Fundamental
Evangelistic Association
Watchman's
Trumpet - 2000
©FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W.Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt
Costella,
Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor
Index of Articles
Foundation Magazine : Current and Past Issues
1997 Watchman's Trumpet Index
1998 Watchman's Trumpet Index
1999 Watchman's Trumpet Index
2000 Watchman's Trumpet Index
2002 Watchman's Trumpet Index - under
construction
Foundation
Magazine : Jan - Feb 2001
Canadians To Join
Together For Ecumenical Prayer Event
Exorcisms Growing In Popularity Among Catholics, Charismatics And Evangelicals
James Dobson, Charles Colson Visit Vatican, Praise Roman Catholic Church
New Ecumenical Body Unites All Spectrums Of "Christian" Faith
Prominent Evangelical Leaders Embarrassed By Participation In Ecumenical
Gathering
Vatican, Presbyterians Make Large Strides Toward Unity
Foundation
Magazine : Mar - Apr 2001
Scanning archive....posting will be forthcoming
Foundation
Magazine : May-
Jun 2001
The Pope As A
Spokesperson for All Christians?
Presbyterians and Roman Catholics Enter New
State of Ecumenical Dialogue
Foundation
Magazine : Jul-
Aug 2001
Scanning archive....posting will be forthcoming
Foundation
Magazine : Sep-
Oct 2001
Scanning archive....posting will be forthcoming
Foundation
Magazine : Nov-
Dec 2001
Scanning archive....posting will be forthcoming
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Canadians To
Join Together For
Ecumenical Prayer Event
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb
2001)
The second annual Canadian
Prayer Assembly will convene in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in May 2001. A press
release introducing the event states that the Assembly is a call to
Canadian Christians of all denominations to come together for a time of
celebration and united prayer and praise. The purpose of the event is
for the Canadian Church "to respond to the High Priestly Prayer of
Jesus in corporate repentance and corporate expression of humility; to
return to the roots of biblical Christianity; to recognize the Church's
original redemptive role in community and society and to rejoice and
celebrate the various expressions of the Church together." Primary
sponsors of the ecumenical event include the Evangelical Fellowship of
Canada and Focus on the Family Canada.
Last year's Canadian Prayer
Assembly in Ottawa, Ontario, featured a sermon by Evangelical Fellowship
of Canada President Gary Walsh which proved the compromising, ecumenical
nature of the event. In his sermon, Walsh admonished Canadian churches
for "[breaking] the heart" of Christ by failing to be
reconciled with one another and failing to be reconcilers within the
community. Yet he said hope does exist for ecumenical unity in Canada,
stating,
In the past 48 hours I have watched servant leaders from across the
Christian family move deeper and deeper into the mood of, the attitude
of and the experience of repentance and reconciliation. We are
experiencing fellowship at deeper and deeper levels. We are trusting
God. We're trusting each other and we're believing that God will make
this great moment in the life of the church across the land a turning
point for the body of Christ. So, on behalf of these servant leaders,
I say: Starting today, as never before, we will recognize that the
church of Jesus Christ is one church. Starting today, as never before,
we will major on the essentials and be tolerant of the
non-essentials" (Faith Today, Sept.-Oct. 2000).
Following his sermon,
Walsh and the crowd of 8,000 participants prayed:
God, forgive us for breaking your loving heart at this central
point of the community of faith. Forgive us for living an anemic
Christian life of division. Forgive us for being a stumbling block to
the watching world. Almighty God, fill us now with your loving,
reconciling Spirit. Empower us to be the community of reconciliation,
and give us courage to resist temptation when the small agenda would
overpower your divine agenda. Lavish upon us your Spirit in this
moment, and may this be the beginning of a new era of loving,
reconciling, partnering, and sharing in mission.
Sponsors of last year's Canadian
Prayer Assembly included Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada in Prayer,
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Focus on the Family, March for Jesus,
One Way Ministries and Promise Keepers.
Return to Index
Exorcisms Growing In Popularity
Among Catholics, Charismatics And Evangelicals
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb 2001)
Many professing Christians
are growing increasingly infatuated with demons, exorcisms and
"spiritual warfare." Exorcism was once regarded as a subject
and practice relegated exclusively to the Roman Catholic Church
particularly in the Middle Ages, but Charismatics and Evangelicals are
now supporting and participating in the plethora of
"deliverance" ministries that supposedly perform exorcisms,
bind "territorial spirits" and wage physical and spiritual
battle against the evil forces of darkness in the world. An October 3 1,
2000, Los Angeles Times article entitled "Exorcism
Flourishing Once Again" highlighted the recent growth of
deliverance ministries among both Catholics and Charismatic and
Evangelical Protestants. "Recent growth seems brisk," the
article stated, noting that "an international exorcism association
established by the Vatican's chief exorcist attracted just six
practitioners to its first conference in 1993, but drew more than 200
exorcists and their lay assistants this summer. " Yet according to
Fordham University sociologist Michael Cuneo, who has researched the
subject of exorcisms and will publish a book later this year entitled American
Exorcism: Expelling Demons in the Land of Plenty, such numbers pale
in comparison to Charismatic and Evangelical Protestant exorcism
ministries. The L. A. Times said, "Among theologically
conservative evangelicals alone–those who don't believe in speaking in
tongues and other Pentecostal gifts–Cuneo says exorcism ministries
have skyrocketed from a handful in the early 1980's to more than 600
today."
One of the most prominent
modern-day advocates of exorcism and other forms of "spiritual
warfare," Bob Larson, leads an exorcism ministry based in Denver,
Colorado. Larson, a controversial preacher, author and media personality
known among Charismatics and Evangelical Christians just as well for his
aggressive fund-raising gimmicks as for his exorcism ministry, told the New
York Times that he has now placed 40 "exorcism teams"
across the United States. "Our goal is that no one should ever be
more than a day's drive from a city where you can find an
exorcist," Larson said (N.Y. Times, "Exorcists and
Exorcisms Proliferate Across U. S.," 11-28-00). Larson's ministry
sells thousands of books, tapes and videos that explain his unscriptural
theories of demonic activity (including the belief in "generational
curses" and "soul ties" resulting from sexual intercourse
with a demon-possessed person) and describe how individuals, including
Christians, can be delivered from demon possession.
The Catholic Church is also
increasing its emphasis on exorcism. Cuneo told the New York Times that
"the number of full-time exorcists in the Roman Catholic Church in
the United States has risen to 10 from only one a decade ago. "
Earlier this year, the Vatican issued new guidelines for exorcism, and
the archdiocese of Chicago recently appointed a full-time exorcist for
the first time.
The Bible-believing
Fundamentalist who desires to obey the Word of God and honor his Savior
should understand that believers are not commanded to practice exorcism
today nor are they commanded to become involved in the
unscriptural practices of identifying demonic spirits by name or
attempting to acquaint themselves with "territorial spirits. "
Much of the rhetoric coming from various leaders of "deliverance
ministries" consists simply of man-made ideas and terminology that
are in no way substantiated by Scripture. In fact, many excuse their
unscriptural ideas and terms by stating that their beliefs are based on
their experiences with the spirit world rather than on what God's
Word has to say regarding the responsibility of the believer in this
present age.
Why should believers refuse
to practice exorcism today and not support those who do? First, because
the Word of God never commands the Christian to practice exorcism or to
have any contact with angelic beings. While the believer does fight
against "spiritual wickedness in high places," God's Word
clearly provides the weapons available to withstand evil. Ephesians
6:10-18 says that the believer's armament includes truth, righteousness,
preparation of the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God's Word and
prayer–these are declared to be "the whole armour of God"
(v. 13). Exorcism is not mentioned in this list of "the whole
armour of God." Second, the Bible clearly declares that the primary
way in which Satan attempts to destroy individuals today is through the
propagation of false doctrine which, in turn, leads to unholy,
unrighteous living among believers and even hinders unbelievers from
hearing the true Gospel message. First Timothy 4:1-6 and 2 Corinthians
11 are but two of many scriptures that reveal Satan's course of action
in this present age and exhort believers to embrace and maintain pure
doctrine as they "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3).
Beware of those who substitute the ideas and philosophies of men for the
clear commands of the Word of God. Fundamentalist, Bible-believing
Christians must not embrace nor support those whose ministries and
actions are not rooted in the whole of Scripture.
Return to Index
James Dobson, Charles Colson
Visit Vatican, Praise Roman
Catholic Church
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb 2001)
James Dobson and Charles
Colson, two of the world's most renowned Evangelical leaders, recently
participated in a three-day conference at the Vatican and met briefly
with Pope John Paul II. Dobson, president of Focus on the Family, and
Colson, president of Prison Fellowship, joined other business executives
and Catholic politicians, scholars and lawyers at the meeting which
addressed the world economy's impact on families. The Colorado
Springs Gazette noted that the personal meeting between the
pope, Colson and Dobson was a " special moment " because
Evangelicals and Catholics have disagreed with one another for centuries
concerning the role and infallibility of the pope. The Gazette stated,
"The significance was not lost on Colson who, according to one
conference participant, noted that there would have been a time when he
would not have been invited and he would not have come" (Gazette,
12-9-00). The newspaper article added that Evangelical Protestants
and Roman Catholics have become closer in recent years as a result of
ecumenical dialogue and common political and social causes such as the
importance of the family.
One conference participant,
Robert Sirico, a Catholic priest and president of the Acton Institute,
said that Vatican officials "could not recall a similar meeting
involving such high-level evangelical Protestants taking place at the
Vatican." Sirico said, "This kind of communication, this kind
of dialogue, it's not an attempt to negotiate the truth, but to approach
it together in a bond of fraternal love." He added, "Part of
the thing is to get over the hump of knowing each other. I think that's
what's beginning to happen here." According to the Gazette, the
Catholic News Service reported that Dobson praised the Catholic church
for its efforts to protect the family and said that while he has some
theological differences with the Roman Catholic Church, he often agrees
more with the Roman Catholic Church than with other Evangelicals on
issues such as abortion, premarital sex and homosexuality.
For many years, both Colson
and Dobson have been instrumental in bridging ecumenical relations
between Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. While Colson, the primary
force behind the two Evangelicals and Catholics Together documents,
has spent much time finding common theological ground between Catholics
and Evangelicals, Dobson has unified Catholics and Evangelicals through
social and political programs. Yet Bible-believing Christians must
realize that the Roman Catholic Church continues to preach a false
gospel, and to give any credence or viability to such a false religious
system is displeasing to God. Christians must separate from error rather
than attempt to find common cause with those who reach teach or embrace
false doctrine.
Return to Index
New Ecumenical Body Unites All Spectrums Of "Christian" Faith
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb 2001)
Religious leaders have
formed a new ecumenical body designed to pave the way for greater
Christian unity in the twenty-first century. The Foundation for a
Conference on Faith and Order in North America was established on
January 5, 2001, at Princeton's Center of Theological Inquiry. A United
Press International (UPI) report stated that the new body
"encompasses not only mainline Protestant denominations but also
the Roman Catholic Church, English-speaking and Hispanic Pentecostals,
and Evangelicals" (UPI, 1-5-01). Notable leaders on the executive
board include William Cardinal Keeler, the Roman Catholic archbishop of
Baltimore, Maryland; Archbishop Dimitrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox
Diocese in America; Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological
Seminary; Cheryl Bridges Johns, associate professor at the Church of God
Theological Seminary; and Thomas Gillespie, president of Princeton
Theological Seminary. The Foundation for a Conference on Faith and Order
in North America is committed to expanding its borders and enlisting
"new partners in the ecumenical venture."
At the inaugural meeting, the
executive board clarified several goals of the new ecumenical body, one
of which is to "re-energize" the churches. The board stated,
"This requires enhanced unity between [the churches]." Other
goals include the "making [of] a common declaration concerning the
nature and truth of the Christian faith for our age" and the
preparation of a "new generation of ecumenical leaders. "
While this new body intends to emphasize the priority of faith over
social action (unlike many existing ecumenical bodies), the board
stated, "We affirm with equal passion that mission entails work for
justice." Lutheran ecumenist William G. Rusch called for a two-week
Faith and Order Conference to be held in 2004.
Return to Index
Presbyterians and Roman Catholics Enter
New State of Ecumenical Dialogue
(FOUNDATION Magazine May-June 2001)
In a historic three-day
meeting at the Vatican, a 15-member delegation from the Presbyterian
Church USA (PCUSA) made large strides toward greater ecumenical unity
with the Roman Catholic Church. The PCUSA delegation met with five staff
members from the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity between March 20-22, 2001, and even enjoyed a private audience
with Pope John Paul II on the final day of the meetings. According to a
March 27, 2001, Presbyterian News Service (PNS) report, the two groups
affirmed their commitment to greater visible unity and issued a joint
statement in which they pledged to work together to achieve theological
agreement on several currently divisive issues—the doctrine of
justification, mutual recognition of each other's baptisms and a joint
study of Reformation-era documents in which the churches condemned each
other.
Both sides agreed that the main
obstacle to greater ecumenical relationship centered around the
authority of the pope. Yet, both sides also seemed to agree that this
obstacle could be overcome. Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical
Council, noted that the doctrine of papal supremacy resulted from a 19th
century "crisis" when, he said, "the church was threatened from all
sides—secularization of society and fragmentation of the church."
According to the PNS report, he said under normal circumstances, "more
local autonomy is possible—the Pope is free to act or not to act."
Another Roman Catholic on the Pontifical Council, John Radano, noted
that the papacy "is only in service to the Gospel," calling this service
"an evangelical approach." Several from the Presbyterian delegation gave
the impression that this somewhat limited view of papal supremacy
certainly leaves room for acceptance among Protestants. One Presbyterian
delegate, Luis Mudge, noted that a better understanding of authority as
pastoral care for the whole church "can be a way forward, " adding that
"to view the task as producing unity, not uniformity, is our hope. " The
PNS report noted that Kasper agreed, stating, "Primacy is foremost
spiritual." He added, "The Pope has to recognize and defend diversity of
expressions (of spiritual leadership). "
Another primary issue dividing Roman
Catholics and Presbyterians is the doctrine of the church. While Roman
Catholics believe that church authority and governance are vested in
ordained bishops, Presbyterians hold that church authority lies in
elected bodies of ministers and elders. Once again, the Presbyterian
delegation seemed to capitulate to the Roman Catholic Church in this
area. Clifton Kilpatrick, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the
PCUSA, said that in further dialogues the Roman Catholic Church "has to
help our church rediscover the New Testament concept of episcope and
episcopacy." Joe Small, PCUSA's coordinator for theology and worship,
said, "The question we could ask is how we might conceive of papal
primacy within a genuinely conciliar ecclesiology. " Kasper added that
since Vatican II, although the bishops have still held an authoritative
role, the Catholic Church "has adopted several conciliar models, such as
a Synod of Bishops."
Concerning the future dialogue
between the two groups, the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic participants
did not schedule any further official meetings but agreed to take
several steps toward further unity and understanding. The PCUSA and
Pontifical Council issued a joint statement, released by PNS on March
22, 2001, which reads in part as follows:
In the course of these discussions various aspects of the Petrine
ministry were examined, including primacy and collegiality, which
led us to broader questions of ecclesiology. From this discussion
and other dialogues, we find that there are many aspects of faith
and practice which we share in common such as belief in Jesus Christ
as the Son of God and the Redeemer, and in the Trinity. We have also
faced, with candor, the differences which still remain among others,
in our understanding of the nature of the Church and the locus of
its authority, the often negative judgments made against one another
in history, and particularly, the differences in our understanding
and practice of episcope.
We agree that the contemporary ecumenical spirit is part of a new
situation which enables us to address in new ways the issues which
have separated us.
Among the opportunities for further exploration, at either the
international or national levels, we suggest the following:
- The possibility of Reformed participation on the ecumenical
consensus on justification, building on the recent
Catholic-Lutheran agreement;
- The possibility, at the appropriate level, of reaching a
mutual recognition of the sacrament of baptism;
- The continuing study together of the events in the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries which led to our divisions. In this
context, we hope that it may become possible to declare that the
pejorative statements made against one another in the past, are
not in keeping with our views of each other today.
We give thanks to God for the gift of grace which has blessed our
time together, and we look for the continuing guidance of the Holy
Spirit, as we work on these tasks, trusting that Presbyterians and
Catholics may move to further areas of reconciliation and sharing in
faith and witness.
Pope John Paul II called
the visit by the Presbyterian delegation a "cause for joy" and said the
meeting "confirms our commitment to work for full Christian unity." It
is evident that the "contemporary ecumenical spirit" which the joint
document claims has allowed this unprecedented move toward unity is
permeating all of Christendom and is a danger to the true church of
Jesus Christ. Bible believing Christians must beware of the increasing
capitulation to the Roman Catholic Church on the part of Protestants and
Evangelicals. While both Roman Catholics and those with whom they
dialogue tend to twist terms and definitions and play semantic word
games in an attempt to forge unbiblical unity, faithful believers must
refuse to dialogue or unite with those who preach a false gospel. All
who embrace false doctrine possess the spirit of antichrist, and this
spirit of ecumenicity is prevalent in the world today. God's Word
clearly commands us to "have no fellowship, " "avoid" and "withdraw"
from those who teach false doctrine (Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:11) and from
those brethren who disobediently unite with such false teachers (2 Thess.
3:6, 14-15). Dialogue, consensus or conciliatory diversity is not an
option!
Return to Index
Prominent Evangelical
Leaders Embarrassed By
Participation In Ecumenical Gathering
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb 2001)
Over 1,700 notable
political and religious leaders gathered in Washington, D. C., on
January 19, 200 1, for an interracial and interfaith Inaugural Prayer
Luncheon for Unity and Renewal sponsored by the Washington Times
Foundation. Titled "America Come Together," the prayer
luncheon was described by the Washington Times as "one of
the largest and most diverse inaugural religious gatherings of clergy
and lawmakers in memory" (Washington Times, 1-20-01). The
three-hour long program included prayers and speeches by several
Christian pastors as well as a Jewish rabbi, a Muslim imam and a Roman
Catholic layman. The event included a tribute to evangelist Billy
Graham, Mar-tin Luther King, Jr. and the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
Notable participants and
attendees included James Merritt, president of the Southern Baptist
Convention, who gave a tribute to Billy Graham; Jerry Falwell,
chancellor of Liberty University and pastor of Thomas Road Baptist
Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, who delivered a special greeting on
behalf of Jesse Jackson and requested prayer for Jackson who recently
admitted to having had an extramarital affair; Paul Crouch, founder of
the Trinity Broadcasting Network; Kenneth Copeland, founder of Kenneth
Copeland Ministries; Tony Evans, senior pastor of the Oak Cliff Bible
Fellowship in Dallas, Texas; Rabbi David Ben-Ami, chairman of the
American Forum for Jewish-Christian Cooperation, who addressed the
common heritage of Jews and Christians; Jack Hayford, founding pastor of
The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California, who told the Washington
Times that the event represented a "new mood of inter-religious
and interracial cooperation," adding that "this is something
that's been a process in the past five years"; Pat Boone, an
entertainer who noted the .wonderful feeling" at the prayer
luncheon; Imam Hassan Qazwini, director of the Islamic Center of America
in Detroit, Michigan, who asked for the blessing of Allah upon President
George W. Bush and asked Allah to "bring smiles to all suffering
children of the world, especially in Iraq and Palestine"; and
Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove,
California, who said he was amazed at the wide variety of religious
groups praying together in the same room and complimented each for its
own "spiritual pilgrimage." Schuller added, "Many of you
had reason not to accept this invitation because of 'Who else will be
there?' And yet there is an overriding unity. And the only way I can
explain it in my theology is the Holy Spirit [and that] Jesus Christ has
really diversified His investment portfolio." (Washington Times,
1-20-01). According to a Baptist Press report, also in support of
the event was former National Association of Evangelicals president Don
Argue (Baptist Press, 1-23-01).
Following the ecumenical
prayer luncheon, several Southern Baptists who attended and participated
said they were surprised to discover that the event was hosted by the
Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Washington Times and the
leader of the Unification Church. James Merrit said, "We knew that
it was going to be an interdenominational event, but we had no idea that
the luncheon was hosted by the Moonies" (Baptist Press, 1-23-01)~.
"I didn't even see the program until I got there, " Merritt
said, adding, "I had no idea this was the nature of the
meeting." Other Southern Baptists also voiced their surprise and
disappointment, including Morris H. Chapman, Richard Land and Paul
Pressler.
While Merritt and other
Southern Baptists in attendance may not have realized the extent
of Moon's involvement with the luncheon, they were certainly aware that
the primary purpose of this interfaith luncheon for unity and renewal
was to bring together a wide variety of liberals and conservatives,
Charismatics and Evangelicals, believers and unbelievers. No true child
of God should have had any involvement whatsoever in this ecumenical
prayer gathering consisting of individuals with such differing
theological and doctrinal beliefs, regardless of whether or not Sun
Myung Moon played a vital part in hosting the event. Bible-believing
Christians need to realize that compromise and failure to practice
Biblical separation will not only bring shame to the cause of Christ but
also embarrassment to those who refuse to obey the plain commands of
Scripture.
Return to Index
The Pope As A Spokesperson for All Christians?
(FOUNDATION Magazine May-June 2001)
Does the possibility exist that
the pope could one day serve as the worldwide spokesperson for all
Christians? Apparently, a leader of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
which represents the majority of the world's Lutherans, believes the
question must, at least, be considered. Dr. Ishmael Noko, general
secretary of the LWF, publicly released the following statement on March
8, 2001, concerning the ongoing discussion among Lutherans and Roman
Catholics regarding a spokesperson for all Christians. Notice how Noko
appears open to the idea, referring to the pope as "one of the spiritual
leaders in the world today" and listing several questions that must be
addressed. Noko writes:
When Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Ut Unum Sint" (1995)
invited other Christians to a broader discussion of the papal
ministry, the LWF welcomed that initiative. We should not retract
from this discussion now, but contribute to it critically and
constructively.
For the Lutheran reformers the fundamental requirement of the
papacy was that it promote the free flow of the gospel in the church
and in the world. With that expectation still in place, Lutherans
can certainly look to the Pope, being the head of the Roman Catholic
Church, as one of the spiritual leaders in the world today.
We cannot, however, dissociate the spiritual role of the Pope
from his place in the institutional church which he leads, and by
which his ministry is primarily defined. He is the Bishop of Rome
and as such enjoys primacy in the Roman Catholic episcopate.
In any discussion of the role of the Pope or another Christian
leader as a spokesperson for all Christians, we must carefully
define and discuss what such a role would mean. We must be clear
about the purpose we see for a global spokesperson for all
Christians. Does globalization really call for a global spokesperson
for all Christians?
Another important aspect is the extreme complexity of the
worldwide Christian churches. We must make sure at the outset that
we do not as Lutherans and Roman Catholics consider the role of a
global spokesperson for all Christians from a perspective that is
too Western.
A fundamental question that must be considered in addition in the
time ahead is the accountability of a global Christian spokesperson.
What would be the accepted platform from which he or she would
speak? How would his or her accountability toward all Christians be
defined?
Raising such questions are not meant as a way to stifle
discussion, but rather to indicate some fundamental issues related
to the perspectives now being raised. We must probe deeply into them
and test them. The ecumenical movement requires that of us (LWI,
3-9-01).
This statement was reproduced in full in
order to reveal the mindset of one of the leaders of millions of the
world's Protestants. It is clearly evident that Noko is fully open to
the idea of a global spokesperson for all Christians, even if that
individual is the pope, as long as certain conditions are met and agreed
upon. According to Noko, dialogue concerning this issue must be
addressed and the reality of a global spokesperson must be considered
since "the ecumenical movement requires that of us." The laying of the
foundation of the apostate religious system described in Revelation 17
appears to be in process even now. Faithful believers must realize the
extent to which ecumenical apostasy has permeated Christendom and
separate from any unification with it.
Return to Index
Vatican, Presbyterians
Make Large Strides Toward
Unity
(FOUNDATION Magazine Jan-Feb 2001)
A two-day conference
between high-ranking Vatican officials and a Presbyterian delegation
appointed by the Presbyterian Church USA's Committee on Ecumenical
Relations has set the stage for greater ecumenical unity between Roman
Catholics and Presbyterians. The PCUSA news service described the
December 6-7 gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, as the highest-level
formal conversation ever to have occurred between Presbyterians and the
Vatican (PCUSA News, 12-6-00). Cardinal Edward Cassidy, president of the
Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, and Monsignor
John Radano, a staff member of the Pontifical Council, attended the
conference on behalf of the Vatican. The PCUSA report mentioned that
this gathering was especially noteworthy because the Roman Catholic
Church generally does not conduct its ecumenical affairs in such small
gatherings nor does the Vatican usually meet bilaterally with only one
denomination. Representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church in America
were also present as observers but not as participants.
Conference participants spent
the majority of their time discussing a 19-page paper written by
Presbyterian academics in response to Pope John Paul II's 1995 "Ut
Unum Sint," an encyclical that called for greater ecumenical unity
between Catholics and non-Catholics. Cassidy noted that the contents of
the Presbyterian paper, titled "The Successor to Peter," were
'very encouraging." He stated that Christians "have no option
but to work together" if they are to fulfill Christ's prayer as
recorded in John 17. "That is the goal of our quest," he
added, insisting that the Catholic Church is "looking for unity,
not uniformity. " Clifton Kilpatrick, stated clerk of the PCUSA
General Assembly, agreed with Cassidy and said, "The world is
calling us to greater unity," noting that trust and cooperation
between Presbyterians and Roman Catholics have blossomed at the local
level during the past several years.
The Presbyterian and Catholic
participants concluded that they already hold much in common. All agreed
that Jesus Christ commands them to continue to strive together to forge
ecumenical unity, and Cassidy noted that "there is so much unity
already in the essentials." Conference participants discovered that
baptism, defined by Cassidy as "a sacramental bond of unity"
and "the ontological reality that bonds [Catholics and
Presbyterians] together in Jesus Christ," is the most visible sign
of agreement between Presbyterians and Catholics. The PCUSA article
noted that the participants even "agreed to explore the development
of a common baptismal certificate that could be used interchangeably by
both churches." The Presbyterian authors of "The Successor to
Peter" lauded the Vatican for its recent agreement with the
majority of the world's Lutherans concerning the doctrine of
justification. The authors stated, "We should find some way of
adding our voice to the findings of the new ... document on
justification." Both parties also agreed on the authority of
Scripture and the doctrinal and ecclesiastical authority of the churches
over their members. Yet while both Presbyterians and Catholics disagree
on the very nature of the church itself, participants hinted that such
barriers could be overcome after further research and dialogue and
agreed to meet again at the Vatican in March for further study and
dialogue.
Return to Index
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