The Manhatten Declaration

source:  http://manhattandeclaration.org/images/content/ManhattanDeclaration.pdf

Sign the Manhatten Declaration

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.

Read &/or Download the Manhatten Declaration:  A Call of Christian Conscience (.pdf)

Manhattan Declaration original source:  http://manhattandeclaration.org/images/content/ManhattanDeclaration.pdf

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related, from Focus on the Family:  Chuck Colson and Robert George discuss the effort to gather at least one million signatures for the Manhattan Declaration, a document outlining Christian values like the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. Listen Now: A Manifesto for Righteousness (11/23/09) !  (audio source: Focus on the Family Daily)

"It is important, first off, to note that the Manhattan Declaration is not a partisan or political statement-- ... Instead, it addresses and elevates four specific areas of universal consensus. Some have referred to these as "threshold issues," meaning they represent the foundation of our faith and the pivot point from which everything else flows. This is the bedrock. If we can't agree on these areas of doctrine, everything else will be of reduced value. These four areas are:

1. The sanctity of human life.
2. The sanctity of marriage.
3. The protection of religious liberty.
4. The rejection of unjust laws.

Then, after you've read the declaration, consider adding your name to the list of signers--and urge your friends and family to do the same."  Jim Daly, President & CEO, Focus on the Family

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