Faith Groups Deeply Concerned About Nuclear Weapons

“We reiterate our shared stance that nuclear weapons are incompatible with the values upheld by our respective faith traditions. We advocate for the right of people to live in security and dignity; we believe in the commands of conscience and justice; we seek to honor our duty to protect the vulnerable and to exercise the stewardship that will safeguard the planet for present and future generations.”

So reads the statement “Faith Communities Concerned about the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons” which calls on faith groups to speak out against nuclear weapons. The statement was presented on May 3 at the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference which was held in Vienna on May 2-12.

It was drafted by a coalition of faith groups; with Soka Gakkai International, the World Council of Churches (WCC), Pax Christi International, and PAX (Netherlands) taking the lead. The statement was delivered by Kimiaki Kawai, Director of Peace and Human Rights at SGI – an organization which has collaborated with faith groups previously to issue interfaith statements that highlight the moral and ethical dimensions of nuclear weapons. The full statement can be read here.