What are the Promise Keepers?

[Caballo]

Hello,

I am a Catholic convert, and have a friend that is very tied to the Baptist church. He is being drawn in by the Promise Keepers organization and need to know more about the organization from a Catholic apologist’s view. Can you give me a Catholic bias on the organization?

Thank you for your time!

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Promise Keepers is an Evangelical ministry for men that teaches and encourages men to be faithful to God and to their families. Its mission is a noble one and one for which Catholics can wholeheartedly agree that a need exists.

Whether Catholic men should participate is another question. The group does have an Evangelical Protestant perspective and its statement of faith includes affirmation of the Protestant doctrines of sola scriptura and sola fide. If a Catholic knows his Catholic faith, knows how and why it differs from Evangelical Protestantism, is strong in his Catholic faith, and is able to participate in Promise Keepers without being required to affirm Protestant doctrines that are antithetical to Catholic doctrine, it would not be wrong to take part. A Catholic who is not as well-formed, or who cannot in good conscience participate in Promise Keepers, can still appreciate the good that Promise Keepers does for Evangelical men but should consider Catholic alternatives to the movement such as Stephen Wood’s apostolate St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers.