By Jason Scheer
Leaders of local Presbyterian congregations are condemning threats of violence against their institutions.
An anonymous letter, postmarked in Queens, was sent to the national headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky two weeks ago. It threatened arson attacks against Presbyterian churches throughout the country in retaliation for anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes.
The Rev. Fritz Nelson, pastor of the Malverne Community Presbyterian Church, said his institution is taking the threat seriously, and is working with local agencies to ensure the safety of parishioners. Because the letter was sent from Queens, we were encouraged to take it more seriously, and we have taken all the measures you-d expect, Nelson said. We-re taking it seriously, but we-re also taking it in perspective. The vast majority of these threats are never acted out.
The Rev. James Barnum, of the Bellmore Presbyterian Church, said his church is also stepping up security. I think all of our churches are trying to be a little more cautious, he said. But at the same time, we never want to hesitate to make sure people feel welcomed.
The letter was sent in response to a decision in June by the Presbyterian Church-s National General Assembly (NGA) to look into divesting itself of ownership in stocks issued by companies doing business with Israel. The decision prompted protests and vitriol from outside the church, but the letter was the first threat of violence. It gave the NGA a Nov. 15 deadline to rethink its position or else, according to the Presbyterian Church-s official American Web site. The deadline passed without any reported incidents.
I promise violence against Presbyterian Churches, said the handwritten letter, according to the Web site. They will go up in flames ... that-s a terrorist threat.
Barnum said that a lot of the anger directed toward the Presbyterian Church is the result of misinformation, and that many of the misperceptions have taken place in the media. He said that divestment is not imminent, nor would it be total. Rather, the NGA is looking into severing financial ties that are out of line with the church-s stressing of peace.
The Rev. Mark Greiner, of the First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin, also said that the position of the church has been misrepresented. The media has erroneously reported that the church has already made a decision to divest. But that simply isn-t true, he said. This summer, the Presbyterian Church voted to study phased selective divestment. We are only in a study phase. We do not have another NGA until June of 2006. We could only divest if our study leads us to do so, and then only after June 2006.
Greiner also said that a significant portion of the study is devoted to discourse with Jewish leaders around the world. We will also be in dialogue with any corporations about whom we have a concern, he said.
Greiner reiterated that divestment will not be all-encompassing, but rather highly selective. The church will not do a blanket divestment of corporations who do business with Israel, he said.
Greiner credited local police and fire officials with helping to augment safety, and said that further understanding of the church-s inner workings would help people understand its position. He explained that the Presbyterian Church works like a democracy, with local governing bodies interacting with national-level, decision-making bodies.
Nelson explained the dichotomy further. Each individual church is part of a group of churches called a Presbytery, and each Presbytery sends representatives to the NGA, a congress of representatives from all over the country.
Suggestions for change, he said, come from parishioners throughout the country. In this case, a church in St. Augustine, Fla., raised questions as to why the church was investing in companies that were not promoting peace. This concern reached the NGA, where leaders agreed to re-examine their spending policies. As Nelson put it, the decision was a chance to put our money where our mouth is.
Nothing from our standpoint has really changed, Nelson said. It-s just that the movement of money has been seen as the greater threat than the muttering of words.
Greiner said that while Presbyterians are not of one mind on the issue of divestment, the goal of peace is one roundly agreed on. The Presbyterian Church has staunchly affirmed the rights of Jewish people and resolutely supported the state of Israel, he said. At the same time, we support the rights of Palestinians. We pray for a just peace for all the peoples who live in the region, even as we grieve the terrible loss of lives there.
Greiner said that the threatening letter is just an example of the violence faced by people in a world filled with diverse religions. We are concerned about this one threat made against our church, he said. Yet, every day around the world, so many people of so many faiths are being terrorized. We see a world caught in cycles of violence. We want to work, instead, to create peace.
Jewish community responds
Local Jewish leaders also spoke out on the issue, saying they disagree with the proposed divestment, but the threat of violence is not the answer. We-re upset by this [divestment] of funds from Israel, and all the Jewish National Organizations have sat down with them to express their outrage, said Dr. Alan Lavin, president of the Long Island Board of Rabbis.
As for the threatening letter, Lavin said, I think that-s terrible. We are totally against that. That-s just sinking to the level of the terrorists.
The Manhattan-based American Jewish Committee issued a press release which echoed Lavin-s sentiments. AJC opposes the Presbyterian Church-s decision to launch a process toward divesting from companies doing business with Israel, an economic boycott step that undermines the peace process. ... However, differences are not resolved through violence.
Comments about this story? JScheer@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
