WCC NEWS: Sorrow over church bombings in Pakistan

Sorrow over church bombings in Pakistan

23 September 2013

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed “heart-felt sorrow” at the heavy loss of life from the bombings at the All Saints Church in Peshawar calling it a “single worst loss of life among Christians in Pakistan”.

On Sunday, 22 September around 80 worshippers were killed at the All Saints Church, as a result of suicide bomb attacks, according to the recent media reports.

Tveit said that this is a “deliberate targeting of a vulnerable Christian community”.

“It has deeply saddened us to receive the news of this terrible attack,” he added.

In his message, Tveit expressed sympathies for the bereaved, offering prayers for the injured and those who have lost their lives in the attack.

Speaking on churches’ efforts for protection of minorities, Tveit mentioned a recent WCC consultation on “politicization of religion and rights of religious minorities”, where a Pakistani speaker shared about the on-going difficulties of the Christian community.

Affirming the WCC’s commitment to work for the wellbeing of the Christian community in Pakistan, Tveit called for an “end to the wanton violence” and asked the “government of Pakistan to protect all of its citizens from those who are bent on dividing the country and causing suffering to the innocent.”

Read full text of the WCC general secretary’s letter

Consultation brings rights of religious minorities into focus (WCC news release of 19 September 2013)

WCC member churches in Pakistan

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, by the end of 2012 the WCC had 345 member churches representing more than 500 million Christians from Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other traditions in over 110 countries. The WCC works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway.

Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press
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