Churches respond to vote for military action in Syria

Churches in Britain have spoken out following the House of Commons vote to take military action in Syria.

The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Church in Britain have made a call for peace following the vote: ‘We join with people of all faiths, as we pray for Syria following last night’s decision that the UK will proceed with air strikes on ISIS/Daesh. Every death is tragic and we grieve for those who have been killed and those who will die as an escalation of military action as a result of the continuing conflict.’

The Quakers in Britain say that they deplore the vote to authorise air strikes in Syria. Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain said: ‘Bombing is no solution. Quakers work faithfully for peace, not war, respecting the value of all human life and we deplore a decision which will lead to lives being lost.’ See the Quakers in Britain website.

The Revd John Proctor, United Reformed Church (URC) general secretary, responded with a statement saying ‘We can and we will pray, for peace, and for the people who live with war, in Syria and in many other parts of the world.

‘We shall remember those people we know who serve with the UK’s armed forces, who bear much of the anxiety and burden of this decision.’

See the United Reformed Church website for the full statement.

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has published a Middle East Analysis podcast by Dr Harry Hagopian to discuss the implications of the vote and what this could mean to Syria and its people as well as for UK citizens back home.

We have also listed Church responses prior to the vote on military action in Syria on 2 December 2015.