A report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media. This week’s item is from the News Telegraph website, June 4th, 2002 with a headline: “Leaders of faiths sign pledge to foster unity.”A historic document committing English church leaders to work together for greater Christian unity was signed in Windsor yesterday in the presence of the Queen.The parties to the agreement—the first of its kind—were the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey; the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor; the Free Church’s Group Moderator, the Reverend Tony Burnham; and the Reverend Esme Beswick, representing smaller Churches.The covenant, signed in the Vicars' Hall, Windsor Castle, commits the signatories to pray and work together, to consult each other and to join in working for justice. It sets out their common understanding of the Christian faith and expresses their appreciation of the progress made in relation to unity between Churches.The four Church leaders are each presidents of the ecumenical group, Churches Together in England, and met for consultations with other religious leaders at St George's House, Windsor, at the weekend.A spokesman for Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said last night: "Although the agreement does not put in place a particular series of talks or meetings, it is nevertheless significant. The fact that they have put their names to this is another step in the right direction."A spokesman for Dr Carey said the covenant bound Church leaders, though not Churches, to work together. However, he added: "It is hoped that the leaders will take their Churches with them."The Personal Covenant between the Presidents of Churches Together in England says: "We rejoice that the Churches in England are steadily growing closer in mutual trust and respect. We have in common many joys and hopes, and we have much to offer and to receive from one another in the rich diversity of our traditions."
Tom:
Dave when I hear something like this and this isn’t new, it’s been going on all over by different groups—
Dave:
Right, getting worse…
Tom:
This is a major, because we are talking about England, we are talking about the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church and other churches that are coming together.When you look back historically, you can see that there was a lot of bloodshed between groups and wars were fought over that.We have Ireland for example, Northern Ireland, Protestants versus the Catholics.
Dave:
It’s still going on.
Tom:
Yes, so when people hear about this, they get really excited.Dave, this is all good stuff in terms of many people’s views and what could possibly be wrong with this?
Dave:
The problem is there is nothing in here about truth.There is nothing in here about heaven or hell; there’s nothing in here about salvation.They say we are steadily growing closer in mutual trust and respect.Okay, so we have some guys that are trusting and respecting one another.What’s that have to do with heaven or hell?“We have in common many joys and hopes.”Okay, all human beings have in common many joys and hopes.“We have much to offer and receive from one another in the rich diversity of our traditions.”Traditions?But what about God?What does he have to say about this?And what really is important is the eternal destiny of souls and we just talked in our last segment that we are non-physical spiritual beings living in a physical body and when our bodies are laid in the grave and deteriorate, return to dust, where will that thinking person, the soul and spirit that live in that body be?And spend eternity?Because although bodies are subject to the second law of thermodynamics, souls and spirits are not.Now that’s what we ought to be concerned about.Not our traditions.And isn’t it wonderful we respect one another; we have many joys to share and so forth.But wait a minute, guys!What about the truth?What about Peter, who the Cardinal would say was the first pope of the Catholic Church who said “Neither is there salvation in any other.There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must (not may) be saved.”And Christ himself, who said, “I am THE way, THE truth, THE life, no man comes to the Father, but by me.”
Tom:
Okay Dave, I know you are working your way in this direction, but these are Christian groups.The Archbishop of Canterbury; the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor—
Dave:
Yes, because you call yourself a Christian doesn’t mean you are a Christian.And because you are recognized as a great Christian leader doesn’t mean that you are necessary a Christian and even though you may be a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you are always true to Christ.Maybe you are compromising.Maybe you have in mind wouldn’t it be nice if we could all get along together and you have in mind some kind of a peace on this earth that does not depend on the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.Oh well, we name the name of Christ, we believe in Christ.Yes, but Paul says I am concerned, he writes to the Corinthians, I am concerned that you would be led astray to believe in another Jesus, another Christ.I can’t call myself a Christian if I don’t follow the teachings and obey Jesus Christ and I don’t believe his Word.
Tom:
Dave, why?Is it because you are just not going to be as orthodox as one group or another group?What’s the point?
Dave:
The point is, Tom, if in my heart I am a raging communist back in the days of the Cold War—Soviet, but I pose as a Republican, conservative Republican and I use all the language of a conservative Republican, they might even vote me in as the head of the Republican Party.They might even make me president of the United States, but in my heart I am a communist.So to call oneself a Christian and not be a true Christian—
Tom:
You are going to miss salvation.That’s the point, right?
Dave:
And you’re going to lead other people astray.So my concern is that these men as leaders, they are so concerned about let’s all get along together, and look, we do have some things in common that they have forgotten what this is all about.This is about heaven and hell.This is about salvation.
Tom:
This is about a false gospel and if they have a false gospel, no one of any of these groups, I don’t care how many groups get together, if you don’t have the gospel, you don’t have eternal life in Christ and if some of them have a false gospel that’s where the problem is.
Dave:
And the gospel is that Christ died for our sins and Jesus Christ was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.And Jesus himself said to those who claimed they believed on him, if you don’t believe that I am God, you will die in your sins.And we have polls of people who call themselves born-again Christians who don’t believe that Jesus was God.Some of them don’t believe in the resurrection.This is not my words; this is very serious.Jesus himself said, “[If] you do not believe this, where I go, you cannot come.”Because there is something we must believe in order to meet God’s requirements for him to give us forgiveness of sins.
Tom:
Right.
Dave:
It’s that simple.
Tom:
And that very basis.You must believe, not you must attend church, you must receive the sacraments, you must be baptized, all of these things—that is not the gospel that saves. It is by faith and faith alone.
Dave:
In Jesus Christ our Savior.