Anglican Bishops Want Christians to Apologize to Muslims for Iraq

(CNSNews.com) - Church of England bishops are calling for Christian leaders to apologize publicly, at a gathering attended by senior Muslims, for the war in Iraq.

Acknowledging that the British government is unlikely to apologize for the "gravely mistaken" war, the bishops suggest that churches should do so by making a "public act of institutional repentance."

They are not calling for a troop withdrawal now, however, saying the troops should remain until there is a secure Iraqi regime in place.

In a 101-page document released Monday, a working group of four bishops examines ways in which the church -- England's officially established church and the "mother" body of the world's Anglicans -- can play a part in combating the threat of terrorism.

"We believe that the churches have an important role to play, not simply in urging the importance and applicability of Christian principles, but in a proper awareness of the role of religion, for good as well as ill, and initiatives it might take towards reconciliation between adversaries."

While criticizing Western democracy as "deeply flawed," the bishops appeal for greater "understanding" of what motivates terrorists, and say efforts must be made to address their "long-standing grievances."

The war on Iraq, they say, appeared to have been executed "as much for reasons of American national interest as it was for the well-being of the Iraqi people."

And looking beyond Iraq, the bishops also argue for a more flexible approach by the U.S. and European Union over Iran's nuclear program.

In a preface, one of the four authors, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries, writes that for many people in the world today, "It is not terrorism, but American foreign policy and what they perceive as American expansionism which constitutes the major threat to peace."

Like all major powers in history, he says, America seeks to expand economic, political and military influence.

"What distinguishes it from many other empires in history is its strong sense of moral righteousness. In this there is both sincere conviction and dangerous illusion," Harries says.

"This sense of moral righteousness is fed by the major influence of the 'Christian Right' on present United States policy."

Church of England bishops opposed the campaign launched in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein and the decision by Prime Minister Tony Blair's government to participate.

Back in August 2002, Harries wrote in a published article that a war against Iraq would not be a "just" one, and appealed on behalf of the United Nations. "However imperfect the U.N. may be, it is a crucial sign that we are groping our way towards a truly international authority," he said at the time.

In a BBC radio interview this week, Harries was asked about the reference to the war having been waged for "American national interest."

He replied: "It is very well known that a group of neo-conservative politicians in Washington had got their sights on Iraq for many years before the actual war as a way of stabilizing oil supplies in the Middle East."

Harries said the report was not anti-American.

"We're critical of aspects of America, but we're not totally anti-American."

The church's latest intervention will likely exacerbate an existing rift between the Church of England and the Blair government.

Although there was no early political reaction to the report, it has drawn some commentary.

The Daily Telegraph in a leader article said that as Muslims were not likely to read the bishops' full report, they will be left with whatever impression would be conveyed by the suggested public apology.

"The impression given to the Islamic world by such an act, or even its proposal, is that the bishops of England had confirmed that the war against Iraq was a Christian crusade against Muslims," it warned.

"The inflammatory consequences of reinforcing the erroneous notion of a war against Islam could be far more horrific than anything yet seen, even in Iraq."

A columnist in The Times derided the bishops' report as the latest example of "regular outpourings of Western self-hatred and the appeasement of tyrants from the Church of England."

"What distinguishes America is that when it fights it does so not to impose tyranny but to promote freedom and the stable democracy of which the bishops are so contemptuous," wrote Stephen Pollard.

"Without America sending its sons to fight for liberty, we would be speaking German."

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