Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience

In the news last week was a document that was signed in September 2009 by one hundred forty-eight Christians representing a wide variety of Christian churches and denominations.

The most amazing thing about all of this is that within this broad spectrum of viewpoints collected on behalf of the Christian faith there could actually be agreement on the major tenants contained in this document.

This is a heavyweight declaration, covering the Christian position on life, marriage and religious liberty.

It begins with a preamble: here are the first few paragraphs

Preamble

Christians are heirs of a 2,000-year tradition of proclaiming God’s word, seeking justice in our societies, resisting tyranny, and reaching out with compassion to the poor, oppressed and suffering.

While fully acknowledging the imperfections and shortcomings of Christian institutions and communities in all ages, we claim the heritage of those Christians who defended innocent life by rescuing discarded babies from trash heaps in Roman cities and publicly denouncing the Empire’s sanctioning of infanticide. We remember with reverence those believers who sacrificed their lives by remaining in Roman cities to tend the sick and dying during the plagues, and who died bravely in the coliseums rather than deny their Lord…

It then follows with a declaration:

Declaration
We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call upon all people of goodwill, believers and non-believers alike, to consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God…

What follows is a very well written critique on the Christian position pertaining to the sanctity of life, the defense of Christian marriage and the concept of religious liberty.

And to put an emphasis on how strongly we as Christians regard these ideas they included a segment that speaks to the use of civil disobedience as a tool in the arsenal of believers should their government pass laws that contradict those beliefs. You can read the declaration in it’s entirety at: http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2009/11/manhattan-declaration58-a-call-of-christian-conscience

But here is the question: Do you believe we as Christians should engage the culture in this way?

Do you agree with the document?

Should the prelude have included an apology for the evil things done in the name of Christianity?

Is this just another attempt at an ecumenical movement or does this document not compromise our beliefs?

I would love to read your comments.

PB

 Mark Dendy said...

I feel that as a christian we cannot stand by and watch christianity destroyed by the followers of the world. We know who the victor will be in the end; however that does not gives us the liberty to sit on the sidelines and watch as so many watched as Christ died on the cross. We are called to uphold the values set forth in the Word of God and spread those values by carefully examining and evaluating our own lives and living in accordance to His will as opposed to our own.
I believe if we adhere to His principles, we can engage today's culture through many avenues, written word, spoken word, but most importantly by allowing Christ to live in us!
As far as this declaration goes, I do not believe that it is another attempt at an ecumenical movement. By the same token I do not feel it compromises my beliefs which I believe are solidly grounded in the Word.
As far as an apology for those that do evil in the name of christianity... I think that is the wrong approach, because by apologizing for those hate groups, you are automatically aligned with them in the eyes of the world. However, I do believe that we should denounce any evil deeds and anyone that does evil deeds in the name of christianity.

November 23, 2009 12:43 PM

Douglas said...

Excellent response Mark, I could not have phrased it as eloquently as you have.

DECEMBER 1, 2009 9:34 PM