The policy reference committee met in full for three and a half sessions while for the remaining one and a half sessions subcommittees examined a number of issues that had been identified when the full committee had its first meeting. Identification of the issues was based on the report of the general secretary to the plenary session of the general council on August 17 1982.

Reports, statements and recommendations related to these issues are contained in this report in the chronological order in which they were discussed and approved by the full committee. They are

Apartheid (separate development)
Problems of human rights in Taiwan
Peace and justice
Against torture
The situation in Zaire.

Although a plenary debate on apartheid in the general council will be based on documentation emanating from three separate sources (section 2, the special committee on Reformed witness today, and the policy reference committee), and it is envisaged that one integrated document on the issue will be in the hands of the delegates on that occasion, it was decided that for the record the statement on apartheid by the policy reference committee should be retained in the total report of that committee.

The committee expressed its gratitude to Dr Edmond Perret for his report to the general council, and for the work done by the Geneva staff of WARC. It further valued his presence as a staff member at the deliberations of the policy reference committee during the Ottawa general council.

The general council having accepted the general secretary's report, the policy reference committee wishes to emphasise that the role and work of WARC has increased markedly in recent years.

WARC has a clear responsibility in today's world, as is demonstrated by the concerns discussed at this general council, eg peace and justice, apartheid, racism, human rights - all of which need to be thought through theologically.

WARC's responsibility in the ecumenical movement has also expanded. The world Christian communions, including WARC, have an essential role to play in the forward movement of the church of Jesus Christ towards the goal of unity. The general council wishes to emphasise that it is important that the member churches share in the ecumenical movement at local, national, regional and international levels.

Finally, WARC has a responsibility towards itself: to be a real instrument engaged in the service of its member churches and a real instrument in the hands of the member churches themselves. The establishment of a new department of finance and of two sections within the department of cooperation and witness (women's section, Civil and Religious Liberties section (Human Rights), the need to engage in more intensive theological research, to be more readily available to intervene when member churches run into difficulties - these are all areas which demand a higher level of activity on the part of WARC.

Member churches are therefore urged to strengthen their support for WARC by the prayers of their members, by disseminating more information about WARC activities through their own channels of communication, by sharing in the various programmes and activities of WARC and by their financial support.

Apartheid

The 21st general council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, through its exploration of the theme "Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory";

responding to representations and requests made by several member churches on the issue of apartheid (separate development);

and again made painfully aware of the suffering, humiliation and exploitation which apartheid (separate development) causes to the majority black population in South Africa;

1. REAFFIRMS earlier statements on the issue of racism and apartheid (separate development) made in 1964 and 1970, and reiterates its firm conviction that apartheid (separate development) is sinful and incompatible with the gospel, on the grounds that

it is based on a fundamental irreconcilability of human beings, thus rendering ineffective the reconciling and uniting power of our Lord Jesus Christ;
in its application through racist structures it has led to exclusive privileges for the white section of the population at the expense of the blacks;
it has created a situation of injustice and oppression, large-scale deportation causing havoc to family life, and suffering to millions.

Apartheid (separate development) ought thus to be recognized as incurring the anger and sorrow of the God in whose image all human beings are created.

2. EXPRESSES its profound disappointment that, despite earlier appeals by WARC general councils, the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (in the Republic of South Africa) and the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika have still not found the courage to realize that apartheid (separate development) contradicts the very nature of the church and obscures the gospel from the world; and the council therefore pleads afresh with these churches to respond to the promises and demands of the gospel.

3. FEELS that it has no option other than to suspend the privileges of membership in WARC of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk and the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk until such time as the WARC executive committee is convinced that these two churches in their thinking, utterances and practice have given evidence of a change of heart, have banished apartheid (separate development) from their own life, and have ceased to give moral support to the South African Government's policy of imposed separate development.

4. URGES all member churches to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit on the white churches in South Africa, that they may have the courage to risk the difficult pursuit of those changes that are needed for the creation of a just and equal society in that country.

(Note: Rev JE Potgieter, of the NGK, South Africa, and a member of the policy reference committee, has requested that it be recorded that he dissociates himself from the above section of the committee report.)

Problems of human rights in Taiwan

The land of Taiwan with its 18 million inhabitants has a long history in a search for its own self-determination. Despite the social and economic development of the past twenty years, there has been a great deal of political tension and unrest. This came to a head in 1979 with the tragic circumstances arising from the human rights rally in Kaoshiung where many people were injured, arrested and subsequently imprisoned.

For many years prior to this the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan had actively requested the political powers to recognize the need for the people of Taiwan to determine their own future. In 1980 the general secretary Dr CM KAO was arrested and after a trial was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. The charge was based on giving Christian assistance and care to Shih Ming-teh. Other church leaders and members were subsequently imprisoned.

The church continues to speak out against what it believes to be a clear act of injustice. Also many people outside of Taiwan who before knew little about the problems of that country are certain now that a great injustice has been done and want to see it remedied. It is in light of this that we present the following statement and commend to the Alliance as its way of making public its concern about what is happening to the Taiwan church and people.

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches meeting in Ottawa 1982 had opportunity to examine the life and conditions of its member churches. The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan has, since as early as 1971, made public statements concerning the problems of human rights in their country. These statements are both well known and documented and appear under the following titles: ', A public statement on our National Fate" (1971). "Our appeal" (1975) and "A declaration on Human Rights" (1977).

The Alliance therefore commends the church on its stand identifying itself with the suffering and aspirations of the people of Taiwan. Out of its belief in the Christian ministry of love, justice and reconciliation the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan affirms that freedom, human dignity and the right of self-determination are fundamental to the political future of Taiwan.

WARC expresses its support for the stand taken by the church and assures it of its continued prayers. It further believes that Dr CM Kao, its general secretary, along with other church leaders and members now serving prison sentences, acted in accordance with their Christian faith, exercising a ministry of love in obedience to Jesus Christ, and have been unjustly imprisoned. It therefore respectfully asks the authorities for his and other church members' immediate release.

Peace and justice

The council is aware through representation made to it and actions by some of its member churches, that there is, across a broad spectrum of Christian opinion, a heightened revulsion today against the evil of war, particularly the horrors of nuclear war. This quickening of the Christian conscience was also noticeable at the recent Public Hearing on "Nuclear Weapons and Disarmament" held by the World Council of Churches in Amsterdam in November 1981.

There is an emerging ecumenical consensus that the existence, production and spread of nuclear weapons and their increasing sophistication casts a demonic shadow over the whole world. The manufacture of biological and chemical weapons and the militarization of space also constitute a menacing threat. They threaten to bring about a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.

This menacing situation calls the churches to repentance, for they have too frequently acquiesced in government policies which are now seen to be inconsistent with a truly biblical understanding of peace. The churches have too often remained silent when the deteriorating world situation called for a concerted protest and the proclamation of a prophetic Christian witness, inspired neither by political expediency nor national self-interest but by obedience to the word of God and a humanitarian concern for the world and all its peoples. The churches must also acknowledge their guilt in condoning and sharing unworthy attitudes and motives such as the will to power, economic greed, the spirit of revenge and a tendency to caricature people living under different ideological systems as "enemies".

The distinctively Christian witness which the churches are called to make is built upon the faith that Jesus Christ is our peace. In his death on the Cross and his resurrection from the dead, God has reconciled to himself the entire world which was at enmity with him and set all men under the consolation and claim of his own peace. He has sent his community into the world to spread the word of reconciliation, to witness to his peace, and in obedience to his word to keep peace with all peoples. His peace which the world can neither give, secure nor destroy frees us and commits us to pray, think and work for peace among human beings.

This faith is incompatible with warlike policies which threaten enmity and death on such a vast scale. It is also inconsistent with the atmosphere of unloving and fearing suspicion generated by opposing ideologies. The fact that in Christ we are all humans who have been reconciled to God and with each other forbids us to threaten, intimidate or destroy each other as if we were unreconciled.

Furthermore, we believe that a secure and lasting peace cannot be implemented by policies which rely on a strategy of deterrence, which is in effect a balance of terror. The stockpiling of nuclear weapons has not brought real peace so much as "an extended armistice',, and the theory and practice of deterrence shows no sign of leading to a reduction in armaments. It may indeed be increasing the danger of war - in the first instance, a limited nuclear war which could well escalate into the ultimate catastrophe - and it offers no way out of the present deadlock.

As Reformed churches we also view this critical problem in the context of God's covenant with his people. He faithfully maintains and renews his covenant with us humans despite our sinfulness. In so far however as we compromise with evil by supporting the present irrational arms race we are guilty of disobedience to God, and we invite his judgement upon our world. Our attitude towards weapons of mass destruction should be determined by our faith. It is a question of affirming or denying the gospel itself.

We are also concerned in the Alliance with the related concept of justice. There can be no peace where injustice spreads suffering and resentment, and this is true in the context of relations between north and south, as well as between east and west.

As the Brandt report and many others have indicated, an unjust international trading system is steadily increasing the gap between developed and developing countries of the world. This inequitable economic order, aggravated by inflation makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. Further injustice occurs through unjust political structures leading to unequal distribution of resources. International tension is also caused by the attempts of some nations to extend political control, infringing the sovereignty of other states. Injustice also occurs through a denial of basic human rights and this too produces violence and sometimes open warfare. The extent of injustice within and between nations encourages militarism and inhibits the proper development of nations toward prosperity. The so-called "system of security" founded on nuclear deterrence is the greatest drain of all upon the world's resources; it diverts human skill and ingenuity as well as material resources from the alleviation of human misery and pours them out wastefully on the production of armaments. Both the political and economic factors listed above result in the suffering and starvation of millions of people. This knowledge is a gross affront to the Christian conscience and should spur the churches on to renewed efforts to establish peace founded on justice.

The future prospect for our world is fraught with danger - yet, we must also remember that faithfulness to the way of Christ and his Cross would be undertaken in the power of the Holy Spirit. Under his Lordship and leadership the churches can go forward with hope and confidence. Jesus Christ is the reconciler and Lord of the whole world and his power does not end at the boundaries of the Christian community. That means first of all that we may not become opponents or even enemies of those who think differently on this matter. Secondly, it means that above all we will work in the Peace Movement with many others who are not Christians.

God will ultimately complete the reconciliation won by Christ with the creation of a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness and peace will dwell without end.

With this assured hope in our hearts we may take bold and decisive steps for peace and justice. It is before him as the final judge of our life that we must give account of what we have contributed with our own particular gifts to resisting the threat of and preventing the nuclear catastrophe, and to witnessing in word and action to his peace and justice.

Suggestions for political action

In the limited time at its disposal, the general council was not able to undertake a detailed analysis of the issues connected with the theme "Peace and Justice", yet at the same time it makes the following suggestions which member churches should take up with their governments concerning disarmament and in particular nuclear disarmament.

To seek ways of resolving conflicts without the use of or threat of force;
To call for an immediate multilateral and verifiable freeze by all present and potential nuclear powers of the production, development and deployment of nuclear weapons;
To ban chemical and biological weapons and the militarization of space;
To undertake never to initiate nuclear conflict;
To establish zones free of nuclear weapons;
To strive for non-negotiated independent actions towards disarmament;
To prohibit and prevent the export of arms.

Recommendations to member churches

The general council makes the following recommendations to member churches

To help waken the consciousness of all Christians that the concern for peace is not only the responsibility of political action but is a responsibility which belongs to every individual and every individual community;
To support peace initiatives made by member churches and other churches;
To support disarmament programmes and policies of the WCC;
To encourage international interchurch cooperation on peace programmes;
To support peace movements that are in accord with the tenets of the gospel;
To devise peace programmes for use at congregational level.
The general council further asks the WARC executive committee and Staff:
To ensure that the Alliance be represented at international conferences on peace, including those sponsored by the United Nations;
To undertake occasional publications on "peace" facilitating the exchange of information between the member churches; and
To stimulate theological studies on the problems of war and peace and of the responsibilities of governments today and to set up a study on the economic consequences of the prohibition and prevention of the import and export of arms.

Against torture

The subcommittee has examined the proposal put forward by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, and supports it for the following reasons:

The use of physical and psychological torture continues to spread in an alarming way. In more than sixty countries it is systematically used to elicit information, to impose sanctions, and to pursue government objectives.
Of all the violations of human rights, torture is most despicable. It degrades both tortured and torturer.
Human beings have been created in the image of God, and as such they possess inherent and inalienable dignity (1. Moltmann, Study Guide for Delegates, booklet 2, Ottawa '82).
In Matthew 25.36, "I was in prison and you visited me," Christ specifically encourages us to be concerned for prisoners. He himself is present in the least of them. This new commandment to love applies with particular intensity to prisoners who are tortured. In them Christ's lifeblood is again spilt and his sufferings repeated.
Another quotation, from I Corinthians 12.26. "If one member suffers, then all the members suffer with it."
The constitution of WARC, Article II, sections 6 and 8, urges the churches to unite in a common struggle for those who suffer.

For all the above reasons the policy reference committee requests the WARC general council to declare that it condemns the use of torture and to urge its member churches to do all within their power to oppose it.

The wording of the declaration is as follows:

"The WARC general council meeting in Ottawa in 1982 condemns the use of torture as a serious violation of human rights, and it explicitly calls on its member churches:

1. to break the silence surrounding the use of torture and to denounce it publicly;

2. to make Christians aware that it is the duty of the churches to be in the forefront of the struggle against torture, and by using all possible means to enlist them in this struggle which is to be waged by prayer and action;

3. to urge their governments to support the establishment of an effective International Convention against torture whereby countries would at all times permit visits to places of detention by delegates of an impartial international commission."

Notes

1. "To break the silence. " By keeping silent the church itself becomes guilty. Torture must be condemned. We must also oppose any attempt to justify the use of torture for any reason whatever.

2. "Making Christians aware and committed action. " The struggle against torture is an integral part of the church's witness. Churches should be involved in organisations in their own countries which campaign against torture (Amnesty International, Action des chrétiens pour l'abolition de la torture (ACAT), etc.). These organisations regularly pass on the names of people undergoing torture. We can mount protest campaigns on their behalf, and pray for them and those who torture them. Such intercessions should be a regular part of our worship and our celebration of the Lord's supper.

3. Commitment to work for the setting up of a Convention against Torture. This part of the proposal calls on the churches to bring pressure to bear on their governments. A statement prepared by the International Commission of Jurists (text available on request) envisages an International Convention whereby governments commit themselves to permit visits to their prisons at all times by an impartial commission - a preventive measure. The proposal has been placed before the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations, but there is a strong possibility that it will not be adopted. It is thus envisaged that a binding convention between countries be entered into outside the framework of the United Nations. It would be of the utmost importance that churches throughout the world make representations to their governments (members of parliament, diplomats, ministers), to gain their interest and support for such a convention. As part of its work for human rights WARC will follow developments in this field and keep the churches informed.

The situation in Zaire

Relations between the Presbyterian Community in Zaire and the Church of Christ in Zaire.

Through the report of its general secretary, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, meeting in general council in Ottawa from August 17th to 27th 1982, learned of the serious situation through which one of its member churches is passing, namely, the Presbyterian Community within the Church of Christ in Zaire of which it is a member.

According to the constitution of the Church of Christ in Zaire, each constituent Community retains its independence in doctrinal basis and domestic administrative structures. But the leadership of the Church of Christ in Zaire has consecrated as bishop Rev Mr Baratushipa, of the Presbyterian Community in Zaire. The present leaders of the Presbyterian Community informed WARC of the problem and requested its protection against the decisions of the leadership of the Church of Christ in Zaire, which is trying to impose an episcopal system on the Presbyterian Community in Zaire, is rejecting the decisions legitimately taken by the Community and is urging the Zaire government to suspend the Community's legal existence.

The general council expresses its thanks to the president of the Church of Christ in Zaire for his reply to the letter addressed to him by the general secretary of WARC, even though it cannot accept all its contents.

The general council regrets the lack of understanding between the leaders of the Church of Christ in Zaire and those of the Presbyterian Community in Zaire and requests the general secretary of WARC to make the necessary approaches to the leaders of the two parties in order to reduce the tension between them.

The "Reform " Community

The "Reform" Community in Zaire, represented in Ottawa by Bishop Lutete Tunga, requests admission to membership of WARC.

After an examination of relevant papers and in view of the fact that this Community has still to obtain recognition in Zaire, the general council asks the Community first of all to complete this formality.

The general secretary of WARC and Bishop Lutete Tunga will maintain and deepen the existing contacts.

Resolution

The WARC general council receives the report of the policy reference committee.