Whilst the Stop the War Coalition and its supporters attempt to continue their demonstration in Trafalgar Square today, with a march towards the Houses of Parliament, on the other side of the Atlantic is a rather difference form of protest: an Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq, with the following appeal:
We call on all Americans to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence.
Anglican archbishop Rowan Williams, meanwhile, is quoted by Ekklesia (who in turn are reporting on his comments to the BBC) as saying:
"we do hear talk from some quarters of action against Syria and Iran" but that "I can't understand what planet such persons are living on, when you see the conditions that are already there."Dr Williams continued: "When people talk about further destabilization of the region and you read some American political advisers speaking of action against Syria and Iran, I can only say that I regard that as criminal, ignorant and potentially murderous folly."
His fellow Anglican, archbishop Desmond Tutu, has obviously also been more outspoken than some are comfortable with. Read the news piece here ("Minnesota College Bans Nobel Laureate Tutu From Talk On Peace and Justice") about the puzzling decision to prevent him speaking at an American college ...
And whilst Iran's president Ahmadinejad was allowed to talk but not exactly warmly welcomed at another US academic institution at the end of September, he did have a rather less-widely reported encounter with a sizeable group of church-related people ... "Religious Leaders Dialogue with Iranian President Provides Glimpses of the Road Ahead", reported on the FCNL website
They conclude:
"While much of the press coverage of the president’s visit to the United States has focused on the confrontation and exchanges of angry words in other venues, in our conversation this September at the Church Center at the United Nations we had some serious discussions, we disagreed on many points, but we had a respectful dialogue. "
