We have reported before about the conference on "Theology, International Law, and Torture," which took place at Princeton Seminary on January 13-15, 2006.  [Just scroll down for our earlier reports.]

The conference is still making waves, and here’s an update.

The conference approved the formation of a National Religious Campaign Against Torture. We encourage you to endorse their declaration, and, if possible, to contribute financially to the campaign.

You can read a report from PBS on the conference.

Read a report of the conference by George Hunsinger, organizer of the event.

Hunsinger comments:

I believe, as you do, that the voice of religious concern can make a difference in bringing about a total ban against existing U.S. policies that permit or authorize torture.

Our groundbreaking effort brings together in a common campaign not only Catholics, Protestants and Jews, but with them also Muslims, and among the Protestants, Evangelicals. I believe that this represents an unprecedented level of religious cooperation.

Please spread the word through your networks!

National Religious Campaign Against Torture
c/o PAEF
40 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542

[1-14-06 - updated 1-26-06]

Torture Is A Moral Issue
A Statement of the National Religious Campaign against Torture

Furthermore, in a related development, for the first time in our nation's history, legislation has now been signed into law that effectively permits evidence obtained by torture to be used in a court of law. The military tribunals that are trying some terrorist suspects are now expressly permitted to consider information obtained under coercive interrogation techniques, including degrading and inhumane techniques and torture.

Abdullahi Amhed An-Na'im, Emory Law School
Fr. William Byron, Loyola College in Maryland
Tony Campolo, Eastern Baptist University
Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB
Fr. Drew Christiansen, SJ, editor, America magazine
Richard Cizek, vice president, National Association of Evangelicals
William Sloane Coffin, Jr., senior minister, Riverside Church (NYC) (ret.)
Robert Edgar, general secretary, National Council of the Churches of Christ
Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Morei Derekh Training Program
Mohamed Elsanousi, Islamic Society of North America
Rabbi Edward Feld, Jewish Theological Seminary
Barbara Green, director, Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Pax Christi
Stanley Hauerwas, Duke University
Fr. David Hollenbach, SJ, director, Center for Human Rights and International           Justice, Boston College
Sr. Dianna Ortiz, director, Torture and Survivors Support Coalition International
Peter Paris, Princeton Theological Seminary
Rabbi David Saperstein, director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Hozan Alan Senauke, Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Ron Sider, president, Evangelicals for Social Action
John Thomas, president, United Church of Christ
Glen Stassen, Fuller Theological Seminary
Tarunjit Singh, secretary general, World Sikh Council
Kathryn Tanner, University of Chicago
Rick Ufford-Chase, moderator, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Joe Volk, executive secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Rabbi Brian Walt, executive director, Rabbis for Human Rights
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, Shalom Institute
Jim Wallis, Sojourners
Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale Universty
Coordinator: George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary
 

Carol Wickersham reports on the rich diversity of "an amazing coalition"
[1-23-06]

Carol Wickersham, who initiated the No2Torture group within the Presbyterian Church, offers this report on the conference held January 13-15, 2006, at Princeton Seminary 

Dear Friends,

It been almost a week since I returned from the conference on "International Law, Theology and Torture" held at Princeton Seminary. This conference was first envisioned by George Hunsinger and organized by an amazing coalition. I have been eager to share a bit of the richness with all of you, but the fact that classes started at Beloit College (and the unfortunate fact that Wisconsin does not observe MKL Day) slowed me down.

The conference was almost overwhelming in its diversity; Islamic, Jewish, Unitarian and Christian leaders and scholars, as well as experts in international and constitutional law, retired military leaders and national staff from NGO's, most notably Amnesty International and Human Rights First. Not surprisingly, people came at the issue from many angles, as one speaker said, "from the deep richness of our traditions" to make connections with one another about this issue that is at the heart of our humanity. At the end of this note I post the statement that comes out of this conference which is still in the process of being signed by many, many religious leaders including Rick Ufford-Chase.

Often the words were not easy to hear. Sr. Dianna Ortiz, torture survivor and organizer of TASSC (Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition) set the tone, reminding us what is at stake. Some of the presentations were quite technical reminding us of the political, legal, historical and theological complexities involved, yet clarity was never sacrificed.

I have one full legal pad of notes, so obviously I am not going to do justice to the conference, but I want to lift up three things that deeply impressed me and trust that others will add their insights to my limited ones.

First, I was not only gratified by the interfaith diversity, but maybe even more by the diversity of the Christian presenters. Not just the usual suspects! There were prominent speakers from Catholic, mainline Protestant, Evangelical and historic Peace Churches. At a time when the media portrays us as deeply divided, I was heartened by a unity that was more than show.

Second, I was disturbed and shaken again and again as speakers pointed out the patterns that show torture as one horrific symptom of a deeper malaise. In particular, authors Mark Danner (Torture and Truth...) and William Cavanaugh (Torture and Eucharist...) who unpacked the historical precedents. Fortunately, there is a plan to publish the proceeds of the conference, since I cannot do them justice.

One last note: I was honored to be able to present our efforts with No2Torture as one to begin to organize on this issue at the grassroots. My remarks (which are really your efforts) were very well received. And so, I thank you and I will share my reflections once I have a chance to work them up from my outline.

There will be lots to do in the days ahead, but I have a sense that we are moving forward on all fronts. Again, I ask that you share with us what is going on in your community. We gather strength from each other's stories, which bear witness to the story of the One who was tortured yet triumphed for our sake.

Theology, International Law, and Torture:
A Conference on Human Rights and Religious Commitment

January 13-15, 2006
Princeton Theological Seminary Campus

[posted 12-12-05]

Convener:
• Dr. George Hunsinger

Presented by:
• Church Folks for a Better America (Princeton)
• Human Rights First (NYC)
• The Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy (Washington DC)
• Peace Action Education Fund (Princeton, NJ)

Registration Form

Name:___________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________
City:____________________________________________________
State: _________________________________ Zip: _____________
Telephone:_______________________________________________
Email:___________________________________________________

All Panels and Plenary sessions are open to the public, free of charge.

Registration is required for those who require housing and meals.
The registration fee for the conference is $25

The registration deadline is January 6, 2006.

For information about Housing and Meals, please contact:
Dan Thompson
609-924-5022
dthompson@peacecoalition.org
FAX: 609-924-3052

SEND REGISTRATION FORM AND PAYMENT FOR HOUSING AND MEALS TO:

Peace Action Education Fund
c/o Dan Thompson
40 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542-0803
Make checks payable to: Peace Action Education Fund.
Telephone: 609-924-5022Online Registration: www.peacecoalition.org

All sessions, unless otherwise indicated, will be held on the seminary
campus in Stuart Hall, Room 6.

All meals will be served in the Mackay Campus Center.

Speakers
Mark Danner
Longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and Professor of Journalism at University of California at Berkeley and Bard College. He is the author of Torture and Truth, one of the most thoroughly documented exposes on torture by the US.

Sister Dianna Ortiz
Torture survivor, Executive Director of Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition
International (TASSC) and a policy analyst of Foreign Policy in Focus. She is the author of
Blindfold's Eyes.

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im
A Muslim originally from the Sudan, distinguished Professor of Law at Emory University. He is the author of Towards an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights and International Law.

Father Drew Christiansen, SJ
Editor of America magazine and longtime advisor on Middle East affairs to the US Catholic Bishops. He is co-author of Forgiveness in International Politics.

George Hunsinger
McCord Professor of Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. He coordinated an Open
Letter on torture to Alberto Gonzales at the time of his confirmation as Attorney General of the U.S. signed by over 225 prominent religious leaders. He is the convener of this conference.

Admiral John Hutson
Dean and President of Franklin Pierce Law Center in New Hampshire and former chief Judge Advocate General of the US Navy. He testified before the US Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General of the U.S.

Deborah Pearlstein
Director of the US Law and Security Program, Human Rights First and a former clerk for Justice
Stevens of the US Supreme Court. She is a regular columnist for the American Prospect magazine.

Glen Stassen
Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary, former professor at Southern Baptist
Seminary, author of Just Peacemaking and many other books.
And others from fields of theology, law, government, and the military.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (possibly subject to minor changes)
Friday, January 13
Panel: Law, Morality and Torture. 1:00-3:00pm.
Panel: Government and Military Issues 3:30-5:00
Plenary Address. 7:30-9:30pm.
Mark Danner, author of Torture and Truth

Saturday, January 14
Panel: Theology, Ethics and Human Rights. 8:30-10:00am.
Plenary. 10:30-Noon
Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, Emory Law
Plenary. 3:30-5:00pm.
William T. Cavanaugh, author of Torture and Eucharist
Video.
"Weapons of the Spirit" 7:30-9pm
The story of Le Chambon.
Eerdman Hall

Sunday, January 15
Panel: Inter-Religious Concerns 10:00-11:30pm

Conference will introduce curriculum material on issue of torture from Christian perspective   [12-14-05]

Conference convener George Hunsinger has sent this added information:

Dear Friend,

As you know, the issue of torture has grabbed the headlines. The U.S. Senate, by a 90 to 7 vote, last month agreed to support Senator McCain’s amendment prohibiting the U.S. government from using inhumane treatment and torture against prisoners. Because people of faith believe that human beings are created in the image of God, the use of torture has become an urgent concern for many in the faith community.

You are invited to attend the conference “Theology, International Law and Torture” which will be held at Princeton Theological Seminary on January 13-15, 2006. Speakers include: Mark Danner, Sr. Dianna Ortiz, Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, Fr. Drew Christiansen, George Hunsinger, Glen Stassen, and Deborah Pearlstein. The registration fee is $25.00. Housing and meals are additional. Full details and online registration are at:  http://www.peacecoalition.org/projects/churchfolks/

During the conference on Saturday afternoon, January 14, a curriculum for Christian congregations on the issue of torture through the eyes of Christian faith will be presented. Members of the Princeton Seminary faculty and other experienced curriculum writers have developed it. During the presentation, we will have the opportunity to discuss ways to promote the curriculum with congregations.

Simultaneously, Muslim and Jewish strategy papers will be presented by faith leaders from those traditions for people organizing in those faith communities.

A group of national faith leaders have been discussing the possibility of creating a National Religious Campaign Against Torture. They will present their suggestions during the Princeton conference and will also offer a common statement for you to consider endorsing. 

We very much hope you can join us in Princeton, January 13-15.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. George Hunsinger            

Professor of Theology                                    

Princeton Theological Seminary             

Rev. Robert Moore

Executive Director

Peace Action Education Fund (PAEF) -Princeton