Os Guinness on An Evangelical Manifesto

The press conference at the National Press Club announcing the release of “An Evangelical Manifesto” has just concluded. Os Guinness drafted the document and gives the following as one critical reason why the manifesto is so necessary:

When you have best-selling authors who appear on public television with “feel-good” gospels who have to apologize to their own churches that they’ve diluted the faith when they get home, something is profoundly wrong. When you have Evangelical leaders who make predictions in the name of God, which by biblical standards are openly false prophecy, something is badly wrong. When scholars and writers can look at the Evangelical political movement and describe them as “theocrats” or worse, as “fascists,” something is badly wrong.

You can listen to Os Guinness’ full statement at the National Press Club on An Evangelical Manifesto by clicking here.

5 thoughts on “Os Guinness on An Evangelical Manifesto

  1. Skeptimal
    I prefer to leave that arena to the local Church’s and their congregations. That is why we refer to ourselves as “independent”. I may disagree on whom we find to be false however. Most of the Biblicists I fellowship with are more concerned with the scriptural rather than the political sphere. Just for the record, I’m not a BJU boy, but in their defense, I have never met anyone who does not hold a prejudice, (unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, esp. of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group). It just depends on who the prejudice is held against. We are all raciest to one degree or another with a perceived justified reason in doing so. Human decency is a oxymoron, imparted righteousness is not.

    Thanks for the engagement.

    don

  2. Don,

    It’s true that sometimes a loud minority can masquerade as a majority, but if that is true, then the rest of Evangelicalism needs to speak up. I’m relieved to hear that some Christians are vocally opposing the excesses of televangelism, but that’s not what the rest of us are hearing.

    In fact, prior to this message by Os Guinness, I had yet to hear ANY Christian figure speak out about things like Pat Robertson’s false prophecies, James Dobson’s anti-democratic posturing, the racism at Bob Jones University, or Donald Wildmon’s hateful fantasies.

    Is it not reasonable to assume that loyalty to the brethren outweighs human decency in the “body of Christ?”

  3. Skeptimal

    (I have wondered for years why televangelists can make phrophecies that don’t come true without being labeled “false prophets.” )

    Most all the leadership in the local churches I have been affiliated with have always denounced the “false prophets”. This is where most of us find the truth being proclaimed. To paint all Christians into “Evangelical Christians” is a broad stroke of the brush however.

  4. Some of the mainstays in Evangelicalism did not sign on, I hope that people will look at them as start to discount the option of the Dobson’s and Robertson’s in our subculture. Probably not tho….

  5. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard something out of Evangelicalism that gave me hope that the movement is working toward rather than aggressively against religious freedom and democracy. To hear a well-known Christian leader advocating for Christians to respect the rights of non-Christians is contrary to the what has become the fundamental message of Evengelicalism: “hatred saves souls.”

    (I have wondered for years why televangelists can make phrophecies that don’t come true without being labeled “false prophets.” )

    Can it really be that Evangelicalsm would consider turning a corner? Might the largest religious bloc actually SUPPORT religious freedom rather than try to undermine it? Might Evangelical Christians someday motivate themselves without demonizing minority groups?

    I would love for this to be possible. The greater likelihood is that this manifesto will be ignored. I hope I’m wrong.

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