The Manhattan Declaration

[Vic]

Everybody!

According to the website,

Quote:"The goal of the drafters and original signers of the Manhattan Declaration is to build a movement of Christians willing to take a stand for the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and the rights of conscience and religious liberty." http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/shar...eclaration

What about just taking a stand for Jesus Christ, sharing Christ and using the Word of the God to govern that stand?

According to the FAQS.

Quote:2. How were Christian Leaders approached about signing this? What was the process?
Various Catholic, Evangelical, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican leaders who were specially admired by the organizers of the New York meeting for their public witness on behalf of justice, human rights, and the common good were invited to join in shaping the Manhattan Declaration. Additional religious leaders who share their deep commitments have been and are being invited to join them as signatories.

The term "specially admired by the organizers" brings to mind:

1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

The 'common good"? Which part of preaching the gospel is for making a political statement? There is nothing in the Scriptures to suggest we form political movements to further some moral issues in society.

2 Timothy 2:1-6 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 6. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Posted in their information of "Why I signed" is an article by one of the drafters posted to Chuck Colsons website--one of the other drafters.

Quote:The Manhattan Declaration
A Growing, Grassroots Movement of the Spirit
By Dr. Timothy George|Published Date: December 11, 2009

The Manhattan Declaration began as a statement and has become a movement. For some time a number of us have believed that followers of Jesus Christ should come together, stand together, and speak together in one united voice on the most pressing moral issues of our day. When this happens the world notices and, more importantly, the Lord is pleased. What began as the deep conviction of just two or three has become a chorus of hundreds of thousands across our land. This is surely a moving of the Spirit in our times.

The Manhattan Declaration is a statement of Christian conscience, a confession of religious conviction supported by followers of Jesus Christ from the Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical families of faith. Grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and the great tradition of Christian faith through the centuries, and appealing to the God-given gift of reason, we declare...

We also declare that religious liberty and freedom of conscience, both of which are grounded in the character of God and the example of Christ himself, are intended for all persons and must not be trampled upon by the intrusive power of the state.

Because these three matters are increasingly under assault in our society today, we feel compelled to speak out in their defense. In doing so, we desire to stand in solidarity with all persons of good will for the sake of justice and the common good and on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our community.

...To read The Manhattan Declaration as a partisan manifesto is to misread it badly. It cuts across political as well as denominational lines and has garnered support from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike. The Manhattan Declaration represents an ecumenism of conviction, not an ecumenism of accommodation. While we acknowledge many ecclesial and theological differences among ourselves, we believe that our unity in Christ is sufficiently strong for us to stand together and speak out together on behalf of the least, the last, and the lost.

...Where does The Manhattan Declaration movement go from here? First, we are praying that one million of our fellow Christians will join us in signing the Declaration. We are nearly one-third of the way toward that goal already....
http://www.colsoncenter.org/the-center/c...eclaration

So it's viewed as a 'move of the Spirit'. And part of proclaiming the gospel in other statements.

The reality is the compromise of Scripture under the guise of unity of Christ, 'for the common good' as some have stated. What people miss is that we are already united in Christ by the Holy Spirit---for those who belong to Jesus Christ. That is as real to me as the sky above. One doesn't become unified with the Body of Christ because of joining in a movement with goals or rhetoric that appeal to unbeleivers.

The whole religious liberty issue is again melded into this, just as it was with Evangelicals and Catholic together and so on. They are trying to force laws that officially make it so there is no persecution for those claiming to be Christians....because the drafters claim to be of Christ in those declarations also, Chuck Colson also being a drafter in the other public declarations.

The reality is, the world that rejects Christ, rejects the gospel and rejects those who proclaim it. Paul said those who live 'godly in Christ ', will suffer persecution. Notice what those verses are followed with.

2 Timothy 3:12-17 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.