The pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church has sent a letter to Chicago’s 50 aldermen formally distancing himself from the decision of a denomination leader to meet with representatives of Hezbollah, an anti-Israeli group with terrorist ties.
The City Council last week passed a resolution condemning the meeting and expressing “dismay” with Rev. Bob Reynolds, head of the Chicago Presbytery. Reynolds was part of a church group that met with Hezbollah leaders during a trip to the Middle East last month.
During the debate on the resolution, two aldermen also threatened to oppose a zoning change sought by Fourth Presbyterian Church that would permit development of a proposed condominium tower on a parcel owned by the church just behind its building on North Michigan Avenue.
“Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, while a member of the Presbytery of Chicago, had no ecclesiastical or financial involvement with the trip and the visit,” Rev. John Buchanan, the church’s pastor, said in his letter to the aldermen. “My personal view is that the visit was ill-advised, and I have apologized to leaders and friends in the Jewish community for the pain it has caused.”
Buchanan said that Reynolds “is a respected, faithful servant of the church,” but asserted that “his decision to participate in the visit was his alone.”
Buchanan also said that he is opposed to a proposed plan by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to divest from U.S. companies that prolong the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories through their products and services.
Fourth Presbyterian “has created a plan for positive investment in Israel and the Middle East which will be proposed to our denomination and which we hope will become a model for other Presbyterian churches,” Buchanan said in the letter. Meanwhile, leaders of his congregation have committed 1 percent of invested funds “to corporations whose business in Israel and the Middle East contributes to peace, well-being and stability,” he said.
Ald. Edward Burke (14th), who was sharply critical of Reynolds at the council meeting and said he might oppose the zoning change, appeared satisfied with Buchanan’s response.
“I now understand that Rev. Reynolds’ recent, most unfortunate meeting with Hezbollah leaders was not representative of the Fourth Presbyterian Church position,” Burke said in a letter to the pastor in which he also expressed his appreciation for the congregation’s position on investment in the Middle East.
Burke did not mention the zoning matter specifically but said, “I applaud you and the church’s leadership on these difficult issues, even as I look forward to supporting your future endeavors.”
Burke was unavailable for comment Thursday.
Ald. Bernard Stone (50th), who is Jewish, also threatened to vote no on the zoning matter. Stone, too, was unavailable Thursday.
In an interview with the Tribune earlier this month, Reynolds said the trip’s goal was educational, including permitting people to “describe their own reality.” The meeting with Hezbollah lasted an hour. Attempts to reach Reynolds on Thursday were unsuccessful.
The zoning matter is a controversial one.
Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), whose opinion carries great weight as the local alderman, is against the proposed tower. He contends it is too large and cites opposition from nearby residents.
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gwashburn@tribune.com
