Russia must immediately stop the invasion of Ukraine!
War is a crime against humanity that indiscriminately kills life!
Stop the war and make peace!
On February 24, Russia launched missile attacks and air strikes in key regions of Ukraine and simultaneously crossed the border and invaded Ukraine from various angles. Russia’s military attack is not only a preemptive strike in violation of the UN Charter and international law, but also a war crime that destroys the foundations of world peace and democracy. Currently, the Russian attack has killed many soldiers, as well as 516 civilians (including 37 children) and 2.16 million refugees (as of March 8). We urge Russia to immediately stop its military strikes and withdraw from Ukraine so that no more innocent lives are sacrificed.
As Christians, we oppose and reject war, a crime against humanity. We confess that Jesus Christ is the one who came as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7) to this land where conflict and war are not ending. We believe that Jews and Greeks, male and female, are all one (Galatians 5:27) in Jesus Christ who broke down the barriers in the middle and carried the cross of reconciliation (Ephesians 2:14-16). We believe that we should live as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:18), imitating Jesus Christ, the ultimate source of peace. We pledged to practice the love of Jesus Christ, who first responds to the suffering of the little ones (Matthew 25:40) who needed a bowl of water, a piece of bread, and a pair of clothes, to the refugees in Ukraine whose survival is at stake now. Accordingly, we earnestly pray for peace in Ukraine and declare that we will stand in solidarity in rejecting war crimes that destroy peace. We support the efforts of the international community to deter armed forces and find a peaceful solution and urge the parties (Russia and Ukraine) and relevant international organizations such as the United Nations and the European Security Cooperation Agency to negotiate a peaceful resolution of the problem through practical negotiations.
As global citizens, we declare that we will take the lead in stopping wars and establishing peace by gathering our earnest aspirations for peace. A war of aggression that destroys innocent lives and world peace cannot be justified. Acts of war crimes must pay a price. We declare that we will pray for the lives and peace of Ukrainian citizens, will stand in solidarity with peace-loving citizens of the world until Russia ceases war, and will resist war crimes until they cease to exist. We pray that the kingdom of God (Isaiah 2:4) will come to this earth soon, where swords are made into plowshares, spears are made into pruning hooks, and swords are not used again in warfare (Isaiah 2:4).
March 11, 2022
All members of the Korean Association of Christian Studies
The Korean Society of Old Testament Studies / New Testament Society of Korea
Church History Society in Korea / Korean Society of Systematic Theology
The Korean Association for Christian Ethics / The Korean Society for Practical Theology
The Korean Society of Christian Religious Education / Korean Association of Feminist Theology
The Korean Society of Mission Studies / Church Music Research Society of Korea
The Korean Society for Pastoral Care and Counseling / The Society for Korean Cultural Theology
Korea Academy of Christian Social Welfare / Korean Academy of Christianity and Liberal Arts