Manhattan Declaration on Christian Conscience

The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience is a statement by a coalition of 150 evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders. The Declaration affirms fundamental truths about three major issues facing us today - the sanctity of human life, marriage between a man and a woman and religious liberty.

The 4,700 word statement affirms that the signers will not accept the violation of these principles and that if necessary they would stand up to defend these principles. The Manhattan Declaration was launched at the National Press Club in Washington DC, USA on November 20, 2009.

Everyone who agrees with these aims is invited to SIGN the Declaration.
By November 30, 2009 there were almost 200,000 signatories to the Declaration.
Click here to sign the Declaration.

Some evangelicals have questioned whether we should sign a document that is also supported by Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
Albert Mohler, a Baptist, points out that this is not a theological document and there are no discussions of theological issues - obviously there are major doctrinal differences between Protestants and Roman Catholics.
Read Albert Mohler's article - Why I signed The Manhattan Declaration.

Charles Colson, one of the signers, writes about the Declaration - click here.

However, just as we might oppose abortion by working with others who also oppose abortion but whose theology we disagree with, this statement limits itself to those three issues. it is not a theological statement. Bill Muehlenberg has written two articles on this. The second addresses the question of signing a document with non-Protestants:
The Manhattan Declaration
On Biblical Cooperation and Separation

Relevant webpages:

Click here for The Manhattan Declaration: a Call of Christian Conscience website.

Click here for the list of 168 religious leaders who initially signed the Declaration.

Click here to SIGN the Declaration.

The introduction to the Manhattan Declaration...

The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life
2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.