The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Social Justice and International Policy presented its Report #19 on Resolution D019 (Justice and Peace in Ukraine) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D019)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 81st General Convention condemns the war crimes committed in Ukraine as a result of the Russian Federation’s invasion, contrary to international law, and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention condemns Russia’s deliberate targeting of civilian targets, documented by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (OHCHR), most notably committed in Bucha; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention urges all Churches in Russia, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, to condemn these war crimes as inconsistent with our shared faith, and to call for peace and accountability; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention calls for the Russian Federation to end its attacks in Ukraine, and for a just peace to be negotiated respecting all of Ukraine’s territory as recognized by international law; and be it further

Resolved, That this Convention urges all parties to respect and fully cooperate with any relevant investigations by International Bodies such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice to ensure that all those who commit war crimes are held to account for their actions

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That the 81st General Convention condemns condemn the war crimes committed in Ukraine as a result of the Russian Federation’s invasion, contrary to international law, and be it further

Resolved, That this the 81st General Convention condemns condemn Russia’s deliberate targeting of civilian targets, documented by the Center for Civil Liberties and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (OHCHR), most notably committed in Bucha (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) in Ukraine, both of which have been monitoring war crimes and human rights atrocities since 2014; and be it further

Resolved, That this the 81st General Convention urges urge all Churches religious organizations in Russia, especially the Russian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, to condemn these war crimes as inconsistent with our shared faith, and to call for peace and accountability; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention lament the loss of civilian lives and of state, religious, and private property in Ukraine, suffered by people of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other faiths since 2014, and especially since February 2022; and be it further

Resolved, That this the 81st General Convention calls call for the Russian Federation to end its attacks in Ukraine, and for a just peace to be negotiated respecting all of Ukraine’s pre-2014 territory as recognized by international law; and be it further

Resolved, That this the 81st General Convention urges urge all parties to respect and fully cooperate with any relevant investigations by International Bodies such as the International Criminal Court and the UN International Court of Justice to ensure that all those who command and commit war crimes are held to account for their actions; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention affirm Resolution 2022-B008 — "Call for the Cessation of Conflict in Ukraine" — and the Executive Council's memorial MB014 — "Resolution on War in Ukraine" — as well as the World Council of Churches' April 18, 2024 statement against the World Russian People's Council's March 27 decree, "The Present and Future of the Russian World," which declared Russia's presence in Ukraine a "holy war"; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention affirm the work of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in his ongoing calls for support to Ukraine and his statement that the invasion of Ukraine is an "unjust, unjustifiable attack on a neighbor"; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention, aware that Russia has killed and injured thousands of civilians and has forced the displacement of multiple millions of people, support increased humanitarian aid from the US Congress and other government agencies for Ukraine; and support the work of the Office of Government Relations in their ongoing conversations with national leaders in support of such aid, as well as in their annual interfaith prayer vigils for the people of Ukraine.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #49)