10 Jul 2005 - UK faith leaders condemn attacks
UK religious leaders have issued a rare joint statement condemning Thursday's "evil terrorist" attacks in London. Figureheads from the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths each read out parts of the statement.
"It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject," said Sheikh Dr Zaki Badawi, of the Council of Mosques and Imams.
Earlier, Pope Benedict VXI spoke of his "profound sadness" at the "repugnant terrorist actions".
'Unjustifiable'
Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks said the leaders had come together to commemorate the end of World War II and the "courage, commitment and sacrifice by which the evil of Nazism was resisted and ultimately overcome 60 years ago".
"We stand together now for a further purpose: to express our shared commitment to resisting and overcoming the evil of terrorism," said Sheikh Dr Badawi. "It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject."
They were joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Free Churches Moderator Dr David Coffey at Lambeth Palace in London.
It is the third time the religious leaders have shown such a united front. They condemned the 11 September 2001 attacks and in 2003, they expressed their shared concerns over the war in Iraq.
Earlier, at a service to commemorate the end, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, condemned the "spirit of murder and humiliation" in which the attacks were carried out.
'Shining light'
In the Vatican City, Benedict XVI called on the faithful to pray for the attackers and told the bombers to "stop in the name of God".
His comments, during the traditional Sunday blessing in St Peter's Square, came as prayers for the 49 killed and 700 injured were said across the UK.
The Pope said: "To those who foment feelings of hatred and to those who carry out such repugnant terrorist actions, I say to you: 'God loves life, which he created, not death. Stop in the name of God'."
A few hours after the attacks he had sent a telegram to the Archbishop of Westminster, offering his condolences to those affected.
At a service at St Martin in the Fields, the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres said the bombs were a "darkness" into which emergency services and ordinary Londoners cast a "shining light".
Bishop Chartres said the presence of Christians, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs at the service was "a sign of our unity in mourning and our resolve not to be set against one another".
Rabbi Mark Solomon sang a Jewish prayer for the dead as a memorial candle was lit for victims of the blasts and Dr Fatma Amer of the Muslim Council of Britain read a prayer.
Religious unity
In London hundreds of people attended a memorial service was also held at St Pancras Parish Church, close to King's Cross where at least 21 people died, and the Tavistock Square bus bomb.
The service was led by Father Paul Hawkins, who said: "This will only make us more determined to live in peace and respect each other and we can all play our part in that."
It was to be followed by a Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral and prayers at St Paul's.
On Friday, a number of faith leaders met Home Secretary Charles Clarke at the Home Office to discuss the attacks.
After the meeting, Mr Clarke said: "The power of their statements is to state that faith is important in our society and that all faiths have respect for other faiths, and that by working together we can address the problems of society in an effective way."
Story from BBC NEWS
The full statement reads:
As religious leaders from several different faiths we came together this morning to pay tribute to the courage, commitment and sacrifice by which the evil of Nazism was resisted and ultimately overcome sixty years ago.
We stand together now for a further purpose: to express our shared commitment to resisting and overcoming the evil of terrorism, which the events of recent days here in London have brought home to us afresh and with such devastating clarity. It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject.
Our hearts go out to those who grieve, those who mourn, and those who wait. We pray for them and with them. We remember the dead, the injured and the missing, as well as all those working to save life and restore health.
We want to signal the common ground on which we stand as faith leaders, and to reaffirm the values we uphold at this time of sorrow and pain. It is vital, when many will be feeling anger, bewilderment and loss, to strengthen those things we hold in common and to resist all that seeks to drive us apart. Central to what we share as people of faith is a belief in God's compassionate love for us. It is a love that compels us to cherish not to disfigure our common humanity.
We commend and embrace the continuing efforts to build a Britain in which different communities - including faith communities - can flourish side by side on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. We pledge ourselves to remain true to this goal in word and deed and to work together to make of it an enduring reality. As we do so, we draw hope and comfort from the certainty that in seeking to overcome our own brokenness we will be working with the pattern of God's design for all his children and for the whole human family.
"It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject," said Sheikh Dr Zaki Badawi, of the Council of Mosques and Imams.
Earlier, Pope Benedict VXI spoke of his "profound sadness" at the "repugnant terrorist actions".
'Unjustifiable'
Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks said the leaders had come together to commemorate the end of World War II and the "courage, commitment and sacrifice by which the evil of Nazism was resisted and ultimately overcome 60 years ago".
"We stand together now for a further purpose: to express our shared commitment to resisting and overcoming the evil of terrorism," said Sheikh Dr Badawi. "It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject."
They were joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Free Churches Moderator Dr David Coffey at Lambeth Palace in London.
It is the third time the religious leaders have shown such a united front. They condemned the 11 September 2001 attacks and in 2003, they expressed their shared concerns over the war in Iraq.
Earlier, at a service to commemorate the end, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, condemned the "spirit of murder and humiliation" in which the attacks were carried out.
'Shining light'
In the Vatican City, Benedict XVI called on the faithful to pray for the attackers and told the bombers to "stop in the name of God".
His comments, during the traditional Sunday blessing in St Peter's Square, came as prayers for the 49 killed and 700 injured were said across the UK.
The Pope said: "To those who foment feelings of hatred and to those who carry out such repugnant terrorist actions, I say to you: 'God loves life, which he created, not death. Stop in the name of God'."
A few hours after the attacks he had sent a telegram to the Archbishop of Westminster, offering his condolences to those affected.
At a service at St Martin in the Fields, the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres said the bombs were a "darkness" into which emergency services and ordinary Londoners cast a "shining light".
Bishop Chartres said the presence of Christians, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs at the service was "a sign of our unity in mourning and our resolve not to be set against one another".
Rabbi Mark Solomon sang a Jewish prayer for the dead as a memorial candle was lit for victims of the blasts and Dr Fatma Amer of the Muslim Council of Britain read a prayer.
Religious unity
In London hundreds of people attended a memorial service was also held at St Pancras Parish Church, close to King's Cross where at least 21 people died, and the Tavistock Square bus bomb.
The service was led by Father Paul Hawkins, who said: "This will only make us more determined to live in peace and respect each other and we can all play our part in that."
It was to be followed by a Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral and prayers at St Paul's.
On Friday, a number of faith leaders met Home Secretary Charles Clarke at the Home Office to discuss the attacks.
After the meeting, Mr Clarke said: "The power of their statements is to state that faith is important in our society and that all faiths have respect for other faiths, and that by working together we can address the problems of society in an effective way."
Story from BBC NEWS
The full statement reads:
As religious leaders from several different faiths we came together this morning to pay tribute to the courage, commitment and sacrifice by which the evil of Nazism was resisted and ultimately overcome sixty years ago.
We stand together now for a further purpose: to express our shared commitment to resisting and overcoming the evil of terrorism, which the events of recent days here in London have brought home to us afresh and with such devastating clarity. It is an evil that cannot be justified and that we utterly condemn and reject.
Our hearts go out to those who grieve, those who mourn, and those who wait. We pray for them and with them. We remember the dead, the injured and the missing, as well as all those working to save life and restore health.
We want to signal the common ground on which we stand as faith leaders, and to reaffirm the values we uphold at this time of sorrow and pain. It is vital, when many will be feeling anger, bewilderment and loss, to strengthen those things we hold in common and to resist all that seeks to drive us apart. Central to what we share as people of faith is a belief in God's compassionate love for us. It is a love that compels us to cherish not to disfigure our common humanity.
We commend and embrace the continuing efforts to build a Britain in which different communities - including faith communities - can flourish side by side on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. We pledge ourselves to remain true to this goal in word and deed and to work together to make of it an enduring reality. As we do so, we draw hope and comfort from the certainty that in seeking to overcome our own brokenness we will be working with the pattern of God's design for all his children and for the whole human family.