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“An Evangelical Manifesto” was released this past week with eighty signatories. It is important to understand the purpose and the content of this manifesto. In their own words, “An Evangelical Manifesto is an open declaration of who Evangelicals are and what they stand for.
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"Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars. The statement, called "An Evangelical Manifesto," condemns Christians on the right and left for "using faith" to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained Friday by The Associated Press. The declaration, scheduled to be released Wednesday in Washington, encourages Christians to be politically engaged and uphold teachings such as traditional marriage. But the drafters say evangelicals have often expressed "truth without love," helping create a backlash against religion during a "generation of culture warring."
Commentary
“An Evangelical Manifesto” was released this past week with eighty signatories. It is important to understand the purpose and the content of this manifesto. In their own words, “An Evangelical Manifesto is an open declaration of who Evangelicals are and what they stand for. It has been drafted and published by a representative group of Evangelical leaders who do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals, but who invite all other Evangelicals to stand with them and help clarify what Evangelical means in light of ‘confusions within and the consternation without’ the movement. As the Manifesto states, the signers are not out to attack or exclude anyone, but to rally and to call for reform…For those who are Evangelicals, the deepest purpose of the Manifesto is a serious call to reform—an urgent challenge to reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ.”
For further description, there is a call to define evangelicalism biblically rather than politically. Any time the gospel is connected to or co-opted by a political party or issue, the gospel has been compromised and those who allow such to happen are unfaithful. For example, if a Christian is concerned with the sanctity human life, he should not only be concerned with abortion but also the circumstances under which we would favor our nation going to war. When a Christian questions certain points concerning the Bush policy in Iraq, he is labeled liberal. This label should not be. That believer is concerned with lives on all fronts not merely those who are unborn. He should not be labeled for an honest attempt to apply the Scriptures to a wide range of issues concerning life.
In addition, along those lines, there is a call in the manifesto for Christians to move away from being a one or two issue voting block or from being defined as a one or two issue group. Again, Christians should be concerned about a great number of issues from a biblical perspective.
Moreover, there is a call to change the tone of our rhetoric. Christians are often belligerent in public discourse and project an image of hatred rather than love. They are often unkind and unfair to their opponents. Further, some sound as if they are calling for theocratic rule. All of these things militate against the true nature of the gospel and its advance.
No one group among evangelicals is targeted by the document. It is a call for each one of us to examine our hearts and our activities. While not every evangelical will agree with every point in the document, every evangelical must heed the call to let the Scriptures be our authority and not a particular political party. We must also be careful not to get sidetracked with the rhetoric already swirling around the document. We must not read into the document what we think it says or set up straw man attacks. We must attempt to hear what these leaders are saying from their perspective.
Of course, such discussions can be distractions. The danger lies in getting caught up in the discussion rather than being salt and light. But, we are called to be that: salt and light. We are called to be the church. We do not want to be considered a political movement or voting block. We are a people within a people; a city within a city. Our ultimate citizenship is in Heaven and we must remember that. Regardless of who is in power, Christ is King, our allegiance is to Him, and we are His representatives bringing truth to bear upon the souls of men in every possible arena knowing that each of those arenas are such for God’s glory.
In the end, again, we will have questions and concerns as well as major points of agreement with this manifesto. This is a document that should be read by all of us and discussed for a long time to come -- in the midst of our pursuit to be the church in a fallen world. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! and SecurityImage 3.0.8 |
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