Dr Geoff Tunnicliffe, Chief Executive Officer/Secretary General of the WEA, speaking on behalf of an organisation whose constituents number 600 million Christians, declared: “No matter how much we disagree and find abhorrent the actions of Jones, responding in violence can never be justified.”
Dr Tunnicliffe is also concerned about other acts of violence that have occurred since the Qur’an burning. “We are deeply distressed by the attacks on churches in Pakistan and the aggression against Christians.”
The WEA underscores that Jones, who operates as a tiny fringe group, does not represent the teaching of Christianity and recognised Christian churches.
The WEA had already condemned the actions of those in this small group responsible for burning the Qur’an back in March and says it has since been in close contact with Muslim leaders in the US on the matter.
The global network said: “The WEA believes no book of any faith community should ever be burned or desecrated in any way. The WEA also calls upon all Christians to refrain from disrespectful and provocative activities towards all other religions.”
The World Evangelical Alliance is asking Muslim leaders to call upon their communities to end the violence. It is also urging Muslim leaders to clearly explain to their followers that the actions of this tiny extremist group who have burnt the Qur’an are absolutely condemned by Christians globally – this action does not represent the true Christian faith or the world’s two billion Christians.
The statement ends: “The WEA extends its deepest sympathy to the families of the UN workers killed in this violent attack. The WEA also calls upon its global community to pray for peace and an end to this and all violence.”
WEA is a network of churches in 128 nations that have each formed an evangelical alliance and over 100 international organisations “joining together to give a worldwide identity, voice and platform to more than 600 million evangelical Christians.”
More on the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA): http://www.worldevangelicals.org/