The Rev. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches:

"As Christians, we re-affirm our opposition to any form of violence * Peace is the only way to achieve justice for all. When, as it seems on this occasion, violence is deliberately targeting civilians and willing to create terror in the population, it could be described as a crime against humanity. There is nothing that can justify the killing of innocent people anywhere."

The Rev. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches:

"These senseless and cowardly acts can only come from those who do not value life, peace and good community relationships. People of all faiths need to lift up our voices against such acts and to set the good example of building communities of peace."

The Rev. Keith Clements, general secretary of the Conference of European Churches:

"Christians and churches throughout Europe are united in shock, revulsion and grief at the bomb outrages in London * we hope and pray that Christians, Muslims, Jews and all people of faith will be bound ever more closely together in their renunciation of violence, their affirmation of the sacredness of every life in the sight of God, and God's command to live at peace with one another."

The All Africa Conference of Churches:

"Once again we are all confronted by a rude reminder that our world is far from being the safer world God meant it to be. We condemn terrorism in all its forms. International terrorism lacks any iota of humanity and is driven by myopic and misguided goals. The human race should not therefore give it a chance to spread despite its terror campaign to instil a global culture of fear. We object to the use of religion by a few as a motivation for terrorist attacks."

Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain:

"The evil people who planned and carried out this series of explosions want to demoralise us as a nation and divide us as a people. All of us must unite in helping the police to capture these murderers. We must remember the victims will have been people of all faiths, all races and many nationalities."

The Muslim Association of Britain:

"The perpetrators, whoever they turn out to be, carried out a callous crime which Islam and all human values disown. Whatever the objectives or motives that the attackers may ultimately declare, there can be no doubt that it was an attack that targeted London, the city and its people, all its people."

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks:

"These terrible events have brought home to us the full evil that terror represents. It is not the weapon of the weak against the strong but the rage of the angry against the defenceless and innocent. It is an evil means to an evil end."

Metropolitan Herman, the Orthodox Church in America:

"Once again, we are reminded that we live in a fallen world, in which love has grown cold and the hearts of many have become hardened to the One Who is Love Itself. If there is any consolation in such tragic circumstances, it is found in the comforting words of Our Loving Saviour: 'Be not afraid.' In Him alone do we find the 'consolation of the afflicted' and the hope of victory over all that dishonours and distorts His creation. And to Him alone do we turn for refuge in a world in which the irrational and unjust so often appear to be the norm and the love of God so often seems beyond reach."

Archbishop Robin Eames, (Anglican) Church of Ireland:

"It is with horror and disbelief that the Bishops and members of the Church of Ireland heard today of the indiscriminate but co-ordinated attack on innocent people using the public transport system in London. We express our support and solidarity for those affected and, indeed, for all people living in London at this time, but especially for the injured, traumatised and bereaved and for those providing emergency services."

Pax Christi, International Catholic Movement for Peace (UK section):

"We believe that the most authentic way to be faithful to those who suffer the violence of terrorism and war is to work for peace and models of security that create justice and trust between peoples. Vengeance is not a constructive or appropriate response * We will challenge actions and policies that seek to: Scapegoat or blame ethnic or minority groups in our communities [or] use this tragic event to justify pre-emptive military actions or a clamp-down on democratic freedom in the UK or elsewhere in the world."

The Protestant Federation of France:

"Although this violence seeks to divide us into two different worlds, it impels us on the contrary to resolutely seek justice, the essential condition for a world of peace. While we have to be vigilant about security, the most important thing is that we get involved in an unflinching struggle against poverty, the soil from which despair and violence grows. At a time when the G8 is challenged to respond to the demands of economic justice, we applaud the mobilisation and commitment of the churches in Great Britain in the 'Make Poverty History' campaign."

The Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary, US National Council of Churches:

"Such violence reminds us not only of our need to be ever vigilant and to bring the perpetrators to justice; it also reminds us of our need to strenuously pursue peace with justice. While we recognise that religion is sometimes used to legitimise such acts of violence, we together with other mainstream religious organizations, including many in the Muslim community, thoroughly and unequivocally condemn such violence and enjoin all religious communities to pursue peace in a thousand ways."

58th world session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, St Louis, United States:

"We are living in an increasingly unstable and dangerous world. We recognise that there are those who mistakenly see violence as the way to promote their cause claiming that their cause is absolute and taking lives is fully justified * Seventh-day Adventists are people of peace and compassion. Our Lord is the Lord of peace. As a people we unequivocally condemn violence as a solution."