A Statement by Texas Religious Leaders Endorsing the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

As the people of God living in the state of Texas, we believe human life to be sacred and the earth beloved; and we stand witness to the triumph of life over death; love over hatred; and hope over fear.

Humanity has lived in the shadow of nuclear weapons for sixty years too long. The danger of nuclear weapons has grown recently due to the risk of terrorists acquiring such weapons, the spread of weapons capability to North Korea and beyond, and efforts in the United States to develop new nuclear weapons and lower the threshold of nuclear use.

As religious leaders, we cast a cold eye on the history of nuclear weapons, and see with utter clarity the indiscriminate destructive power and resulting legacy of terror.  Our country cannot rightly seek to halt the spread of nuclear weapons while at the same time developing new weapons capabilities of our own.

For too long, we have stood by silently observing citizens who have been gripped by a kind of fatalism, unable to believe eliminating nuclear weapons is possible.  We, as people of God, vow no longer to remain silent and to stand with scientists and military leaders who believe eliminating nuclear weapons will make our country and the world a safer place.

NOW, AS RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN TEXAS, we call upon our Congressional delegates to lead the way for the global abolition of nuclear weapons by championing a plan for locking down, reducing, and eliminating nuclear weapons in a step-by-step process that includes ever increasing verifications. Until this plan is developed and implemented, we will continue to work with all people of goodwill to ensure there will be no new nuclear weapons, and no chance that a nuclear weapon can come into the hands of anyone wishing harm to another.

SIGNED

Bishop James M. Stanton
Episcopal Bishop of Dallas

Bishop Kevin Kanouse
North TX/North LA Synod, Evangelical Lutheran `Church in America (ELCA)

Bishop Ray Tiemann
Southwestern TX Synod, ELCA

Bishop Paul Blom
TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA

Metropolitan Isaiah
Greek Orthodox, Denver Metropolis

Rev. Dr. George Bithos, Greek Orthodox
Executive Director, Texas Conference of Churches

Rev. Dr. Richard Schempp
Presbyterian Church (USA), Palo Duro

Bishop Charles Grahmann
Roman Catholic, Dallas

Bishop Raymond Pena
Roman Catholic, Brownsville Diocese

Bishop Michael Pfeifer
Roman Catholic, San Angelo Diocese

Bishop Ben Chamness
United Methodist, Central Texas

Bishop Max Whitfield
United Methodist, New Mexico/Northwest TX

Bishop Alfred L. Norris
United Methodist, North Texas

Bishop Joel Martinez
United Methodist Church, Southwest Texas

John Coffin
Clerk, Religious Society of Friends