SYRIA 

2nd December 2015

Action of Churches Together in Scotland is Scotland's national ecumenical instrument. As such, it does not have policies independent of its members. Founded in 1990, ACTS is a joint initiative of the Church of Scotland, Congregational Federation, Methodist Church, Religious Society of Friends, Roman Catholic Church, Salvation Army, Scottish Episcopal Church, United Free Church of Scotland and United Reformed Church.

Statements from ACTS member churches in advance of the debate in the House of Commons on 2nd December 2015:

Statement from the Church of Scotland:
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news_and_events/news/recent/church_warns_against_folly_of_air_strikes_on_syria

Joint statement from the Church of Scotland, United Reformed Church, Methodist Church in Britain and Baptist Union of Great Britain*:
http://www.urc.org.uk/media-news/1842-statement-on-syria.html

Statement from the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church:
http://www.scotland.anglican.org/involved-bombing-syria/

Statement from the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers):
http://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-say-no-to-military-action-in-syria

Statement from His Grace the Most Reverend Philip Tartaglia, Archbishop of Glasgow (Roman Catholic Church):
"In times of crisis such as this, the voice of the Church should be heard to call above all for justice, peace and negotiation as the preferred means of ending conflict. However, the decision to escalate military action against IS in Syria is rightly and lawfully the responsibility of parliament and government. The Church prays that the decision which is reached today will be guided by expert knowledge, prudence, proportionality, the will to peace, the protection of innocent civilians and the determination not to make a bad situation worse. May God have mercy on us."

ENDS

* Note: The Baptist Union of Great Britain is not a member of ACTS