The CPCE member churches pray for the victims of the war, the resolution states. At the same time, they seek to encourage their governments to do everything within their power to help end the war and to take committed action to protect human rights, particularly freedom of religion, as well as to protect minorities in the region.
“Where reconciliation seems impossible, the local churches work tirelessly for peace and against forgetting,” said CPCE President Gottfried Locher. “As the churches of Europe, let us raise our voice together to call attention to this situation and to emphatically remind our decision-makers of their responsibility.” “
In its resolution, the General Assembly of 94 churches from over 30 countries in Europe and South America, which gathers from September 13 to 18, 2018, in Basel, calls upon its member churches to further strengthen partnership and aid programs in the region: This Christian testimony should be recognized and taken seriously. Specifically, support activities in cooperation with the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches FMEEC and its churches, other local churches and networks should be planned and implemented. Examples include collecting Europe-wide offerings, realizing delegation visits or establishing connections with Syria church networks.
The resolution was created because the churches realized that the suffering of the people in the region simply does not end and that the consequences are receiving less and less attention. At the same time, for the past years, the local churches set “an impressive example of courage, resilience, solidarity and care for the victims, especially refugees and children.”
Back in 2012, the CPCE General Assembly in Florence had welcomed the Secretary General of the FMEEC and empathized with the woeful situation of Christians in that region, particularly concerning the question of legal certainty for minorities.