Are we bound by the Lousanne Covenant?

  • Thread starter Thread starter StevEdward
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

StevEdward

Guest
What was agreed upon in the Lausanne Covenant? I’ve been told that the Catholic and Protestant evangelists who met there made an agreement. Apparently it was to the effect that there is no controversy regarding the essentials of our faith. And it was also agreed in this covenant that the Catholic Church is not a cult, and that our common interests outweigh any issues over our differences? Many Protestants appear unaware of it.

This argument is currently being used by certain individuals who post on the Bible Study & Theology board of ChristianMingle.com, to derail any open discussion over Catholic/Protestant issues of interpretation.
 
All matters of Faith and Morals that we are required to believe are in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” first printed in the US in March 2000.

Although I have not heard of the Lausanne Covenant that you are writing about, nor do I know which Protestant Churches participated in such a document.

I can tell you that a few of the founders of some Protestant Churches are probably rolling over in their graves with some demonimations not preaching against abortions, and others approving gay sexual activity.
 
I don’t think that the catholic church was involved with this. It appears to be a purely evangelical Christian movement.

Here is a link

From the link:

*The International Congress on World Evangelization was held in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1974. The gathering was called by a committee headed by Rev. Billy Graham and drew more than 2,300 evangelical leaders, from 150 countries. *

Bolding mine.

Peace
James
 
Since Switzerland has two state churches, Catholic, and Protestant; it is presumed that both were represented. Apparently it was agreed upon that the Catholic Church is not a cult. At the event it was also agreed that the Catholic Church does 90% of Mercy Ministry Work on the planet. It may not be relevant, but the writer also states that the Catholic Church feeds and clothes the hungry in most every major town and city in the U.S.( most likely true!)

The point given is that because Switzerland has two state churches; Catholic and Protestant, that both were in some way included in the conclusion: “To emphasize the essentials of our faith on which there is no controversy.”
 
Source: lausanne.org

I have been on and off researching the Lausanne Movement website. It’s a worldwide movement that mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization.

This movement originates from the 1966 World Congress on Evangelism held in West Berlin, Germany. Sponsored by two American organizations - the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christianity Today Magazine. Planned mostly by Americans, this conference gave many indications of explosive growth in Africa, Asia and Latin America along with non- western cultures.

In July 16-25, 1974 at Lausanne, Switzerland, International congress on World Evangelization gathered a comittee headed by Billy Graham drew more than 2,300 evangelical leaders from 150 countries.

The gathering produced the “Lausanne Covenant”, a declaration that is “intended to define the necessity, responsibilities, and goals of spreading the Gospel”. Since 1974, the Lausanne Covenant has challenged Christians to work together to make Jesus Christ known throughout the world. Also, hundreds of organizations use the Lausanne Covenant as their ministry Statement of Faith.
Code: 
  On October 16-25, 2010  In Cape Town, South Africa, the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization will have 4000 leaders from 200 countries.
The Lausanne Movement is to work toward evangelicals united in total evangelization of the world.

In the past, some Catholic Cardinals and Catholic Bishops have had dialouge with evangelical leaders

Too much to list. Go to lausanne.org
 
Some truly great information here. Thank you all very much! 👍

There are a number of Catholics that have joined in the discussions on the message boards at ChristianMingle.com. A great many former Catholics can also be found there. My discussions with them are causing me to really perspire, just as Patrick Madrid said I would. The satisfaction among Protestants with the “faith alone” theology can be difficult to overcome, even with my use of humility and respect. And the occasional question about Catholic/Protestant marriages can really cause an uproar among them all.

May the peace of the Lord be with you all!

Steven
 
StevEdward said:
What was agreed upon in the Lausanne Covenant? I’ve been told that the Catholic and Protestant evangelists who met there made an agreement. Apparently it was to the effect that there is no controversy regarding the essentials of our faith. And it was also agreed in this covenant that the Catholic Church is not a cult, and that our common interests outweigh any issues over our differences? Many Protestants appear unaware of it.

This argument is currently being used by certain individuals who post on the Bible Study & Theology board of ChristianMingle.com, to derail any open discussion over Catholic/Protestant issues of interpretation.
Click to expand...
Just scanning the site I see a number of issues that would prevent Catholics from agree with this group, not the least of which are Sola Scriptura in the original document and the classification of non- “born again” Catholics as “Nominal Christians”.
 
Let me toss in a Protestant perspective:

I don’t at all feel bound by the Lausanne Covenant. Whatever some church leaders do, doesn’t affect me and is of no authority. But, from what I’ve read so far, I am in general agreement with it.
 
Thank you. Your Protestant perspective is well noted. However, the truth of it may be that any harmony between Catholicism and Protestantism, whether real or imagined, simply doesn’t exist anywhere within the Lausanne Covenant. That in no way means that Catholic evangelism was not mentioned there, but simply that our two theologies are essentially still in contention over certain matters. Is that not true?

May the peace of the Lord be with you,

Steven
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top