[The following is from the Digging in the Walls section of O Timothy magazine, edited by David W. Cloud, Volume 12, Issue 2, 1995. This material cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites without permission from the author. Any articles which are redistributed by e-mail or print must be left intact and nothing must be removed or changed, including these informational headers. All rights are reserved. O Timothy is a monthly magazine. Annual subscription is US$20 FOR THE UNITED STATES. Send to Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, 866-295-4143 (toll free), fbns@wayoflife.org (e-mail). FOR CANADA the subscription is $20 Canadian. The Way of Life web site is located at http://www.wayoflife.org/]

WORLD VISION AND ROME

By David W. Cloud

The following is excerpted from Flirting With Rome: Evangelical Entanglement with Roman Catholicism, Volume 2, by David W. Cloud. This four-volume set of booklets contains 190 pages of careful documentation detailing the close relationship between Evangelicals and Roman Catholicism. Volume 1 traces Billy Graham's involvement with Romanism since the 1950s. Volume 2 deals with other key Evangelical leaders and organizations. Volume 3 deals with the Southern Baptist Convention. Volume 4 deals with the Charismatics. These volumes can be ordered from Way of Life Literature in the States (1701 Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277). All four volumes are US$10.00. Any one volume is US$2.50. Add 15% postage and handling, minumum $3.00.

"World Vision is given over to radical ecumenism and sees no problem with working with Rome. Information sent by World Vision in Nov. 1981 to a contributor stated, `World Vision's view of the church is broad and inclusive, rather than narrow and exclusive ... We find no scriptural mandate for excluding ourselves from any who name Christ as Lord. ... We believe that there are large numbers of Christians in many different ecclesiastical traditions. In many countries we are working along side and sometimes with members and officials of other traditions, such as the Roman Catholic' (Foundation, Nov.-Dec. 1982).

"World Vision has participated in countless ecumenical conferences and projects with Roman Catholics. Examples are Key '73 and the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit & World Evangelization, both of which are reviewed in our report entitled Charismatic Confusion in Indianapolis.

"In June 1979, Stanley Mooneyham, International President of World Vision, spoke at the Jesus '79 Interfaith Rally at Shea Stadium, New York. On the platform with Mooneyham was the Roman Catholic bishop of Brooklyn, Francis J. Mugavero.

"Mooneyham wrote to the editor of Christian Century magazine (July 4-11, 1979) regarding his ecumenical activities: `In one of those projects, incidentally, an ecumenical service has subsequently been held, with both Catholic and Protestant churches participating. I was invited to speak, and my sermon was translated into Tagalog by the local Catholic priest. A very brotherly dialogue was held with Cardinal Jaime Sin and members of his staff. Our relations are cordial and the dialogue continues' (Blu-Print, July 10, 1979).

"Mooneyham's strange love for Catholic things extended even to the Catholic Mary. He made the following remarks on the third day of the 27th annual convention of the National Association of Evangelicals, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, Apr. 17, 1969: `And in this Cathedral [the Shrine of Monte Seratt in Barcelona, Spain], in this lovely church, there is enshrined a black Madonna, carved out of ebony wood ... they found this black carved Madonna with the infant Jesus ... and it is magnificent!' (D.A. Waite, What's Wrong with the N.A.E. - 1969?).

"The March 1981 issue of World Vision magazine featured an extensive lead article on Mother Teresa. The June-July 1984, issue of World Vision magazine included a glowing account of a visit with Mother Teresa by Joseph Ryan, director of World Vision's Northwest Regional Office. World Vision has given thousands of dollars to Mother Teresa. Mooneyham has appeared on television appealing for $10,000 for Mother Teresa (Plains Baptist Challenger, Mar. 1982). The proceeds for the Jesus '81 rally at Anaheim Stadium in Los Angeles went to Mother Teresa's Indian work (Foundation, Jul.-Aug. 1981).

"World Vision staff member Peter Phillip of Melbourne, Australia, gave the following amazing recommendation of the Catholic Jesuits and Maryknollers: `After visiting Central America on a number of occasions and spending time sitting and talking with the poor and the priests and bishops who serve them, I can confirm to you readers that the Church of the poor, particularly through the Jesuits and Maryknollers, is providing the most exciting Christian witness I have ever seen' (Plains Baptist Challenger, Feb. 1984).

"In 1988 World Vision cosponsored a national conference on `growing the church in small groups' in Australia (Australian Beacon, Feb. 1988).

"World Vision chairman, Roberta Hestenes, made the following statement at Lausanne II, held in the Philippines in July 1989: `One obstacle we must face is our attitude as Evangelicals toward those whose traditions are other than our own. ... toward those who are fellow Christians in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions, to those fellow Christians in the Conciliar and Ecumenical movement, to those fellow Christians in the Pentecostal and charismatic or non-Pentecostal and non-charismatic movements--we must acknowledge that God, Who is Lord of the whole Church, is doing astonishing things among many parts of His church' (Foundation, May-July 1989)."