PROMISE KEEPERS RADICAL ECUMENISM

PROMISE KEEPERS RADICAL ECUMENISM

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November 22, 1996 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) - I continually hear from Promise Keepers supporters who charge me with error in my claim that Promise Keepers is calling for radical ecumenical unity. The following statement is typical:

"If you have done any kind of research about the Promise Keepers organization you will find that the statement about dropping of their 'biases and predjudices' is not talking about fundamental basis of
salvation doctrine. The biases and predjudices referred to are the ones that divide fundamental Christians which is unbiblical and wrong. An example of this would be the difference between baptism in the Baptist church and Brethren church."

Further, PK supporters often claim that Promise Keepers invites Roman Catholics only to evangelize them, not to accept them as fellow Christians. The ignorance of these PK supporters is overwhelming. Consider the following facts:

1. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why did PK founder Bill McCartney, addressing 40,000 ministers at the 1996 Atlanta Clergy Conference, say: "No such meeting was held in the past 400 years, and IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THE DENOMINATIONAL BARRIERS COME DOWN AS WE HAVE PROTESTANTS AND ROMAN CATHOLICS HERE TOGETHER. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO HAVE THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH"? Why didn't McCartney make some exceptions to his call for unity? Why did he not specify that he is calling for unity ONLY among those who believe the doctrine of the Word of God? He specifically said he is excited to see Protestants and Catholics together in "the unity of the church." He wasn't referring to evangelizing Catholics; he was referring to Protestants and Catholics together in fellowship in "one church" regardless of their doctrinal differences. If local Promise Keepers supporters and leaders do not agree with McCartney's philosophy, they should not support him and his organization. If, on the other hand, they do agree with this philosophy of radical ecumenism and unscriptural views of "the church," they should not attempt to portray themselves as concerned for doctrinal purity. They can't have it both ways.

2. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why does it's Promise Number Six state, "A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond ANY ... DENOMINATIONAL BARRIERS to demonstrate the power of biblical unity"? The official Promise Keepers literature does not list any exceptions to its call for reaching beyond denominational barriers. It does not say, "When we urge you to reach beyond denominational barriers, we are speaking only ignoring minor differences which are not doctrinal issues. We certainly are not urging you to ignore the heresies of infant baptism or of baptismal regeneration or of sacramentalism or of hierarchicalism or of modernism...." I have not found any official Promise Keepers literature which plainly makes such exceptions to its call for "the unity of the church."

3. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why has it not issued a plain statement warning men of the danger of false doctrine and false gospels, naming those false gospels and churches and denominations by name, and delineating the same so "men of integrity" can be faithful to the Word of God and avoid this great danger?

4. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why does it have Roman Catholic speakers at some of its meetings? For example, Catholic priest John Salazar spoke at a PK meeting in Plainview, Texas, in December 1995. And why does Promise Keepers have a Roman Catholic on its board of directors?

5. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why is its field representative for the upper Midwest a Roman Catholic?

6. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why are Promise Keepers groups being formed in Catholic parishes? According to the December 1995 issue of the Charismatic Roman Catholic publication New Covenant, for example, a Promise Keepers group was being formed in a Catholic parish in Tallahassee, Florida.

7. If Promise Keepers is not promoting radical ecumenism, why does it conduct PK meetings at the Catholic Franciscan University of Steubenville? More than 600 Catholic men participated in 1995. The meeting concluded with a Catholic mass led by the school's president, priest Michael Scanlon. PK representatives Dale Schlafer and Glenn Wagner were scheduled to speak at Franciscan this year. The Franciscan University sponsors annual "Defending the Faith" conferences, in which Catholic dogma is upheld and defended with great boldness. This university sponsored a conference in June 1996 dedicated to "Mary as spouse of the Holy Spirit." The announcement said, "Rediscover Mary's prophetic role through her recent apparitions." The Franciscan University 1996 Summer Conference Magazine advertised pilgrimages to Mary shrines. The theme of the magazine is "Following Pope John Paul II into the Third Millennium."

Are these Roman Catholics confused about Promise Keepers' doctrines and goals? Have they been mislead? Why do they have the idea that Promise Keepers will accept them regardless of their false doctrine? I will tell you why -- because Promise Keepers already has accepted them and has made no issue of doctrine whatsoever. For Promise Keepers representatives to claim that they only desire unity among those who follow the true Gospel is a deception. This might be true in some areas at a local level, but it is not true for the Promise Keepers organization as a whole. Local PK participants cannot disassociate themselves from the national organization.

To claim that Promise Keepers is not ecumenical is nonsense. To claim that its ecumenism is scriptural is also nonsense.