March 4, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), like Campus Crusade for Christ and Youth for Christ, is dedicated to ecumenical relationships with Rome. In the early 1970s, InterVarsity Fellowship was already working with Catholic coordinators in their Bible studies in Catholic universities (Eternity, Nov. 1971).

The following report was made in 1971: "InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has been aided by the Catholic Alexian Brothers in operating a coffee house in Chicago’s hip ‘Old Town.’ Weekends, students from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Wheaton College work at the coffee house and sleep free at the Brothers’ home nearby. Last summer thirty evangelical youth worked full time and were boarded by the Brothers for a nominal fifteen dollars per month each" (James Hefley, A Prejudiced Protestant Takes a New Look at the Catholic Church, p. 123).

IVCF has joined with all sorts of ecumenical rallies and conferences since the early 1970s. IVCF was represented on the Central Committee for Key ‘73 and was a participant of the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit & World Evangelization, both of which had strong Catholic participation (see descriptions at the beginning of Part III of this book). Catholic priest Thomas Welbers announced in the official Los Angeles diocese paper that a four-year dialogue between IVCF and the Catholic Campus Ministry has resulted in an agreement to seek "mutual understanding" and to "refrain from competition in seeking members" (Battle Cry, October 1992).

In 1994, InterVarsity Press came out with the Handbook of Christian Apologetics by two Roman Catholic authors, Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli. Kreeft is a Catholic apologist who believes that Mary will ultimately conquer Satan and who believes that even Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists will probably go to Heaven. Tacelli is a Jesuit priest and a professor at Boston College. Why would InterVarsity choose Catholics to write such a book, or why would they publish such a book by Catholics?

In 1997, InterVarsity Press published Reclaiming the Great Tradition: Evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox in Dialogue. It was edited by James Cutsinger and contained articles by Harold O.J. Brown, Peter Kreeft, Richard Neuhaus, J.I. Packer, and others. The book is a collection of material from an ecumenical dialogue held at Rose Hill College, May 16-20, 1995. The objective of the dialogue was to answer the question: "How can Protestants, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians talk to each other so as together to speak with Christ’s mind to the modern world?" (p. 8).

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The book EVANGELICALS AND ROME: THE ECUMENICAL ONE-WORLD "CHURCH" (D.W. CLOUD) [ISBN 1-58318-058-3] is a diligently researched volume which traces the journey to Rome by Evangelical Christianity. Nothing more plainly demonstrates the ongoing fulfillment of prophecies pertaining to end-time apostasy and the formation of a world-world harlot "church." The Introduction extensively documents the history and apostasy of Evangelicalism since the 1940s. Part 1 answers the question "Is the Roman Catholic Church Changing?" It includes a study from official Vatican II documents as well as from the New Catholic Catechism proving that the RCC has not changed its heretical position on such things as the mass, the papacy, Mary, purgatory, the priesthood, prayers to the dead, and the sacraments. The author also shows that Vatican II and the New Catechism affirm the blasphemous declarations of the Council of Trent. Part II covers "Billy Graham and Rome," documenting Billy Graham's relationship with the Roman Catholic Church from 1950 to present. Part III covers "Other Influential Evangelical Leaders and Organizations and Rome," documenting dozens of popular evangelical leaders and organizations, including Bill Bright and Campus Crusade, Tony Campolo, Christianity Today, Christian Research Institute, James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Elizabeth Elliot, Jerry Falwell, Fuller Seminary, Franklin Graham, Carl Henry, Bill Hybels, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, D. James Kennedy, J.I. Packer, Luis Palau, Robert Schuller, John R. Stott, Thomas Nelson, United Bible Societies, Jack Van Impe, Wheaton College, World Magazine, World Vision, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and Youth for Christ. Part IV deals with "The Southern Baptist Convention and Rome." Part V deals with "The Charismatics and Rome." Dozens of influential Charismatic leaders and organizations are documented, including 100 Huntley Street, 700 Club, AGLOW, Assemblies of God, Jamie Buckingham, Morris Cerullo, David Yonggi Cho, Paul Crouch, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship, Kenneth Hagin, Michael Harper, Jack Hayford, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, Rex Humbard, Kathryn Kuhlman, David Mainse, Melodyland Christian Center, Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, James Robison, Vinson Synan, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Ralph Wilkerson, John Wimber, and Youth with a Mission. Part VI deals with "Promise Keepers and Rome." Part VII deals with "Contemporary Christian Music and Rome." Part VIII deals with the subject of "Evangelical Catholics." This section looks at the phenomenon of so-called evangelical Catholicism and charismatic Catholics. The book "Evangelical Catholics" by Keith Fournier (foreword by Chuck Colson) is reviewed and refuted from Scripture. Part IX looks at the many ways "Rome Denies Salvation by Grace Alone." Part X deals with the recent agreement between "Lutherans and Catholics on the Doctrine of Salvation by Grace." Part XI looks at Evangelicals and Catholics Together II. Part XII answers the question "Was Mother Teresa a True Christian?" Did she teach the people under her care the true Gospel? This study contains an interview with a nun who works with Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity. Read this amazing interview and learn what this Calcutta-trained nun does to prepare Hindus for death. Part XIII examines the charge that we don’t understand the Catholic Church. 352 pages, 7X8, perfect bound. $19.95 + $4 S/H. Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. 360-675-8311 (voice), fbns@wayoflife.org (e-mail).