World Council of Churches statement on the terrorist attack in Sydney

[From the WCC website]

The World Council of Churches (WCC) unreservedly denounces the horrific and appalling terrorist attack that took place in Sydney, Australia, during the ceremony for lighting the first candle of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach – an iconic location for families and community gatherings.

The attack, which targeted innocent people as they participated in a peaceful religious observance and is reported to have resulted in at least 12 deaths, is a profoundly troubling act of violence evidently driven by antisemitic motives, and undermining fundamental principles of human dignity, religious freedom, and social cohesion. It is particularly distressing and unacceptable that this incident occurred at the very beginning of Hanukkah, a festival that symbolizes light, faith, and the resilience of a community in the face of adversity. The fact that the attack took place at a moment when people had gathered to honour a tradition deeply rooted in hope and spiritual endurance renders this act even more egregious.

This attack forms part of a disturbing global rise in antisemitic acts that represent an emboldened violent hatred, and endanger the security of communities that have lived peacefully for decades within multicultural societies. Such violent antisemitism constitutes a gross violation of basic human rights and cannot be tolerated in any democratic society.

The WCC has from its beginnings in 1948 condemned antisemitism as “sin against God and man”, and called on “all the churches we represent to denounce antisemitism, no matter what its origin, as absolutely irreconcilable with the profession and practice of the Christian faith”. Today, we renew that call to the global ecumenical fellowship of churches.

We extend our solidarity to the affected members of the Jewish community in Australia, as well as to all our Jewish sisters and brothers threatened by antisemitic hatred and violence. We pray for healing of the wounded, for the consolation of the bereaved, for accountability for the perpetrators and for all those who promote such violence against people on the basis of their religion or ethnicity, and for all people of good will to work together to confront the normalization of such hatred in politics and society. We call on all people to work together to make the world a safe and secure place for all people filled with love, harmony and peace. 

Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay
General Secretary 
World Council of Churches