POSITION PAPER ON DISARMAMENT      “SCIENCE FOR PEACE”

Background

            In Resolution 1978-2, LSM-USA condemned the arms race and saw it to be “intolerable to a people who profess a goal of world peace.”  In that resolution, we prayed that God would “move us to action out of a strong sense of commitment and love for every one of our brothers and sisters.  We can no longer profess to embody the powerful love of Christ, and yet sit by and do nothing about a problem whose ultimate threat is to the total destruction of God’s creation” in this world.

            The World Council of Churches in conference this summer at M.I.T., unanimously passed a Resolution on Disarmament entitled “Science for Peace”.  In light of legislation adopted by LSM-USA in past years, it is appropriate that we unite with the World Council of Churches Manifesto and accept it as our own position on this issue.

Recommendations

            That LSM-USA accept the World Council of Churches resolution on disarmament, “Science for Peace”, as its position on the issue of disarmament and encourage all its members to prayerfully consider the Manifesto’s content.

Reference

Plenary Document #29

World Council of Churches

Conference on Faith, Science, and the Future

M.I.T. Cambridge, MA

July, 1979

Submitted by

New England LSM

84 The Fenway #14

Boston, MA 02115

Note from LSM-USA staff:

            At the national assembly, the people of LSM-USA adopted this position paper on Disarmament which affirms the principles of the Manifesto to “Serve Life Not Death”.  The Manifesto was a rough draft submitted to the World Council of Churches conference at MIT in July, 1979.  The Manifesto was discussed in plenary, revised, and finally adopted as the World Council’s resolution on disarmament, “Science for Peace”.  The enclosed document, “Science for Peace”, provides LSMers with the adopted version of “Serve Life Not Death”.  There are no major substantive changes from the original Manifesto.  The addition of a theological understanding and the change in title constitute the major differences.  The World Council of Churches resolution on disarmament, “Science for Peace”, is reprinted here with their permission.