Unequally Yoked
[TBC: A decade ago the first Evangelicals and Catholics Together document was issued. The unbiblical yoking continues.]
Network reaffirms call for Oculture of life¹ [Excerpts]
A network of evangelical and Catholic leaders, reaffirming its call to build up a ³culture of life,² has issued a new statement that links the biblical principle of loving one¹s neighbor to care for the unborn, the frail and the dying. ³The direct and intentional taking of innocent human life in abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide and embryonic research is rightly understood as murder,² declares the new statement, ³That They May Have Life² from Evangelicals and Catholics Together.
Despite the strong language, the group rejected charges that they want to establish a ³theocracy² or impose their convictions on other Americans. The statement was published in the October issue of the Catholic magazine First Things and announced in this month¹s issue of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today.
The statement marks the sixth time that evangelical and Catholic leaders in the network have issued a joint document. It comes at a time when conservative Protestants and Catholics have overcome theological differences in an effort to work together on causes of mutual concern, such as opposition to same-sex marriage and assisted suicide.
Christianity Today Editor David Neff, who wrote an essay on the statement in the October issue of his magazine, said in an interview that he welcomes the latest document from the network. ³I like the emphasis on the tone, on the way in which to address polarization in our society on this while holding firm to a strong, certain commitment to what we see as an essential of Christian ethics,² Neff said.
Evangelical signers include Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship; Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; and Thomas Oden, professor emeritus of Drew University in New Jersey. Additional evangelical endorsers included National Association of Evangelicals President Ted Haggard, author and megachurch pastor Rick Warren and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.
(Banks, Religion News Service, 10/27/06)
