United for Peace & Justice : Faith-Based Organizing

Clergy and Laity Concerned About Iraq

In partnership with United for Peace and Justice, Clergy and Laity Concerned About Iraq is an interfaith coalition of religious leaders, faith communities, institutions, organizations, and lay leaders committed to peace and justice.

Take Action: Sign The Declaration of Peace

The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish a comprehensive plan for peace in Iraq by September 21st, 2006, the International Day of Peace, calling for:

"A prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases;
A peace process for security, reconstruction, and reconciliation; And
The shift of funding for war to meeting human needs."

As a signatory of The Declaration of Peace pledge, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq is committed to take action if a plan for peace is not created and put into action by Congress by September 21st. We will support the Declaration of Peace week of actions in Washington, D.C. and across the US from September 21st-28th "by taking part in nonviolent action, marches, rallies, demonstrations, interfaith services, candlelight vigils and other creative ways to declare peace at the US Capitol and in cities and towns across the US".

On Tuesday September 26th, The Declaration of Peace is holding an interfaith witness at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. We urge you to stand up with other people of faith by signing the Declaration pledge and taking part in the interfaith witness. For more information, visit The Declaration of Peace official website, e-mail info@declarationofpeace.org, or call (773)-777-7858.

Letter to U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John R. Bolton

On July 21st, in the pouring rain, CALC-I delivered a letter to the NY office of Ambassador John Bolton calling on him and the United Nations to hold an emergency international peace conference to bring an end to the conflicts in the Middle East. Click here to read the letter and view the signatories.

Report on April 29-May 1^st

The weekend of April 29th - May 1st marked a historic turning point in the peace and immigrant rights movements. CALC-I national Steering Committee members, CALC-I affiliates and peoples of all faiths gathered in New York City for moving interfaith services and nonviolent civil disobedience actions. Click here to read National Coordinator Rev. Sekou's report on the April 29th - May 1st March for Peace, Justice, and Democracy weekend.

Marching to the White House are National Steering Committee Members of Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq including: Rev. Dr. Rita Nagashima Brock (co-director, Faith Voices for the Common Good), El Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid (Imam, Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood), Rev. Jamie Washam (Pastor, Underwood Baptist Church), Dr. Cornel West (Honorary National Co-Chair, CALC-I), Rabbi Arthur Waskow (Director, The Shalom Center), Rev. Dr. Walter Wink (Professor Emeritus, Auburn Theological Seminary), Rev. Amy Stapleton (National Organizer, Methodist Federation for Social Action) and Father G. Simon Harak (Anti-Militarism Coordinator, War Resisters League)

Clergy and Laity Concerned About Iraq (CALC-I) was born out of the desire of United for Peace and Justice to engage the faith community in the work of peace and justice.While there have been a number of pre-war activities rooted in the faith communities, there was a seemingly complicit silence among religious leaders as the war continued into its second year.Dr. Cornel West,Dr. Susannah Heschel, and Rev. Dr. William Sloane Coffin serve as honorary co-chairs of the national steering committee.In partnership with United for Peace and Justice, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq is an interfaith coalition of religious leaders, faith communities, institutions, organizations, and lay leaders committed to peace and justice. Our urgent and pressing aim is to end both the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq. We believe that diverse faiths of the world ultimately seek mutual cooperation and respect for human life; hence, we believe the disgraceful engagement currently being pursued in Iraq cuts against a commitment to mutual cooperation and respect for all human life, and so we work for a new policy by the U.S. government. We embrace non-violent forms of righteous indignation and call upon people of faith to honor the sacredness of all life and to highlight the immoral character of the war in Iraq. Finally we offer a vision of the world that seeks international cooperation, social peace, and economic justice.

During the second anniversary of the war and occupation of Iraq, CALC-I held it founding gathering at the historic RiversideChurch.Over 700 people attended and keynote addresses were given by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dr. Susannah Heschel and Rev. Jim Wallis.In early April, CALC-I participated in the Freedom and Faith Tour in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in partnership with 20 religious organization (e.g. Clergy and Laity Network and Faith Voices for the Common Good);In late April, CALC-Iissued letter condemning the 82 Billion dollar appropriation for the continued war and occupation in Iraq.The letter was signed by over 300 religious leaders and was circulated among progressive members of Congress.

CALC-I helped to coordinate hearings on the Peace Tax Fund Bill in the New York City Council and in Congress in May and June.(See www.peacetaxfund.org.) CALC-I participated in the second leg of the Freedom and Faith Tour, which went to six cities and five states in three days.(Cindy Sheehan was a part of that tour.)During the fall mobilization ofUnited for Peace and Justice, CALC-I coordinated the Interfaith Tent Revival and assisted in the coordination of nonviolent direct action at the White House.Over 50 religious leaders where arrested as a part of the civil resistance on September 26.

CALC-I has initiated the Future of the Faith Project, which will call together 40 religious leaders under 40 to work on peace and justice issues around the country.

The CALC-I national Steering Committee held its national organizing conference in Washington, D.C. on April 2nd-4th 2006, which will ended with a civil disobedience at the White House.