| | Dear Faith Defenders,
The Roman Catholic “Manhattan Declaration” was one of the most deceptive statements ever written. It affirmed that human reason apart from and independent of Scripture was the ultimate and final Judge of truth and morals. It was an affirmation of Catholic Natural Religion, Natural Theology, and Natural Law. It was also a protest statement against the Reformation doctrine of Sola Scriptura in which the Bible alone is the ultimate authority over doctrine and morals.
The following Protestant leaders who signed the Catholic statement of faith in Natural Law fall into three groups:
a. Some of them did not read the document but signed it because they trusted those who said it was “OK” to sign. “If so and so signed it, it must be OK.” They were ignorant and foolish to sign a “Manifesto” without understanding what they were signing.
b. Some read the Declaration superficially and were ignorant that it was teaching Catholic Natural Religion, Law, and Theology. They did not understand that the Reformation had repudiated. Catholic Natural Theology and Law as humanism.
c. Some of them do not believe that the Bible is the final authority over morals and doctrine but they trust in their own reason, feelings, and experience as the Origin of truth, justice, morals, meaning, and beauty. They do not believe in Sola Scriptura and laughed at those who signed it in ignorance.
As we documented in our last report, Catholic leaders, such as Dr. George, who wrote the Declaration have publicly stated their amazement that Evangelical leaders would sign a document that was actually a repudiation of the Reformation. We are just as amazed.
The following well-known Protestants leaders signed the Declaration. We know some of these men and hold them in the highest respect as fellow brothers. We know that they believe in Sola Scriptura and that they will be embarrassed now we have exposed the Catholic nature of the “Manhattan Declaration.” We pray that they will be not angry for our pastoral admonition for signing such a document. To receive correction is a mark of true humility and wisdom. Thus they should demonstrate their love of the truth by withdrawing their name and support for the Declaration.
Those leaders who signed the Declaration with full knowledge that they were dethroning the Bible and replacing it with human reason, should be placed under church discipline and fired from their teaching or pastoral positions. We do not view them as fellow Christians but as “wolves in sheep clothing.”
The Catholic “Manhattan Declaration” underscores the importance of my new book, The Bible, Natural Law, and Natural Theology: Compromise or Conflict? We must boldly proclaim that the Bible is the final Rule of faith and life and that any attempt to replace it with rationalism, mysticism, empiricism or fideism is heretical and a denial of the Reformation Gospel.
Contact those who signed the Catholic Statement and ask them to withdraw their name from it. If they refuse to do so, then do not financially support them or their schools, churches or organizations. Be bold as a lion and kind as a lamb because most of the signers were ignorant of what they signed. If they deny it was a Catholic Declaration or that it repudiated Sola Scriptura, it will reveal that they signed it in ignorance.
Lastly, pray for these people as they have a hard decision to make. If they humble themselves before the Lord and affirm their allegiance to Sola Scriptura, they must swallow their pride and admit that they signed the Declaration in ignorance of what it really meant. But such humility will be hard for those who are bloated with their own self-importance. But as soon as some of the well-known leaders withdraw their name, many others will follow their lead. Who will be the first leaders to do the right thing and withdraw their name?
If you contact a signer and he denies the Catholic connection to the Declaration, make the following offer: Dr. Morey is ready, willing, and able to debate you in public whether the “Manhattan Declaration” is a Roman Catholic affirmation of Natural Law and Natural Theology and whether it is in principle a repudiation of the Reformation doctrine of Sola Scriptura.”
Jude 3
Dr. Robert Morey
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