Decoding The Evangelical Manifesto's Call For Global Ecumenism

Since the passing of Jerry Falwell, it seems that politically motivated religious groups are competing for the attention of the American electorate during this campaign season.

First, Red Letter Christians announced that we are trying to create a new movement that seeks to make faithfulness to Biblical Christianity an imperative for progressive politics. With media exposure, the group recasts the image of a "Christian" in the 21st century, i.e. sympathetic toward the bondage of homosexuality and inclusive toward other religious belief systems. The Red Letter Christians misrepresent Biblical Christianity to the general public.

Now, another self appointed "non-group" of public square Christians step up to the podium at the National Press Club to act as spokesmen ( though the event is described as an invitation to join the effort ) for Evangelicals to announce:

" We're different, we're sorry, and we'll change for the global good."

The Evangelical Manifesto claims it does not represent a formal organization though it has assumed the responsibility of redefining what it means to be a globally responsible Evangelical.

The expressed intent of the Manifesto claims to “depoliticize” faith or “take religion out of politics.” Which is interesting, giving the venue of the National Press Club.

The Proponents of the Manifesto

Liberal "theologians" such as:

• Dr. Richard Mouw, President of the man-centered, humanist Fuller Theolgical seminary


• Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals


• Dallas Willard, contemplative guru for the Emerging church movement.

America's pastor, Rick Warren has been rumored as a participating architect, but has not officially stepped up as a signatory.

What's embedded in the Manifesto?

1. The stage setting of the crisis-state-of-the-world :

"...momentous challenges that face our fellow humans on the earth..."

2. Staking the claim of the new American Evangelical Identity:

"we who sign this declaration do so as American leaders and members of one of the world’s largest and fastest growing movements of the Christian faith: the Evangelicals...We are therefore a small part of a far greater worldwide movement..."

3. Initiating the Evangelical Identity Makeover for improved public image and global good :

"we boldly declare that, if we make clear what we mean by the term, we are unashamed to be Evangelical and Evangelicals...Evangelicals has its own contribution to make, not only to the church but to the wider world; and especially to the plight of many who are poor, vulnerable, or without a voice in their communities."

4. The Call For Global Pluralism for Survival:

"...we Evangelicals in America, along with people of all faiths and ideologies, represent one of the greatest challenges of the global era: living with our deepest differences. This challenge is especially sharp when religious and ideological differences are ultimate and irreducible, and when the differences are not just between personal worldviews but between entire ways of life co-existing in the same society."

5. The Call for Global Ecumenism for Survival:

"Learning to live with our deepest differences is therefore of great consequence both for individuals and nations. Debate, deliberation, and decisions about what this means for our common life are crucial and unavoidable."

6. Redefining Christ's Command to be Salt and Light:

"...we Evangelicals should be defined theologically, and not politically, socially, or culturally."

7. Global Ecumenism For Global Good:

"We fully appreciate the defining principles of other major traditions, and we stand and work with them on many ethical and social issues of common concern..."

8. Cooperation Despite the Reformation ( a la Roman Catholicism):

"Like them, we are whole-heartedly committed to the priority of ―right belief and right worship, to the ―universality of the Christian church across the centuries, continents, and cultures, and therefore to the central axioms of Christian faith expressed in the Trinitarian and Christological consensus of the early church..."

9. Roman Catholic Saint Illustrates What It Means to be a Christian:

"Evangelicals are therefore followers of Jesus Christ, plain ordinary Christians in the classic and historic sense over the last two thousand years... The heart of the matter for us as Evangelicals is our desire and commitment, in the words of Richard of Chichester and as Scripture teaches, to ―see him more clearly, to love him more dearly, and to follow him more nearly.

10. Biblical Christianity Not The Only Way; Reduced to a Principle of Civility:

"We do not claim that the Evangelical principle — to define our faith and our life by the Good News of Jesus — is unique to us. Our purpose is not to attack or to exclude but to remind and to reaffirm, and so to rally and to reform. For us it is the defining imperative and supreme goal of all who would follow the way of Jesus."

11. Strong Theological Statement of Faith:
See bottom of page 5 of Manifesto. No mention of repentance or hell but references good works toward others. (Pt. 6 implication of not offending others with the scandal of the Cross or the error of other belief systems)

12. More Confusion - Strong Ecumenical Statement

"Evangelicals adhere fully to the Christian faith expressed in the historic creeds of the great ecumenical councils of the church..."

13. Resultant Statement of Christian Universalism?

"...Evangelicals are followers of Jesus in a way that is not limited to certain churches or contained by a definable movement. We are members of many different churches and denominations, mainline as well as independent, and our Evangelical commitment provides a core of unity that holds together a wide range of diversity. This is highly significant for any movement in the network society of the information age, but Evangelicalism has always been diverse, flexible, adaptable, non-hierarchical, and taken many forms."

See Part II The Evangelical Manifesto: Poison In The Pot

See related post Purpose Driven Power Politics