7.11 7.12 7.13 Human rights must be protected for all humankind. A commitment to life's sacredness and to human rights is a seamless garment. It cannot be torn anywhere without compromising its integrity everywhere. Therefore: (a) We renounce the use of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment by any branch of our government (or any other government) even in the current circumstance of a war between the United States and various radical terrorist groups. (b) We call for the extension of basic human rights and procedural protections to all persons held in United States custody now or in the future, wherever and by whomever they are held. (c) We call for every agency of the United States government to join with the United States military and to state publicly its commitment to the terms of the Geneva Conventions related to the treatment of prisoners, especially Common Article 3. (d) We call for the legislative or judicial reversal of those executive and legislative provisions that violate the moral and legal standards articulated in this declaration. We make these renunciations and calls for action as Christians and as U.S. citizens. Undoubtedly there are occasions where the demands of Christian discipleship and American citizenship conflict. This is not one of them. Returning to the absolute commitment to human rights outlined here is right in terms of Christian convictions and right in terms of the interests of our nation. We commend these moral commitments to our fellow believers, and our fellow citizens, for such a time as this. Signatories of AN EVANGELICAL DECLARATION AGAINST TORTURE: Leith Anderson President, National Association of Evangelicals* Robert C. Andringa, Ph.D. President Emeritus, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities The Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer Professor of American Religious History, W. Todd Bassett Executive Director, NAE Shane Bertou President, Ardent Faith Community Paul Bramer Professor of Christian Formation, North Park Theological Seminary David C. Brown Chairman of the Board, Evangelical Child and Family Agency Malcolm Brubaker Professor of Bible, Valley Forge Christian College David B. Capes Chair, Department of Christianity, Houston Baptist University Dr. G. William Carlson Professor of History and Political Science, Bethel University Jeff Carr Chief Operating Officer, Sojourners/Call to Renewal Joe Carson President, Affiliation of Christian Engineers Rich Cizik Vice President for Governmental Affairs, NAE Joseph L. Cumming Director, Reconciliation Program, Yale Center for Faith and Culture Dr. Alan S. Cureton President, Northwestern College & Radio Paul de Vries, Ph. D. President, New York Divinity School Henry Earle Director-The Temple Initiative, Cleveland County Health Education Steven Edmonds Chaplain/Director of Pastoral Care, Harvey A. Elder, M. D. Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine Kimberly Ervin Alexander Asst. Professor of Historical Theology, Carl H. Esbeck R.B. Price Professorship and Isabelle Wade & Paul C. Lyda Professor of Law, University of Missouri-Columbia Becky Garrison Senior Contributing Editor, The Wittenburg Door, New York, NY Christopher Gehrz Assistant Professor of History, Bethel University Aaron Graham Senior Pastor, Quincy Street Missional Church, Boston, MA Diane Grant Spiritual Director, Evangelical Covenant Church, Concord, CA David Gushee Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University Chuck Gutenson Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology, Asbury Theological Seminary Jim Hancock Author, The Justice Mission Jerry S. Herbert Director, American Studies Program/Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Roberta Hestenes Minister-at-large, World Vision Kenneth W. Hicks Bishop, retired, United Methodist Church Rev. John C. Holmes, Ed. D. Director of Government Affairs, Association of Christian Schools International Ken Hunn Executive Director, The Brethren Church George Hunsinger McCord Professor of Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary Joel Hunter Senior Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida Daniel Hutt Pastor, Palo Alto Christian Reformed Church Cheryl Bridges Johns Professor of Discipleship and Christian Formation, Church of God Theological Seminary Brad J. Kallenberg Associate Professor of Theology, University of Dayton Brian Kaylor Communications Specialist, Baptist General Convention of Missouri Rev. Brian Kluth Senior Pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs and Founder of www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org Sammy T. Mah Ron Mahurin Vice President of Professional Development and Research, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Jason Martin Pastor, Hickory Grove Baptist Church (SBC), Trenton, TN Chuck Marvin Executive Director for the NAE Chaplains Commission and Ecclesiastical Chaplain Endorser, NAE Steve McGlamery Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Hawkinsville, GA Brian McLaren Founder, Cedar Ridge Community Church, Rev. Dr. Raymond Moreland Maryland Bible Society Stephen Charles Mott Retired, Southern New England Annual Conference, United Methodist Church David Neff Editor, Christianity Today Carey C. Newman, Ph. D. Director, Baylor University Press Brian F. O'Connell President, REACT Services, Mill Creek, WA Richard V. Pierard Stephen Phillips Professor of History, Gordon College Christine Pohl Professor, Asbury Theological Seminary |