A Public Witness for Peace Following the U.S. and Israeli Strikes in Iran

Methodist Federation for Social Action grieves the devastating loss of life following the recent military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel in Iran, as well as the retaliatory violence that has followed. Civilians—children, families, workers, and elders—are again paying the highest price for decisions made by governments and militaries. Every life lost is sacred, and every act of war deepens the suffering of people who did not choose this conflict.

As a movement rooted in the Gospel’s call to justice, MFSA rejects the logic that violence will create peace. The teachings of Jesus point us in another direction—toward courage, mercy, and the hard work of peacemaking. War does not liberate people from oppression, nor does it bring lasting security. It multiplies trauma, destabilizes communities, and endangers countless lives across the region and beyond.

We are also deeply concerned by the continued pattern of military escalation without meaningful democratic accountability. Decisions that risk widening war must not bypass the moral and constitutional responsibility to seek diplomacy, public deliberation, and nonviolent resolution. Members of Congress themselves have acknowledged that there was no evidence of an imminent threat to the United States that would justify such attacks. A war of choice that bypasses democratic accountability violates the spirit of our Constitution, undermines international law, and endangers both civilians and those serving in the armed forces.

Scripture reminds us that the power of weapons cannot save us. “Kings aren’t saved by the strength of their armies; warriors aren’t rescued by how much power they have.” (Psalm 33:16 CEB). Again and again, the biblical witness warns against placing our trust in military might rather than in justice and righteousness. The Methodist tradition echoes this conviction in John Wesley’s simple but profound rule for Christian life: Do no harm. When nations choose violence over diplomacy, it is civilians who suffer the deepest harm.

As justice-seeking United Methodists, we believe faith requires more than lament—it calls us to witness. In this moment, we name a simple truth: the lives of Iranian civilians, Israeli civilians, Palestinians, U.S. service members, and all people in the region are equally precious in the eyes of God. No nation’s security can be built upon the destruction of another people.

MFSA calls on people of faith and conscience to resist the normalization of endless war. We urge our elected leaders to pursue immediate de-escalation, to prioritize diplomacy, and to work with the international community toward a just peace rooted in human dignity and accountability.

We invite United Methodists and all people of conscience to raise their voices for peace. Contact your Senators and Representatives (call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121) and urge them to support efforts that prevent further escalation, restore Congress’s constitutional responsibility over decisions of war, and to not direct anymore funds toward this illegal war. You can also use this link to the Action Alert from Church and Society to contact congress. Our leaders must choose diplomacy, accountability, and the protection of human life over another widening conflict.

We also encourage our communities to bear public witness. Gather for prayer, hold vigils, organize conversations in your churches, and stand alongside movements working for peace and human dignity. In moments like this, silence can allow violence to become normalized.

Let us be a plumbline in this moment—measuring our response not by fear or retaliation, but by justice, mercy, and the sacred worth of every life. And let us continue the long work of building a world where peace is not an afterthought, but the foundation of our common life.