A broad spectrum of religious leaders are loudly urging President Bush to pull back from the brink of a war on Iraq. The opposition goes far beyond such traditional "peace churches" as the Mennonites, the Church of the Brethren and the Quakers.

Among Christians, the opposition includes Roman Catholics and mainline Protestant and Orthodox churches. Churches whose leaders have gone on record arguing for restraint include the United Methodist Church; Presbyterian Church; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; American Baptist Church; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); United Church of Christ; the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch; and the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

There is support for a war among some leaders of large ministries and of conservative evangelical and Pentecostal churches, but little that is organized.

Mr. Bush's policy has also received the backing of Richard Land, the influential president of the Ethics and Public Policy Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination.

Among other faiths, Jewish organizations are split, with some Orthodox groups coming out unequivocally in favor of a pre-emptive strike without United Nations authorization. Some Muslim groups have voiced their opposition, as have small Buddhist organizations.

Fifty religious leaders affiliated with the National Council of Churches, including many bishops of Mr. Bush's Methodist denomination, sent a letter to the president on Jan. 30 requesting a meeting to discuss their objections.

Delegations representing the National Council of Churches have met with Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of Germany in Berlin, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain in London, French foreign ministry officials in Paris, Vatican officials in Rome and Russian officials in Moscow.

But the group has not received a response from the White House, and it has become increasingly aggressive in seeking one. Last month it placed an advertisement in Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, saying, "Would President Bush meet them if they brought along Jesus and Moses?"

Few denominations have taken the approach of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, whose president, Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, recently issued this statement: "We hold up the biblical principles of just war for our people's consideration. But our people have the freedom to form their own conclusions."

Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

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