Thanks, KKdM, for sharing this and describing your hesitations before signing. It strikes me as an iteration of the Barmen Declaration (silent shudder). I'm grateful for those who were moved to draft this CoC, and circulate it. I need to re read before signing ... I could wish there was more said about distinguishing between God's Word and the fallibility and of translators and interpreters.
Are these the same evangelicals who are supporting Trump and advocating for Christian nationalism? It looks to me like there are two different religions. The one described above is aspirational and the actual religion is the Trump cult. I’m Episcopalian and could sign the statement outlined above, but I’ve NEVER supported Trump for anything other than prison.
The allure of political or religious power (end justifies the means) seems to be a chronic temptation of the church. I applaud this effort, but those who need to heed it will instead ignore it, or more likely, demonize the authors and those who endorse it.
I AM VERY SURPRISED BY THESE WORDS. I EXPECTED A NARROW SHARING OF EVANGELICAL DOMIMNANCE. I SALUTE THE MAJORITY OF THIS. BEING A ELCA LUTHERAN I WILL NOT SIGN BUT FIND MANY COMONALITIES HERE.
I have studied extensively the "Fulton Street Noontime Prayer Revival", started by a Reformed Church in America white male and sustained by white males in 1857. I believe that the prayers of that revival, though perhaps not intended, bore the fruit of the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. "God is able and does, immeasurably more than we ask or imagine..." when we ask. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I am committed to praying for a revival in our day which again bears the fruit not just of personal conversions but of dramatic social change...
While I recognise that this "confession" is trying to express, somewhat as Brian McLaren describes, "being Christian, but not that kind of Christian", as a ex-evangelical who can no longer identify with any christian institution, yet remains a seeker of spiritual growth and values the principles of Jesus' teaching, I see this "confession" as significantly problematic.
It includes circular references, self-contradictions, and clings to an assumption of "us being (exclusively) right". It promotes the kind of hope of eschatological rescue that Brian McLaren warns leads to complacency (Life after Doom ch. 6). It seeks to reject idolatry while in the same breath promoting it. It seeks to reject imperialism while subtly retaining it. It seeks to be inclusive, but doesn't explicitly mention any of the key attributes that the churches have tended to use to dehumanise people, including race, gender (including cis and trans), sexuality, and religion or the lack of it.
The quandry for me, is that while this "confession" could provide a useful first step for those conservatives seeking to distance themselves from the nationalistic drift of right-wing christianity, it still enshrines the very "christian exceptionalism" that I think has been the theological vulnerability that has allowed christian nationalism to take hold in the first place.
I walked away from the Evangelical movement at age 18 when I realized they were the biggest bunch of hypocrites I had ever met. Even at my young and naive age I got it. If they had lived their lives like this declaration I might not have walked away.
As a practicing Latter-day Saint, I could get behind this, and am probably pretty far from what most Americans would think of as "evangelical." Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, KKdM, for sharing this and describing your hesitations before signing. It strikes me as an iteration of the Barmen Declaration (silent shudder). I'm grateful for those who were moved to draft this CoC, and circulate it. I need to re read before signing ... I could wish there was more said about distinguishing between God's Word and the fallibility and of translators and interpreters.
Are these the same evangelicals who are supporting Trump and advocating for Christian nationalism? It looks to me like there are two different religions. The one described above is aspirational and the actual religion is the Trump cult. I’m Episcopalian and could sign the statement outlined above, but I’ve NEVER supported Trump for anything other than prison.
I’m fairly certain the vast majority of signers are not supporting Trump and they are signing because they do not support Chr nationalism.
40 years ago I was at Fuller EVANGELICAL Seminary, as it was called then. I would have easily signed this statement.
After 40 Years as a Presbyterian Pastor, 3 different presbyteries, I can no longer use the word Evangelical.
The harm that has been committed and the fresh wounds every day for so many people in communities of LGBT+,
For us women pastors, for the poor and for all communities of color, are still so profound, it is impossible to sign and that breaks my heart.
I love Jesus, believe me. He is Lord and Savior of the whole universe.
May His mercy come with His judgment.
I was encouraged that it does not use the term inerrancy. If evangelicalism can shed that toxic belief, then maybe it can be salvaged.
I wouldn't have signed if it had.
The allure of political or religious power (end justifies the means) seems to be a chronic temptation of the church. I applaud this effort, but those who need to heed it will instead ignore it, or more likely, demonize the authors and those who endorse it.
Yes, signers are prepared to be demonized. And this is a fairly mild statement.
I AM VERY SURPRISED BY THESE WORDS. I EXPECTED A NARROW SHARING OF EVANGELICAL DOMIMNANCE. I SALUTE THE MAJORITY OF THIS. BEING A ELCA LUTHERAN I WILL NOT SIGN BUT FIND MANY COMONALITIES HERE.
TED JOHNSTONE
I have studied extensively the "Fulton Street Noontime Prayer Revival", started by a Reformed Church in America white male and sustained by white males in 1857. I believe that the prayers of that revival, though perhaps not intended, bore the fruit of the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. "God is able and does, immeasurably more than we ask or imagine..." when we ask. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I am committed to praying for a revival in our day which again bears the fruit not just of personal conversions but of dramatic social change...
Thanks for posting this!
While I recognise that this "confession" is trying to express, somewhat as Brian McLaren describes, "being Christian, but not that kind of Christian", as a ex-evangelical who can no longer identify with any christian institution, yet remains a seeker of spiritual growth and values the principles of Jesus' teaching, I see this "confession" as significantly problematic.
It includes circular references, self-contradictions, and clings to an assumption of "us being (exclusively) right". It promotes the kind of hope of eschatological rescue that Brian McLaren warns leads to complacency (Life after Doom ch. 6). It seeks to reject idolatry while in the same breath promoting it. It seeks to reject imperialism while subtly retaining it. It seeks to be inclusive, but doesn't explicitly mention any of the key attributes that the churches have tended to use to dehumanise people, including race, gender (including cis and trans), sexuality, and religion or the lack of it.
The quandry for me, is that while this "confession" could provide a useful first step for those conservatives seeking to distance themselves from the nationalistic drift of right-wing christianity, it still enshrines the very "christian exceptionalism" that I think has been the theological vulnerability that has allowed christian nationalism to take hold in the first place.
I walked away from the Evangelical movement at age 18 when I realized they were the biggest bunch of hypocrites I had ever met. Even at my young and naive age I got it. If they had lived their lives like this declaration I might not have walked away.
As a practicing Latter-day Saint, I could get behind this, and am probably pretty far from what most Americans would think of as "evangelical." Thank you for sharing this.