Christians disrupt military conference at Church House
Campaigners blockaded the entrance to Church House Westminster on 28 June
Christian campaigners disrupted an arms industry-funded event at Church House Westminster on 28 June. They blockaded the main entrance to the building, as defence secretary Michael Fallon was due to speak, insisting that a Christian venue should not be hosting the annual Land Warfare Conference.
The conference was organised by a pro-military think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), and sponsored by arms companies.
As well as the small number of Christians blocking the doorway, others stood by offering support, with banners declaring: ‘Evict the arms dealers’, ‘Anglicans against arms’ and quoting Jesus’ words: ‘All who take up the sword will die by the sword’.
Eve Waterside, a member of the Church of England, explained why she was taking part: ‘Jesus lived a life of active nonviolence. We are called to follow his example, however fallibly. A leading Christian conference centre is being used to plan large-scale violence, funded by companies that arm some of the world’s most oppressive regimes. I am sad and angry to see the church of which I am part profiting from war and the arms trade.’
The Fellowship of Reconciliation issued a statement in support of the demonstration: ‘Church House Westminster say they can’t check who funds all the events they host, but it’s not hard to find out, as it’s plastered all over the organiser’s website. The Church of England itself has a policy against taking money from arms companies, so for Church House to do just that is wrong… We think that taking money from weapons manufacturers is the opposite of Jesus’ message of peace and nonviolence. While we recognise the humanity of each and every arms dealer, their profession has no place in a house of prayer.’
Church House notes that Church House Westminster (the conferencing wing of Church House) is a separate business. However, it is a wholly owned subsidiary business of Church House Corporation, whose president is Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury.
