Co-convener of the EPF Iraq Action Group. Join the Iraq Action Group by contacting Hal at hthstannesws@bellsouth.net or Co-convener Madeleine Beard at beardmcd@aol.com.

To receive the names of the American Soldiers killed each week and the number of Iraqi civilians killed, write to epfsaraf@ameritech.net or call the EPF office as she sends them out each Wednesday.