The Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) issued the following statement on the attack on the United Nations building in Abuja, Nigeria on August 26, 2011. The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, who represents the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at the United Nations, will communicate Reverend Parson’s statement to the United Nations community.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is deeply saddened to hear of the attack on the United Nations building in Abuja, Nigeria on August 26, 2011. We pray for healing and strength for those who were injured and for the family and friends of those who were killed.
We deplore the use of violence and call for dialogue, discussion, and diplomacy. We give thanks for United Nations personnel whose work on behalf of others provides an example of living Christ’s call to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Since before the founding of the United Nations, Presbyterian General Assemblies affirmed the need for international cooperation. Through the years, General Assemblies have continued to affirm the work of the United Nations for peace, justice, and development around the world. The 207th General Assembly (1995) expressed this clearly when it reaffirmed “the church’s historic support for the United Nations as an institution of peacemaking and peace building.”