ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 25, 2003

ELCA Presiding Bishop Condemns Bombings in Istanbul, Turkey
03-218-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Calling a series of recent bombing in
Istanbul, Turkey, "vicious attacks," the presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has joined with
other religious leaders to condemn the recent bombings of two
synagogues and British interests.
     In a Nov. 24 statement, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson said the
ELCA "grieves for the bombing victims, and we express our
condolences to the families and communities which have suffered
such great losses."
     At least 57 people were killed and hundreds were injured in
the Nov. 15 bombings of two synagogues and the Nov. 20 bombings
of the British Consulate and a London-based bank, all in
Istanbul.
     "We stand united with Jews, Christians and Muslims in this
country and around the world who reject the targeting of innocent
people," Hanson said.
     "Such acts of terrorism against Jews are intolerable and
cannot be justified by extremists who distort religion for their
own ends," Hanson's statement continued.  "As people of faith we
are called to play an important role in confronting religious
intolerance, violence and hatred in all its forms.  We need to be
in dialogue with people from other religious traditions, defend
the values of our common Abrahamic heritage and strengthen our
resolve to work together for peace."
     "The ELCA has made it clear through public statements,
resolutions and letters to government officials that it deplores
all acts of violence, including suicide bombings, against
innocent civilians," said the Rev. Mark B. Brown, assistant
director, Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA).  LOGA
is the ELCA's federal public policy office in Washington, D.C.
     Hanson and his predecessors have called for an end to the
violence in the Middle East, Brown said.  They have also
encouraged the U.S. government to exert diplomatic pressure on
those countries that aid groups operating in the Middle East,
that have as their primary purpose the opposition of the
Palestinian-Israeli peace process, further destabilization of the
region or promotion of violence, Brown added.
     Hanson also serves as president of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), based in Geneva, Switzerland.  The LWF has 136
member churches in 76 countries representing 61.7 million of the
world's 65.4 million Lutherans.
-- -- --
The full text of Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's statement on the
bombings in Istanbul can be found at
http://www.elca.org/bishop/m_istanbul.html on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news