Archbishop Thabo Makgoba calls for peace in the Middle East during Cape Town service

In the wake of massive military assaults launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, senior Anglican leadership has issued a desperate appeal for peace, with Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba declaring that "Men of violence have nailed diplomacy into a coffin."

Makgoba made the stark assessment on March 1, at a service for the Lay Ministers of the Diocese of Cape Town, as reports emerged of widespread attacks across Iran, including the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a tragic strike on a girls' primary school in Minab, Iraq, killing over 100 people.

Archbishop Makgoba’s address centered on a powerful pastoral letter from his close friend, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, which he shared with his congregation.

In his letter, Archbishop Naoum painted a grim picture of rapid escalation following the coordinated military assault on February 28. "Tragically, the cycle of violence has expanded with terrifying speed," he wrote, noting the immediate and widespread reprisal from Iran targeting Israel and U.S. military assets across the Gulf region.

The sudden outbreak of combat has pushed the entire region to the brink: "Suddenly, our people from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf find themselves once again huddled in shelters, fearing for their lives as the shadow of a total regional war looms over us."

The conflict, centered on the region covered by his province, affects all his people directly. "Every single nation now engaged in this combat, and those bearing the brunt of the retaliatory strikes, resides within our ecclesiastical boundaries," Archbishop Naoum stated, pointing out the simultaneous terror being endured by members in Iran, Cyprus & the Gulf, and the Diocese of Jerusalem (extending across Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria).

An Urgent Call to Be 'Bridge Builders'

In the face of this overwhelming force, Archbishop Naoum rallied the global Church to action, invoking the words of Christ: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

He issued a three-part call to the global Christian community:

• Urgent, Unceasing Prayer: An imploration for God to protect the innocent and to grant a "sound mind" to the leaders of the United States, Israel, and Iran, "that they might recognise the futility of this bloodshed and turn back from the precipice of a global catastrophe."
• Sanctuary of Christian Love: A directive to clergy and laity to be "beacons of comfort," anchored in the promise of Christ’s peace rather than the "strength of armadas or missile shields."
• Remain 'Bridge Builders': The Church must "keep the doors of reconciliation open," refusing to succumb to rhetoric that divides people. "We refuse to see our neighbors as enemies, whether they be in Tehran, Tel Aviv, or the military bases of the Gulf."

The Archbishop in Jerusalem ended his appeal with a defiant note of hope: "We remain 'battered and bruised, but not defeated."

Pursuing Sustainable Peace

Back in South Africa, Archbishop Makgoba underscored the need to move beyond simple condemnation. “In the light of this, we have to call for a de-escalation of the conflict, but just as importantly, we must ask, what does it mean in practical terms to pursue Jesus's exhortation, 'Blessed are the peace makers’,” he said.

“What does a sustainable peace mean, because anything short of this should be repudiated?”

 A prayer for the region

 “Loving God, Prince of Peace, we pray today for our sisters and brothers across the Middle East; Look with mercy upon those who fear the terror of bombs from the sky, Protect the innocent caught in the crossfire... Defeat the schemes of men of violence; and Strengthen the hands of those who even now work for peace... Restore their human dignity, and give them lasting peace. Amen.”

Weekend Argus