The Senate has a moral imperative to ratify New START
New START is the successor to President Reagan’s original
START treaty, which expired in December 2009. The first START treaty was a
historic step in calling a halt to the arms race and giving the U.S. the
ability to inspect Russia’s nuclear weapons. Now, for the first time in 15
years, those weapons are going unmonitored and the danger that they could fall
into the hands of those bent on terror increases every day. New START is
essential to putting U.S. inspectors back on the ground and, according to the
Bush appointed head of the Missile Defense Agency, enhances our ability to
modernize and improve our existing weapons and missile defense systems.
The treaty has the support of virtually every living
Secretary of State and Defense, including Henry Kissinger, George Shultz,
Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, and James Baker.
No one of good will wants to see the devastation – the
loss of life, the destruction of creation, the political and economic fallout –
that would occur if a nuclear bomb were to go off on American soil or anywhere.
As Christians, we live in the tension between working toward the time in which
“nation will not take up sword against nation” and confronting the realities of
a fallen world. We wrestle with the Apostle’s conviction that the state “does
not bear the sword in vain” and our call to be peacemakers.
And though this tension can often lead us to divergent
stances on war and peace, it is a source of strength as we are able to be
neither blindly idealistic nor fatally nihilistic. From this perspective, the
measures in New START toward the containment and security of nuclear weapons are
vital to our peace and security.
We understand all too well the nature of those bent on
evil. And as a nation we cannot ignore threats to our security. This is why we
must work together with fellow nations to ensure that we minimize the threat to
life posed by nuclear weapons. Our faith teaches us that we are always stronger
when we are in relationship, that a threefold cord is not easily broken. A
strategy of strengthening relationships with nuclear states is not naïve. We
must work with those states to build trust, while having the ability to verify
the security of nuclear devices and systems.
Along with the Psalmist, we pray that God will, “deliver
us from evildoers; protect us from those who are violent.” But in addition to
prayer, we must take action to ensure the peace and security of all God’s
children. If we are to be protected from those who seek only to destroy, we
must pass New START now.
Reverend Rob Bell
Founding Pastor, Mars Hill Bible Church
Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr.
The United Methodist Church, Nevada and Northern
California
Reverend Tony Campolo
Professor Emeritus, Eastern University
Dr. Paul Corts
President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Andy Crouch
Senior Editor, Christianity Today International
Reverend Dr. Rich Cizik
President, New Evangelical Project
Reverend Wes Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
Dr. David P. Gushee
Distinguished Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer
University
Reverend Joel Hunter
Senior Pastor, Northland Church
Lynne Hybels
Advocate for Global Engagement
Reverend Brian McLaren
Author, Speaker
Reverend Rich Nathan
Senior Pastor, Vineyard Church of Columbus
David Neff
Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today
Reverend Ron Sider
President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Chaplain (Colonel) Paul Vicalvi
Executive Director, National Association of Evangelical
Chaplains Commission
Reverend Jim Wallis
Founder and President, Sojourners
Reverend Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President, Disciples of Christ
Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster
The United Methodist Church, Washington, D.C.
President, The Council of Bishops
Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker
Florida Area of the United Methodist Church
Rt. Rev. William E. Swing
Former Episcopal Bishop of California
Bishop (Retired) Kenneth L. Carder
Professor, Duke Divinity School
Reverend Jim Winkler
General Secretary, United Methodist General Board of
Church & Society
Rt. Reverend Dan Edwards
10th Episcopal Bishop of Nevada
Reverend Tyler Wigg-Stevenson
Director, Two Futures Project
Reverend Dr. Randall Balmer
Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Reverend Jen Butler
Executive Director, Faith in Public Life
Peter Greer
President, Hope International
Noel Castellanos
CEO, Christian Community Development Association
Reverend Eugene Cho
Lead Pastor, Quest Church
Dr. David Dault
Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies, Christian
Brothers University
Reverend Camille D. Pentsil
Senior Pastor, Zion United Methodist Church
Vice President, Las Vegas Valley Interfaith Sponsoring
Committee
Reverend Kelcey A. West
Founder, Nehemiah Ministries Christian Church, Las Vegas,
NV
Dr. Welton T. Smith
Senior Pastor, Greater Evergreen Baptist Church, Las
Vegas, NV
Reverend Dr. Ian Doescher
Pastor, Calvary Presbyterian Church
Ryan Fasani
Executive Director, East Nashville Cooperative Ministry
Deborah Fikes
Executive Advisor, World Evangelical Alliance
Timothy W. Floyd
Director, Law and Public Service Program
Reverend Adam Hamilton
Senior Pastor, UMC Church of the Resurrection
Reverend Greg Harris
President, Apostolic Initiative
Dr. Rick Hendrix
Christian Music Executive, Tennessee
Brent Hutchinson
Community Life Pastor, Rolling Hills Community Church
Dr. Douglas Johnston
President, International Center for Religion and Diplomacy
David Jones
President, Strive
Reverend Richard L. Killmer
Executive Director, National Religious Campaign Against
Torture
Reverend Dixon Kinser
Associate Rector, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church
Reverend Jennifer Kottler
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Sojourners
Reverend John B. Lindner
Director of External Relations, Yale Divinity School
Greg H Parsons
Global Director, U.S. Center for World Missions
Reverend Alan Sherouse
Pastor, Metro Baptist Church
Reverend Steven D. Martin
Executive Director, New Evangelical Project
Father Thomas Reese
Georgetown University
Melissa Rogers
Director, Center for Religion of Public Affairs, Wake
Forrest University
Eric Sapp
Executive Director, American Values Network
Dr. Glen Stassen
Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics
Burns Strider
President, American Values Network
Dr. Noah Toly
Dir of Urban Studies and Asst Professor for Politics and
Intern’l Relations, Wheaton College
Reverend Corey J. Widmer
Associate Pastor, Third Presbyterian Church
Co-Pastor, East End Fellowship
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