News

Faith leaders encourage building bridges of friendship and solidarity

July 12, 2005

Muslim and Christian leaders are encouraging differing faith communities in towns and cities across the UK to gather together publicly to observe the two minutes' silence at noon on Thursday 14 July, one week on from the terrorist atrocities which have left more than 50 dead and 700 injured.

Faith leaders in London will observe together the vigil, to symbolize that all faiths condemn this kind of attack. Local leaders of mosques, churches, temples and gurdwaras are being called on to arrange similar vigils in their own neighbourhoods and those in London to also support the vigil to be held at 6pm on Thursday 14 July in Trafalgar Square.

Faith community leaders have condemned the attacks in the strongest possible terms. In a statement jointly issued  on the day of the bombing, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and The Muslim Council of Britain expressed deepest sympathy to those who had suffered and their families and said:

'No good purpose can be achieved by such an indiscriminate and cruel use of terror. These attacks strengthen our determination to live together in peace, and to grow together in mutual understanding.

'The scriptures and the traditions of both the Muslim and Christian communities repudiate the use of such violence.  Religious precepts cannot be used to justify such crimes, which are completely contrary to our teaching and practice.'