TAMPA - With members of 36 religious denominations, from Quakers to Armenian Orthodox, the National Council of Churches sometimes struggles to reach a consensus.
But the group finds common ground on at least two issues: promoting peace and aiding the poor and disadvantaged.
With President Bush threatening military action against Iraq, ``we've got a job ahead of us to slow the rush to war,'' said the Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the New York-based National Council of Churches, which opens its annual meeting today at the Hyatt Regency Tampa hotel downtown.
The council has led the effort since 1950 to get the nation's churches working together. Its member denominations include more than 50 million people in 140,000 congregations.
About 200 delegates are expected in Tampa for sessions on topics from Christian-Muslim relations to ministerial ethics to seeking fair treatment for refugees and asylum seekers. They'll also hold services, Bible study and business meetings.
Among the group's objectives are to urge the Bush administration to work with international partners and to help Congress understand the ``unintended consequences'' of war with Iraq, Edgar said.
``The impact is going to be on innocent civilians and children as well as escalating the violence between Israel and Palestine. That's the consequences we rarely hear about,'' he said.
Edgar understands politics and religion. He's a six-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church.
Asked which sector is most contentious, he said, ``Hands down, religion. They fight like cats and dogs in politics, but ... are civil to each other in the end. That's not the case when you get an ultraorthodox battling a religious liberal.''
Hundreds of council members have traveled to Washington since September to make their case against the impending war by meeting with their representatives, holding prayer vigils and news conferences. Edgar said the interfaith protest movement is picking up steam as the deadline approaches.
``This is serious business. And we believe it's patriotic to ask questions,'' he said. Bombing an entire country because it may be harboring terrorists is like ``bombing Washington because of a sniper running loose.''
Edgar said pushing for peace is right, even if the council can't guarantee it will shape government decisions.
In the end, politics will be left to the politicians.
``We read the Old Testament,'' he said. ``And none of the prophets ever had a majority or took a vote on God's will. We have to keep focus on our mission as hope givers.''