Unprecedented coalition of religious leaders call Americans to stand for sanctity of life, marriage, and religious freedom

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Washington D.C., Nov 20, 2009 / 06:21 am (CNA).- An unprecedented coalition of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders, and scholars has crafted a 4,700-word declaration addressing the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty. The declaration issues “a clarion call” to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not “under any circumstance” abandon their Christian consciences.
The statement, called “the Manhattan Declaration,” has been signed by more than 125 Catholic, Evangelical Christian, and Orthodox leaders, and will be made fully public at a noon press conference in the National Press Club in Washington DC on Friday.
“We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence,” the statement says.
“We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral,” the signatories explain.
But they also made clear that “we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.”
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catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17774&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+catholicnewsagency/dailynews+%28CNA+Daily+News%29

Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience

firstthings.com/onthesquare/2009/11/manhattan-declaration58-a-call-of-christian-conscience
 
The declaration, an ecumenical document endorsed by Orthodox, Evangelicals, and Catholic Prelates including Abps Chaput, Rigali, Dolan, Kurtz, and Wuerl, is “A Call to Christian Conscience” addressing concerns related to the sanctity of life, marriage, and religious liberty. It’s well worth a read. First Things (whose editor also signed it) has posted it here.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
Indeed. We must have been posting the link at about the same time. Hopefully, the Mods will clean things up, and just leave this one, since it was here first.
 
We’'ll also need more of the sticking together for the times ahead…peace to you…
 
Amazing news! I wish I could sign it however they only list US States as places to live, and seeing that I live in Manitoba, Canada. I cannot lie, even if it is for a great cause. I hope that an accord such as this will be created here in Canada very soon!👍
 
I saw the webstream of the public release of this document on the Fox website today. I pray that it may well become a rallying point for believing and practicing Christians in confronting the major errors pursued by the political and secular world. Archbishops Wuerl and Rigali were very clear in regard to their statements. I was most impressed with the Catholic lawyer from ?West Virginia, who, as the spokesperson, was very articulate in communicating the meaning of the document to the press. It made me very proud to be Catholic.

Tim
 
Rob_Brown said:
Amazing news! I wish I could sign it however they only list US States as places to live, and seeing that I live in Manitoba, Canada. I cannot lie, even if it is for a great cause. I hope that an accord such as this will be created here in Canada very soon!👍
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I signed it, and it took it. I just entered “Burnaby BC Canada” in city, skipped the state, and entered my postal code. I put in the verification code words, hit submit, and it took it.

Try it.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
I’m not sure I agree with the notion that marriage is the most important institution for sustaining the health and welfare of society. In the Bible, Paul indicated it was better to remain single and that if one chose to marry, there would be troubles in life. So perhaps it would be better to rephrase it to state that some marriages could be considered beneficial to sustaining the health and welfare of individuals, and that marriage in general can contribute to many good things in society.

Along with that…as a Christian, I refuse to believe that "…marriage is made possible by the sexual complementarity of man and woman". I believe marriage is a union of the souls more than anything, and that sex truly has nothing to do with it. Otherwise, why would those who are disabled, and unable to have sex, be permitted to marry? Would it not be a gross discrimination against them to forbid them the joy of having their souls and hearts joined together as one?

I believe men can be married…“joined together as one”, if you will. Not because of any sexual complimentarity, but because I’m reminded of the story of David and Jonathan. Their souls were knit together, and Jonathan loved David as his own soul. Indeed, David lamented that Jonathan’s love for him surpassed the love of women. What they had together may not have been called “marriage” as such, but it was every bit as strong of a bond as what you find between a husband and wife. How can you break the bond of two souls knit together by God?

And before you guys attack me…because I’m sure some of you will feel the need to counter what I’ve said…don’t read anything more into my words than what I said.
 
I’ve been promoting this all day. The number of signatures has grown from abt 13,500 this morning to presently 19,473. I gave a copy of it to our pastor this morning. I hope our bishop signs it and encourages his priests to do likewise.

www.manhattandeclaration.org
 
I don’t see what is so unprecedented. Christians are always glad to join up to oppose freedom of marriage and make Christianity the state religion.
 
onthenarrowpath said:
I’m not sure I agree with the notion that marriage is the most important institution for sustaining the health and welfare of society. In the Bible, Paul indicated it was better to remain single and that if one chose to marry, …
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I detect some dualism in this approach to the question, by which I mean the separation of the human being into a physical and a spiritual part. One cannot do that, and end up with a workable and Christian anthropology.

And marriage is most definitely not just or primarily between souls. That is implicit in the vows: “'till death do us part.” Death dissolves a marriage, but the soul endures.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
Gerry_Hunter said:
I detect some dualism in this approach to the question, by which I mean the separation of the human being into a physical and a spiritual part. One cannot do that, and end up with a workable and Christian anthropology.

And marriage is most definitely not just or primarily between souls. That is implicit in the vows: “'till death do us part.” Death dissolves a marriage, but the soul endures.

Blessings,

Gerry
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We will have to agree to disagree on what constitutes a marriage. After all, can you address what I said about a disabled man and disabled woman becoming married? How is that considered a marriage if they can’t have sex with one another?
 
onthenarrowpath said:
Along with that…as a Christian, I refuse to believe that "…marriage is made possible by the sexual complementarity of man and woman". I believe marriage is a union of the souls more than anything, and that sex truly has nothing to do with it. Otherwise, why would those who are disabled, and unable to have sex, be permitted to marry? Would it not be a gross discrimination against them to forbid them the joy of having their souls and hearts joined together as one?
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I just want to clarify that the inability to consummate a marriage (not the choice) is an impediment to marriage within the Catholic Church. Thus those who cannot physically form a conjugal union are not permitted to marry. This might be shocking but there is a whole rhyme and reason to this. Below are links for further inquiry if one is interested. This does not preclude marriages where a man and a women are physically able to consummate a marriage choices not to. That is not an impediment to marriage. Nor is infertility an impediment.

ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM

catholiccompany.com/catholic-gifts/1004188/Good-News-About-Sex-Marriage/?category=789
 
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