Category Archives: Ecumenism

EVANGELICALS and CATHOLICS – DIALOGUE unto DEATH

PART ONE [June 2002]

Recently I returned from a conference sponsored by the Wheaton College Graduate School Department of Bible and Theology and InterVarsity Press. Titled “Catholics and Evangelicals in Conversation,” the event brought together 14 theologians from both traditions, including Catholics Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, and Richard John Neuhaus, co-originator with Charles Colson of “Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium” (ECT). Leading ‘evangelicals’ included Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School, and J.I. Packer, well-known author of Knowing God. However, before sharing my observations concerning the significance of the conference and the increasing influence of ECT, let me share my experiences with the students of Wheaton College.

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The ‘leaven’ in ‘Power To Change’

The latest ploy to involve ‘Evangelical Catholics’ as full ‘partners’ and ‘participants’ in mainstream so-called Evangelical Mission efforts is being progressively launched over the next months through a series of video presentations and talks in various locations around Northern Ireland.

The name given to the initiative is ‘POWER TO CHANGE’ – It was first used in Canada and is now being imported here.

It stems from Campus Crusade for Christ whose founder Bill Bright was one of the ‘evangelical’ signers of the ‘Evangelicals and Catholics Together’ document in USA in 1994 and who a few years later accepted the Templeton prize [million dollars] for progress in religion – he accepted it in a Roman Catholic chapel in Rome in the presence of Cardinal Edward Cassidy who was involved in an advisory capacity for Rome in the drafting of the ‘Evangelicals and Catholics Together’ document. Other recipients of the Templeton prize have included ecumenists Billy Graham and Charles Colson and the well known [now deceased] Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa.

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News From The Front – December 2000

Dear praying friends,

As I begin to prepare this newsletter it is now almost 4 weeks since we moved to our new home in Ballynahinch. All that is said about the stress involved in moving house has proved to be accurate but thankfully many ‘loose ends’ are gradually being tied up.

We give thanks to God for His faithfulness and are confident that in due course all outstanding matters will be successfully concluded. Enclosed by separate letter are fuller details of the move as it has impacted on “Take Heed” Ministries.

As this landmark ‘millennium’ year draws to a close it is evident that the forces of darkness are flexing their spiritual muscles, confident that the tide of popular opinion is flowing their way. This should come as no surprise as Paul tells us of such a time when people “will not endure sound doctrine” [2 Timothy 4:3]. His remedy for such a situation was simple and concise “Preach the Word” [v 2]. Your prayers and continuing support for “Take Heed” are coveted that we may faithfully take an effective stand for truth in these days of great compromise.

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News From The Front – June 2000

Dear praying friends,

This newsletter is being issued to you in the midst of what will be [DV] a very busy travelling season as you will read on page 16. Not only is ministry business taking me overseas but ministry needs are also leading Margaret, mum Andrews and myself to a new house that will be better suited to the space requirements of “Take Heed”. The prospect of leaving number 11 Ballynahinch Road has brought a renewed sense of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the many happy memories that we will take from it. Here we shared together the last 10 years of my beloved father’s life until he went home to glory in 1995. Here Margaret and I have enjoyed our married life since 1987. Here we have been able to offer hospitality to and enjoy fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ who like ourselves are seeking to “earnestly contend for the faith” [Jude 3]. But as they say ‘life moves on’ and we look forward to serving God and His people from our new location [full details will be posted to you as soon as they are available]. Briefly but sincerely a big ‘thank you’ to the many who have given to the MISSION 2000 – by the time you receive this I hope that ALL the priests concerned will have been contacted [Full details will be given with my September newsletter {DV}]. In our next issues we will be including a series of articles that I was asked to write for the youth magazine of a particular denomination and which appear to have been well received [beginning with The Mormons]. We pray they will be helpful in equipping God’s people in these days.

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News From The Front – March 2000

Dear praying friends,

Well, after all the hype surrounding the arrival of a new millennium [a debatable point by the way] things are continuing pretty much as before. There is still “a time to be born and a time to die…a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace” [Ecclesiastes 4:2&8]. Nothing has changed because the heart of the natural, unregenerate man has not changed.

The only hope for a change of heart in man is still as it has been for the past 2000 years namely the true “gospel of Christ” [Romans 1:16]. With every passing day the darkness of error that would seek to snuff out “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” [2 Corinthians 4:4] seems to intensify and gain even more ground in the professing church that is supposed to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” [1 Timothy 3:15]. Despite the advances and acceptance of the cults, new age, ‘prosperity peddlers’, non-Christian faiths and especially Roman Catholicism together with false ecumenism the Lord’s promise still remains “I will build MY church” [Matthew 16:18]. Margaret and I want to thank you for all your past encouragement and support and covet your prayers as we seek to encourage people to “take heed that no man deceive you” [Matthew 24:4]

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BRENDAN McCARTHY’S ‘ALTERNATIVE DECLARATION’ of fundamental religious principles

Christians in Northern Ireland are being asked to ‘sign up’ to a declaration “of fundamental religious principles” [see Belfast Telegraph 17 April 1999]. This “declaration” has apparently been drawn up by Brendan McCarthy of Omagh Community Church. Before looking at several points contained in the “declaration” I think it would be helpful for people to know a few things about Mr McCarthy. By his own testimony he was raised as a Roman Catholic who in his teenage years had a ‘charismatic’ experience. He has told publicly of  how people from the Protestant churches appeared skeptical at times concerning his ‘conversion’. He studied for the Church of Ireland ministry and back in 1994 was the rector of St Columba’s Church of Ireland church in Omagh. In July of that he year he partnered JESUIT priest John McDade in the Public Debate I organised on the topic ‘Should Protestants and Catholics Worship Together’?

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“An Evangelical Celebration” A Time to Celebrate or a Time to Repent?

Unlike “Evangelicals and Catholics Together” (ECT I) and “The Gift of Salvation” (ECT II), a new document entitled “An Evangelical Celebration” (EC) is basically a biblically accurate presentation of the Gospel. In that, EC is eminently commendable and stands in stark contrast to the ECT I and II agreements, which remain under biblical condemnation since those two ecumenical documents give a false gospel.

Nevertheless, it must be questioned by serious Bible believers whether drafting yet another document is the biblical way to address compromise in presenting the Gospel–since following the biblical method is as essential as the Gospel itself. The Apostle Paul’s method in defending the Gospel is like that of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It is to lay a charge against those who teach false doctrine, and in so doing to glorify the Father. After the Apostle pronounces the judgement of God on those who continued in a false gospel, he explained his guideline for doing so, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

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News From The Front – June 1999

Dear praying friends,

It is with mixed emotions that I come to prepare this latest issue of News From The Front. On the one hand I will be reporting on a very happy and blessed time of ministry and fellowship that Margaret and I enjoyed during our visit to America. Then on the other hand I will be voicing grave concerns on issues that I believe the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must seriously face up to and with courage address.

In addition “Take Heed” is about to totally ‘go it alone’ [purely of course from a human standpoint – see page 16]. However we move forward with words from Joshua 1:7 as our heavenly prescription “only be thou strong and very courageous” and words from Genesis 46:3-4 as our heavenly pledge “fear not to go…I will go down with thee”.

Margaret and I want to record our thanks to all who have been so faithful and encouraging in recent months and we can assure you that God has been responding to the many prayers that have been offered on our behalf. Humbly we ask you to pray on for His cause and for His glory.

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‘The Gospel of Jesus Christ – An Evangelical Celebration’

On 10 June I received details of the latest ‘agreement’ involving ‘Evangelicals’ to be publicly revealed in the June 14 issue of ‘Christianity  Today’. As I downloaded the details via The Internet I felt that if Solomon were here to day he might be tempted to write, “of making many agreements there is no end” – see Ecclesiastes 12:12. This latest agreement is entitled

‘The Gospel of Jesus Christ – An Evangelical Celebration’

Hereafter I would intend to refer to it as ‘EC’. What is intriguing about this document is that it has been endorsed by a number of ‘Evangelicals’ who signed the controversial ECT 1& 2 documents of 1994 and 1997 [such as Charles Colson, Bill Bright and JI Packer] and ‘Evangelicals’ who publicly challenged and criticised their endorsement of those ECT 1 & 2 documents [such as RC Sproul, John MacArthur and D James Kennedy].

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A Christian Response by Cecil Andrews to “Adventures In Reconciliation” ’29 Catholic Testimonies’

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” [1st Timothy 4:1]

  • THE BACKGROUND

The Belfast Telegraph Churches page of 30th May 1998 carried a photograph of Irish President Mary McAleese together with former Roman Catholic Primate Cahal Daly and Church of Ireland Bishop Harold Miller examining a copy of the newly published book “ADVENTURES IN RECONCILIATION – 29 CATHOLIC TESTIMONIES” and mentioned that the book was on sale in Faith Mission bookshops. The joint editors of the book are Paddy Monagahan and Eugene Boyle who are leading figures in the ‘Evangelical Catholic Initiative’ based in Co.Dublin. It carries a preface by Cahal Daly, a foreword by Rev Ken Newell (Fitzroy Presbyterian Church) and commendations by Sean Brady (Current Roman Catholic Primate of Ireland), Rev Trevor Morrow (Lucan Presbyterian), Bishop Harold Miller, Dr.Ken Wilson (DunLaoghaire Methodist) and Paul Reid (Christian Fellowship Church). All those listed above with ‘Protestant’ connections are of course well known for their fervent ecumenical endeavours.

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