From here:
In an email praising The Manhattan Declaration (an issue that currently has Christians on both sides, but NONE that I know would agree with this), Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family wrote:
It is important, first off, to note that the Manhattan Declaration is not a partisan or political statement…Instead, it addresses and elevates four specific areas of universal consensus. Some have referred to these as “threshold issues,” meaning they represent the foundation of our faith and the pivot point from which everything else flows. This is the bedrock. If we can’t agree on these areas of doctrine, everything else will be of reduced value. (emphasis added)
These four areas are:
1. The sanctity of human life.
2. The sanctity of marriage.
3. The protection of religious liberty.
4. The rejection of unjust laws.Daly refers to these as “baseline principles” of the Christian faith. Now, there are intramural debates over which is the foundation of our faith, Christ or Scripture, God or His Word, etc., but Daly opts for neither and instead claims 1-4 above. I’ve offered my blog, biblicalthought.com, as a place to discuss the Manhattan Declaration. There you will also find more discussion of Daly’s email in the thread: Discussing the Manhattan Declaration
Really? That’s the foundation of the Christian faith.
I have to wonder what Christ would have to say about that.
Also, read this.
Dave Doran argues persuasively and, I believe, quite correctly that Al Mohler and other signatories of the Manhattan Declaration create “confusion about the real meaning of Christian.” I believe they’ve imprudently dodged foundational theological differences in an attempt to speak prophetically with a united voice to the culture. They’re concerned about serious moral issues, but they err in elevating those moral issues at the expense of gospel clarity…..
(HT-Jason)
November 27th, 2009 3:04 pm
Um, no. Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christian faith.
November 27th, 2009 3:09 pm
Indeed, Dr. Heard you are more than correct.
November 27th, 2009 6:26 pm
As I have said here and elsewhere, this declaration is at best errant and at worst another gospel. Looks like people are trying to make me look optimistic.
November 27th, 2009 6:29 pm
Ha!
November 27th, 2009 7:07 pm
R.K., check out the conversations today on Twitter
http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23mdec
November 27th, 2009 7:42 pm
“Confusion” indeed becomes a matter of perception.
November 27th, 2009 7:54 pm
Indeed