Updated February 5, 2007 (first published to the Fundamental Baptist Information Service January 19, 2000) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

The following first appeared in O Timothy magazine, Volume 4, Issue 2, 1987. I am republishing it now to give our readers more background information about the apostasy of the late Pope John Paul II, who was revered by many evangelical leaders.

The Christian world is clamoring to join hands with Rome. We are told that Rome is no longer the apostate institution it was in the sixteenth century. Not only is that not true, but THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF OUR DAY IS ACTUALLY FAR MORE UNSCRIPTURAL THAN IT WAS IN LUTHER’S DAY. It still holds all of its ancient heresies that were condemned by Baptists and Protestants of old, such as the Pope being the head of church, the mass being the re-sacrifice of Christ, Mary being the ever-virgin Queen of Heaven, prayers to and for the dead, and the sacraments being a channel for salvation. In addition to traditional Catholic heresies, the Roman Catholic Church of our day is filled with many gross errors which were almost unknown to the Catholic Church of the sixteenth century, such things as Evolution (even the late Pope declared his belief in it), New Age faith and practice (i.e., a seminar at Catholic Quigley Seminary in Chicago in 1988 featured messages by Matthew Fox and other New Age speakers on “the cosmic Christ within”), universalism (Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II are examples of contemporary Catholic leaders who believe all men are children of God), and modernistic theology (Rome’s theological schools are largely given over to the modernistic approach to the Bible which denies the infallible inspiration of Holy Scripture, the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch, etc.).

The following report leaves no doubt about Rome’s complete apostasy.

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As we dig in the ecumenical walls for 1986 the most striking event is the Day of Prayer for World Peace. Never before in church history has there been a clearer fulfillment of the New Testament prophecies of the great falling away from the faith and of the formation of the Harlot one-world religion. Indeed, in this now famous peace meeting we see that the hour is very, very late, brethren.

In the center of this amazing event we see a cheerful man who claims to be the sole successor to the apostle Peter and the Head of all churches. Gathered around Peter’s supposed successor are all sorts of leaders of other religions--religions Peter considered heathen and godless. What are these men and women doing? Why, they have come together, they say, to pray to their gods for world peace!

The meeting, which was held in Assisi, Italy, October 26, 1986, was first announced by John Paul II January 25 of that year. The announcement was made during a Mass in Rome marking the end of the Christian Unity Week. The official Vatican newspaper reports the Pope’s words on the occasion of the announcement:

“‘Peace within the Church and peace with all mankind.’ The words of Pope Gregory VII are particularly appropriate in this year 1986, which the United Nations Organization has proclaimed as the International Year of Peace. ... In regard to this matter, I wish to announce on this solemn occasion that I am initiating opportune consultations with the leaders, not only of the various Christian Churches and communions, but also of the other religions of the world, to organize with them a special meeting of prayer for peace, in the city of Assisi ... The date and details of this meeting will be decided as soon as possible” (“Pope’s Announcement in St. Paul’s Basilica: Meeting of Prayer for Peace with all Religious Leaders,” L’osservatore Romano, 10 February 1986, page 19).

It was, by the way, from this same location on January 25, 1959, that the late Pope John XXIII announced his decision to convene Vatican Council II (RNS, January 27, 1986).

WHO WAS THERE?

Altogether there were 160 participants at the prayer meeting for peace in Assisi (Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colorado, October 28, 1986). Let us note some of those who attended this affair:

The “Christian” leaders represented 32 denominations, whose adherents allegedly number 3.5 billion people, or 70 percent of the world’s population! This was certainly no small affair. And if someone complains that these leaders did not actually represent the people of their denominations and organizations, we respond with two questions: First, if the leaders who attended this abominable affair did not represent the people of the denominations and organizations they head, why were they chosen as leaders? Secondly, if the people of these denominations and organizations considered the actions of these leaders apostate, why weren’t the leaders rebuked, disciplined, and put out from their churches, denominations and organizations? Silence and inactivity in the face of evil is as wicked as direct participation!

The “Christian” leaders came from many ecumenical organizations--The World Council of Churches, represented by its executive secretary and three of its seven presidents, the World YWCA, the World Alliance of YMCAs, Friends World Committee for Consultation, Mennonite World Conference, Reformed Ecumenical Synod, Baptist World Alliance, Disciples of Christ, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Anglican Communion, Old Catholic Union of Utrecht, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Orthodox churches. Also invited were 15 Roman Catholic bishops, and leaders of six Roman Catholic Franciscan organizations. (EPS, 26-31 October 1986, 86.10.121)

Among the “Christian” leaders present were--

John Paul II, head of Roman Catholicism

Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the worldwide Anglican and Episcopal denomination

Emilio Castro, head of the World Council of Churches Greek Orthodox

Archbishop Methodios of Thyateira and Great Britain, archbishop and delegate of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios

Gunnar Stalsett, Executive Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation

Allan Boesak, South Africa’s anti-apartheid activist and president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches

Metropolitan Filaret, head of Russian Orthodox Church

Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic nun

Susanna Telewona, a vice-president of the Lutheran World Federation

Nita Barrow and Marga Buhrig, two of the WCC presidents

Bernice Schrotenboer, representing her husband, the Reformed Evangelical Synod general secretary

Val Ferguson, general secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers)

Lydia Breen and Doreen Boyd, on the World YWCA staff in Geneva

Manuela Mattioli and Christiane Witmers, two Catholic Franciscan leaders

Also represented at the Day of Prayer for World Peace were leaders of 11 non-Christian religions: Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, African and North American animists (who worship spirits and nature), Japanese Shinto’s, fire-worshipping Zoroastrians, Baha’i. The Dalai Lama, exiled Buddhist leader who is supposed to be the god-king of Tibet, was at the forefront of the activities, as was Elio Toaff, chief Jewish rabbi of Rome (EPS, 26-31 October 1986, 86.10.121). The Dalai-Lama and John Paul II have become close friends, and the Buddhist god-king was seated at the immediate left hand of the Pope. It should be noted that all of these men worship false gods and are therefore breakers of the first commandment of God’s Holy Law -- “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

WHAT TRANSPIRED AT THE EVENT?

The events of the Day of Prayer for World Peace were divided into four main parts: First was the greeting by Pope John Paul II, who was the organizer and main leader of the program. The participants then moved to various venues in the city for two hours of private prayers, after which they came back together and held prayers in the presence of one another. Finally, following a few other rituals for peace, there was a meal and the farewell address by the pope.

An interesting description of some of the strange events at Assisi was given as follows in an Associated Press report:

“ASSISI, Italy--Chants, temple bells and pagan spells echoed around the Roman Catholic shrines of Assisi yesterday as Pope John Paul II and his 200 guests from the world’s 12 main religions prayed for world peace...

“The medicineman of the Crow Indians [spirit worshippers], Chief John Pretty-on-Top, offered to cast out evil spirits. Many came forward, among them a young Franciscan monk.

“In a chapel down the road, the head of the Zorastrian church in Bombay prayed before a fire that symbolized his God.

“Next door, six turbanned Sikhs--all Italian converts--sat chanting their prayers in the lotus position to gramophone music.

“At an old Roman temple, shoeless Moslems sat on prayer mats.

“The 14th Dalai Lama, exiled god-king of Tibet, headed the strong Buddhist contingent, mumbling sutras amid tinkling bells at the Basilica of St.

Peter.

“In the gardens outside, a Shinto sect called Tenrikyo, in black kimonos, swayed to temple music.

“African animists, their togas the envy of any designer, invoked the spirits of trees and plants to come to the aid of peace...

“The Pope made three speeches” (Gazette News Services, taken from the AP,  Chicago Tribune and reproduced in Christian Beacon, December 25, 1986, p. 7).

WHAT PRAYERS WERE SAID?

An example of the prayers that were offered to the false gods is seen in the prayers of the animists from Africa and North America. Two tribal animists from Africa intoned:

“Almighty God, the Great Thumb we cannot evade in tying any knot, the Roaring Thunder that splits mighty trees, the All-Seeing Lord up on high who sees even the foot prints of an antelope on a rock mass here on earth... you are the cornerstone of peace.”

Smoking a ceremonial peace pipe, John Pretty-on-Top, a Crow Indian medicine man from Montana in full-feathered headress, recited, “O Great Spirit, I raise my pipe to you, to your messengers the four winds, and to mother earth, who provides for your children... I pray that you bring peace to all my brothers and sisters of this world” (“A Summit for Peace in Assisi,” Time, November 10, 1986, pp. 78-79).

In the Day of Prayer for World Peace we have the coming together of those claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ with those who boldly profess that Jesus Christ is not the only God and Savior and who claim that the God of the Bible is not the only true God. What an infamous day!

AN HOUR OF GREAT DARKNESS

The Day of Prayer for World Peace at Assisi was a day of great spiritual darkness. The evidence of that darkness we have seen in the event itself.

The prophecy that it would be a day of darkness was unwittingly given in the speech January 25, 1986, when John Paul II announced the event:

“On 25 January, the closing day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, John Paul II celebrated Mass in St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in the presence of representatives of other Christian Churches and religious communities. The following is a translation of his homily delivered in Italian. ‘A great light from heaven suddenly shone about me’ (Acts 22:6)... On this path of prayer and service trodden together by brothers of different ecclesial communities, may we be guided effectively and clearly by the light that won over Paul, and may we be urged onwards by the intercession and example of the saints. Let us invoke the protection of Paul, and also of a Pope who lived here as monk and abbot, Gregory VII, Hildebrand of Soana” (EPS, 26-31 October 1986, 86.10.121).

Though the Pope called this event a day of light, we see that it was a day of darkness by the very fact that he invoked the prayers of the dead, something the Bible forbids. Nowhere in Scripture do we see God’s people praying to the dead. That One Name given whereby we come unto God in prayer is Jesus Christ! So we see in the Pope’s very announcement, that this would be a day of darkness.

Finally, we know this was a day of darkness because the prayers for peace were not answered. Heaven was brass. God’s ear was closed to the abominations of that day. The nations have not laid down their arms. The spiritual darkness under which the event at Assisi was held is seen in the fact that the religious leaders gathered there completely ignored God’s warning in 1 Thessalonians 5 -- “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

What a dark day!

THE YEAR’S BIGGEST LIE

The following was reported in the World Council’s Ecumenical Press Service, 26-31 October 1986:

“As had the pope in his welcome, Roger Cardinal Etchegary, president of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, stressed in opening the series of acts of prayer in the square that there was to be no mixing of religions. ‘We have come together,’ he said, ‘in complete faithfulness to our own religious traditions, well aware of the identity of each of our own faith commitments. We are here together without any trace of syncretism’” (EPS, 26-30 October 1986, 86.10.121).

It is appropriate, I suppose, that the biggest lie of the year accompanied the most spiritually abominable event of the year. After bringing together representatives of most of the world’s religions, after calling one another brothers and sisters, after praying together or at least respecting one another’s prayers and rituals, after marching together in a peace march, making speeches to one another, supping together--after such unadulterated yoking together of “Christians” with non-Christians, the claim was made that “We are here together without any trace of syncretism.” Oh, my, what a lie!

I hope we can cause our readers to understand that false teachers do lie.

Some Christians cannot seem to believe that men who appear to be so good, so holy, so religious--could speak lies. But the Bible repeatedly warns that false teachers are liars, deceivers, wolves in sheep’s’ clothing, those who creep in unawares, those whose “good words and fair speeches’ are designed purposely to deceive the hearts of the simple. False and disobedient Christians lie.

Friends, if this event at Assisi was not syncretism in action, there is no such thing. If this event at Assisi was not open rebellion to the Word of God, there is no such thing. The fact is that the good words and fair speeches of these spiritual rebels do not deceive us. This event was perhaps the greatest act of syncretism and rebellion toward Scripture in church history. If the Christian leaders participating in this event had been faithful to God they would have done the following things:

1. If they were not syncretistic and rebellious they would not have come together in close fellowship and spiritual harmony with those who follow and serve false gods. Keep in mind that these men sat together, worshipped together, spoke to one another on the same spiritual theme, marched together, performed rituals together, supped together. Yet the Bible commands:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).

2. If they were not syncretistic and rebellious they would have rebuked the false, heathen ways of the non-Christian leaders and would have preached to them the one, true Gospel of salvation through the Blood of Jesus Christ.

This, of course, would have spoiled the man-made harmony of the event and was not done. Another reason is that the Christian leaders present were themselves apostate and do not believe in the Gospel of the Blood Atonement of Christ. These Christian leaders do not know how one is born again and they accept anyone as a Christian who has been baptized or confirmed or who makes any sort of feeble profession. The writings, speeches, and actions of the World Council of Churches, John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and others present make it clear that they are not convinced the non-Christian is lost. This is why they could come together in so happy and peaceful fellowship with heathen religious leaders.

3. If they were not syncretistic and rebellious they would not have acknowledged the prayers of the heathen. It is true that during part of the event the prayers were held privately in separate places, but during another part of the event the prayers and rituals were performed in the presence of one another. John Paul II and Emilio Castro watched as the North American spirit-worshippers and the African nature-worshippers danced and spoke the foolish prayers we have printed above. The Christian leaders present apparently accepted such unscriptural prayers as efficacious. The very fact that they believed that somehow the prayers of these heathen could help bring world peace proves that they believed the God of Heaven would hear and answer the prayers of Christian and non-Christian alike.

Further, John Paul II affirmed that he believed the prayers of the heathen religious leaders would be effective and heard by God. Consider what he said about these non-Christian prayers:

“It is therefore urgent that an invocation rise in chorus, and with insistence, from the earth toward heaven, to ask the Omnipotent One, in whose hands lies the destiny of the world, for the great gift of peace,” he said. (The Tidings, official Roman Catholic newspaper of the Los Angeles diocese, April 11, 1986, p.1)

The Pope emphasized the spiritual nature of the meeting by saying that the convening of such diverse groups, “Should constitute a coming together of a vast movement of reflecting and prayer, in which followers of EVERY RELIGIOUS FAITH should feel themselves involved” (Foundation, May-June 1986, p. 18; The Tidings, official Roman Catholic newspaper of the Los Angeles diocese, April 11, 1986, p. 1).

I repeat, if this meeting at Assisi was not syncretistic, the word should be removed from our dictionaries. If the Christian leaders involved are not rebels against God’s Word, the very concept of apostasy is a myth.

The hour is very late, my friends. Are you born again? Do you know that your sins are forgiven and that you have eternal life through the Blood of Jesus Christ? Are you scripturally baptized by immersion as a picture of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection? Are you a faithful member of a sound New Testament church? Are you living an obedient, fruitful life for Christ? Are you busy serving God and waiting for Christ’s return? Are you separated from the apostasy of these last days? I trust the answer is yes.

Jesus Christ warned, “Watch, therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”