26 October 2017
Churches campaign for abolition of Trident ahead of Peacemaking Sunday
- Resources for Peacemaking Sunday available
As diplomatic initiatives gather pace to build a framework for anuclear-weapon-free world, three British Churches are reiteratingtheir call for the abolition of Trident. The call comes in advanceof Peacemaking Sunday, which falls on 21 September this year.
Steve Hucklesby, speaking on behalf of Baptists Together, theMethodist Church and the United Reformed Church, said: "Trident isa product of the Cold War era and we believe that it cannot meetthe security needs of our world today. The HumanitarianConsequences Conference in Vienna in December is one of a number ofinternational initiatives that is set to change the way we thinkabout nuclear weapons. The government's proposed spending onTrident - of £100 billion over the next 30 years - is out of stepwith the developing international consensus. It's clear that theenormous sums of money earmarked for Trident would divert resourcesfrom other pressing priorities, such as addressing poverty at homeand overseas, providing affordable and energy efficient homes, andinvesting in health and education."
It's likely that Peacemaking Sunday will have a specialsignificance this year; not only because 2014 marks the centenaryof the outbreak of the First World War, but also as a result of thewars being waged across the Middle East and elsewhere in the worldtoday.
Earlier this month, senior Church leaders joined with leaders ofother faith groups for a vigil at Westminster Abbey in solidaritywith all minorities suffering in Iraq. The Methodist, Baptist andUnited Reformed Churches have issued calls to prayer relating tothe ongoing crisis in Iraq and Syria.
The Peacemaking resources prepared by the three denominationscentre on the theme 'The politics of praying for peace' and includeprayers of confession and intercession together with sermon ideas,such as 'What good does forgiveness do?'