These are not easy times to be a member of the clergy.

That’s because it’s a time of war in America, and those in the position of ministering to the needs of a congregation looking for moral guidance and spiritual direction have to contend with differing opinions on whether military action in Iraq is warranted.

Many faithful people and clergy have outspokenly opposed military action, and different faiths and denominations have issued various official positions on a war against Iraq. Others feel just as strongly that President Bush’s policy toward Saddam Hussein is on target.

This divisive atmosphere raises a number of serious questions for clergy.

Should they follow their hearts and advocate a position from the pulpit, for or against war, at the risk of alienating some members of their congregation?

Should pastors, imams and rabbis take a stand in these contentious times or play it safe?

Is it the clergy’s moral duty always to promote peace or to strive to be evenhanded and hear all points of view?

These are issues that spiritual leaders, including those in Lawrence, are wrestling with as the country engages in military action.

“People want all kinds of things from their clergy. This, of course, makes the job interesting,” says the Rev. Lewis Hinshaw, associate pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt. “I believe this congregation encourages me to be myself, even if that means that we will disagree on some things. However, in the presence of that kind of permission, I have to remember that I have a pastoral responsibility to reach out to their points of need.”

Emotions running high

The Rev. Peter Luckey, left, senior pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church, and the Rev. Lewis Hinshaw, the church's associate pastor, are among ministers who choose their words carefully when preaching about moral rightness in time of war. Discussing war and peace has

Preaching about the moral rightness of U.S. military involvement is something many spiritual leaders approach with care and forethought.

It’s a touchy issue.

“Absolutely. War and peace, for pastors and preachers and faith leaders, has been enormously touchy. It was touchy in the Vietnam War, when pastors were leading deeply divided congregations. It’s been touchy throughout American history,” says the Rev. Peter Luckey, Plymouth’s senior pastor. “Especially for many of us of my generation, the memories of the Vietnam War and the divisiveness are still very fresh. As the war (with Iraq) gets under way, if there’s casualties on both sides, emotions will run very high.”

How will Luckey define his role, and serve his church, as the nation deals with a military conflict and fiercely differing points of view?

“I feel it’s my responsibility to be a spiritual guide for every member of the congregation, regardless of their views of the war with Iraq. I will be walking a tightrope between expressing what I believe to be the news of the Gospel and my pastoral role as a listener and friend to everyone in the congregation,” he says.

The Rev. Sharon Howell is also intent on listening to the feelings of members of her church — their uncertainty, fears and anguish about the war, as well as their range of views on the conflict.

Will she preach a particular position on the war?

“I would say that we have approached this whole issue by trying to provide people a place where they can express their opinions — and they are varied. For me to ‘take a position,’ I don’t believe is the most faithful thing for me to do. What I’ve been trying to do is talk about God’s unyielding presence with us, wherever our journey takes us,” says Howell, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt.

“I believe that my role is to be the pastor of all of those people. That means that we’re going to be praying for peace as fervently as we can because we’re followers of Jesus, who was the Prince of Peace.”

Seeking to comfort

Some clergy have been pointedly outspoken from the pulpit in their opposition to the war.

One example is the Rev. Charles Polifka, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1234 Ky. His recent homilies have echoed the strongly antiwar statements of Pope John Paul II.

“I’ve come out in favor of peace, and when we go to war, I’ve been treating it as kind of a defeat for us. My prayer is for victory, and victory means peace. War is really a defeat for humanity,” Polifka says. “We all have our own positions on this thing, and you certainly take the risk of alienating people. But our prayer has to be unified on this; it has to be for peace.”

The Rev. Sherry Schultz and the members of her church are taking a slightly different approach to the Iraqi conflict.

“What we’re talking about in our congregation is paying attention to the tiny ways that we can wage peace and heal the hostility in our lives. In other words, we’re taking this world picture and making it very personal. How does my behavior contribute to the threat of war?” says Schultz, pastor of Unity Church of Lawrence, 901 Madeline Lane.

Is it a pastor’s moral duty to take positions that might not be welcomed by everyone in the pews?

“Our role is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. My job is to do both,” she says. “It’s important that we find support in our spiritual communities, but it’s also important that we not go to sleep.”