News Release Contact: Bryan Zises or Marilyn Katz 312-822-0505 
bezises@mkcpr.com<br>

<h2>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</h2>

<h1>Chicago's Prominent Religious Leaders to Sign Statement Against War With Iraq</h1>

The Council of Religious Leaders represents nearly four million  people
across the Chicago area
<p>
December 1, 2002, CHICAGO - In an unprecedented action, the Council  of
Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, which is comprised of  chief
leaders of Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Protestant, Eastern and  Oriental
Orthodox, Jewish and Islamic communions, today made public a  letter to
President Bush opposing the war with Iraq.  More than  thirty members of
the Council, which represents nearly four million  people, signed the
letter.  
<p>
Reverend Paul Rutgers, the Executive Director of the Council of 
Religious Leaders, says that the Council felt compelled to take  action
in the face of what it perceives to be a hasty and hopefully 
unnecessary war.  "The focus of the Council is primarily on local 
Chicago matters, but in this instance our members uniformly believe 
that our obligation as religious leaders required us to speak out 
against this war."  
<p>
Bishop William Persell, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago  and
current President of the Council, read the letter, stating, "We  believe
that there is ample time and latitude for pursing  alternatives that
could avert warfare, saving untold thousands of  lives." 
<p>
Rabbi Ira Youdovin head of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, also quoted 
from the letter.  "We still lack compelling evidence that Iraq is 
planning to launch an attack.  Nor have diplomatic pathways been 
exhausted." 
<p>
Bishop C. Joseph Sprague of the United Methodist Church said "The 
world's only superpower must strive to be a nation that promotes  peace
with justice."  President Bush must "lead the world in a new 
commitment, which will offer long-term stability in the Middle East  and
around the globe," he said.
<p>
Many other religious leaders spoke on behalf of their memberships, 
urging President Bush to avoid "a costly, dangerous and destructive 
war."  They also drew attention to America's responsibility to  provide
guidance and material assistance essential to overcoming  economic and
social conditions.  "The world's only military  superpower must strive
to be a nation that promotes peace with  justice."  
<p>
The full text of the letter to President Bush is as follows: 

<h1>COUNCIL OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO OPEN LETTER TO
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ON IRAQ</h1>

December 1, 2002
<p>
President George W. Bush The White House Washington, D.C. 
<p>
Dear Mr. President:
<p>
We are sending you this letter on behalf of the Council of Religious 
Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago.  The Council is composed of chief 
leaders of the Greater Chicago area's Roman Catholic, Episcopal, 
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Islamic 
communions and institutions.  The churches, synagogues and mosques 
represented around our table embrace nearly four million men, women  and
children.  Our seminaries prepare clergy and lay teachers for  service
in the Greater Chicago area, and throughout the world.  The  Council
embraces a broad diversity of theological, ideological and  political
orientations.  It is a microcosm of American religion as it  exists in a
great city that lies in the American heartland.
<p>
In years past, the Council has frequently been unable to find  consensus
on the role of military action as an instrument of peace.   Some of our
constituent institutions supported Operation Desert  Storm; others did
not.  Some endorsed the use of force in  Afghanistan; others urged
alternative means to combat terrorism.   Once again, we are confronted
by the possibility of our nation going  to war, and once again we find
ourselves seeking to discern the will  of God in this most grave of
matters.
<p>
Some members of our Council hold to the faithful judgment that war in 
its very nature is an affront to God and can never  be justified.   Some
believe that war can be justified, but only under the most rigid  of
conditions.  Among them are members who are convinced that the  despotic
regime that governs Iraq has offered sufficient grounds for  military
action against it.  However, it is the judgment of the  Council that in
the present situation conditions justifying war have  not been met.
<p>
We still lack compelling evidence that Iraq is planning to launch an 
attack.  Nor have diplomatic pathways been exhausted.  We believe  that
there is ample time and latitude for pursuing alternatives that  could
avert warfare, saving untold thousands of lives.
<p>
Moreover, a singular focus on war draws attention from America's 
responsibility to provide guidance and material assistance essential  to
overcoming economic and social conditions that destroy human  dignity. 
The world's only military superpower must strive to be a  nation that
promotes peace with justice.  We ask you to lead our  nation and the
nations of the world in a new commitment which will  offer long-term
stability in the Middle East and around the globe.
<p>
We commend you for bringing the issue of Iraq to the United Nations  and
for your assurances that war can be averted and remains among the  last
options our nation might elect.  We urge you to continue working  with
our allies and other nations to achieve greater security in the  region
while avoiding, if at all possible, a costly, dangerous and  destructive
war.
<p>
We join you in praying for the peace of America, and for world peace.
<p>
Respectfully yours, for the Council of Religious Leaders of 
Metropolitan Chicago
<p>
Bishop William Persell, President of the Council, Presiding Bishop, 
Episcopal Diocese of Chicago
<p>
The Rev. Paul H. Rutgers, Executive Director, Council of Religious 
Leaders, Executive Presbyter Emeritus, Presbytery of Chicago
<p>
And also signed by the following members of the Council as of December
1, 2002
<ul>
<li>
  The Rev. Dr. Thomas Baima, Provost, University of St. Mary of the Lake
<li>
The Rev. Claude Christopher, Presiding Elder, AME Zion Church
<li>
The Rev. Dr. David Coleman, Jr., Presiding Elder, Southern District 
Chicago Conference, African Methodist Episcopal Church
<li>
The Rev. Stanley Davis, Executive Director, Chicago Chapter, National 
Conference for Community and Justice
<li>
Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus, President, Chicago Board of Rabbis, Rabbi of  B'nai
Yehuda Beth Shalom
<li>
The Rev. Dr. Jane Fisler-Hoffman, Conference Minister, Illinois 
Conference, United Church of Christ
<li>
His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop, Catholic 
Archdiocese of Chicago
<li>
Dr. Asid Husain, Council of Islamic Organizations of Great Chicago
<li>
His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos, Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago
<li>
The Rev. Deacon Aren Jebejian, St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian 
Orthodox Church
<li>
The Very Rev. Demetri Kantzavelos, Chancellor, Greek Orthodox Diocese 
of Chicago
<li>
Dr. Mohammed Amin Kholwadia, Council of Islamic Organizations of 
Greater Chicago
<li>
Bishop Paul R. Landahl, Presiding Bishop, Metropolitan Synod, 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
<li>
The Most Rev. Timothy Lyne, Auxiliary Bishop, Catholic Archdiocese of 
Chicago
<li>
Bishop Cody V. Marshall, Church of God in Christ
<li>
Sister Joan McGuire, Ecumenical Officer, Catholic Archdiocese of 
Chicago
<li>
The Rev. Dr. Robert Reynolds, Executive Presbyter, Presbytery of 
Chicago
<li>
Rabbi Herman Schaalman, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanuel
<li>
The Rev. Dr. Donald Senior, C.P., President, Chicago Theological Union
<li>
Bishop C. Joseph Sprague, Presiding Bishop, Illinois Conference,  United
Methodist Church
<li>
The Rev. Dr. Leonard Thompson, Sr., Conference Minister, American 
Baptist Churches of Metropolitan Chicago
<li>
The Rev. Dr. Larry K. Ulrich, Church of the Brethren
<li>
His Eminence Archbishop Vsevolod, Western Eparchy, Ukrainian Orthodox 
Church, U.S.A.
<li>
Rabbi Ira Youdovin, Executive Vice-President, Chicago Board of Rabbis
</ul>