Manhattan Declaration (Selling Out our Reformation?) — Part II By Dr. Robert A. Morey

by | Apr 27, 2022 | Cult & Occult

The Roman Catholic “Manhattan Declaration” was one of the most deceptive statements ever written. It affirmed that human reason apart from and independent of Scripture was the ultimate and final Judge of truth and morals. It was an affirmation of Catholic Natural Religion, Natural Theology, and Natural Law. It was also a protest statement against the Reformation doctrine of Sola Scriptura in which the Bible alone is the ultimate authority over doctrine and morals.

The following Protestant leaders who signed the Catholic statement of faith in Natural Law fall into three groups:

  1. Some of them did not read the document but signed it because they trusted those who said it was “OK” to sign. “If so and so signed it, it must be OK.” They were ignorant and foolish to sign a “Manifesto” without understanding what they were signing.
  2. Some read the Declaration superficially and were ignorant that it was teaching Catholic Natural Religion, Law, and Theology. They did not understand that the Reformation had repudiated Catholic Natural Theology and Law as humanism.
  3. Some of them do not believe that the Bible is the final authority over morals and doctrine but they trust in their own reason, feelings, and experience as the Origin of truth, justice, morals, meaning, and beauty. They do not believe in Sola Scriptura and laughed at those who signed it in ignorance.

As we documented in our last report, Catholic leaders, such as Dr. George, who wrote the Declaration have publicly stated their amazement that Evangelical leaders would sign a document that was actually a repudiation of the Reformation. We are just as amazed.
The following well-known Protestants leaders signed the Declaration. We know some of these men and hold them in the highest respect as fellow brothers. We know that they believe in Sola Scriptura and that they will be embarrassed now we have exposed the Catholic nature of the “Manhattan Declaration.” We pray that they will be not angry for our pastoral admonition for signing such a document. To receive correction is a mark of true humility and wisdom. Thus they should demonstrate their love of the truth by withdrawing their name and support for the Declaration.

Those leaders who signed the Declaration with full knowledge that they were dethroning the Bible and replacing it with human reason, should be placed under church discipline and fired from their teaching or pastoral positions. We do not view them as fellow Christians but as “wolves in sheep clothing.”

The Catholic “Manhattan Declaration” underscores the importance of my new book, The Bible, Natural Law, and Natural Theology: Compromise or Conflict? We must boldly proclaim that the Bible is the final Rule of faith and life and that any attempt to replace it with rationalism, mysticism, empiricism or fideism is heretical and a denial of the Reformation Gospel.

Contact those who signed the Catholic Statement and ask them to withdraw their name from it. If they refuse to do so, then do not financially support them or their schools, churches or organizations. Be bold as a lion and kind as a lamb because most of the signers were ignorant of what they signed. If they deny it was a Catholic Declaration or that it repudiated Sola Scriptura, it will reveal that they signed it in ignorance.

Lastly, pray for these people as they have a hard decision to make. If they humble themselves before the Lord and affirm their allegiance to Sola Scriptura, they must swallow their pride and admit that they signed the Declaration in ignorance of what it really meant. But such humility will be hard for those who are bloated with their own self-importance. But as soon as some of the well-known leaders withdraw their name, many others will follow their lead. Who will be the first leaders to do the right thing and withdraw their name?

If you contact a signer and he denies the Catholic connection to the Declaration, make the following offer: Dr. Morey is ready, willing, and able to debate you in public whether the “Manhattan Declaration” is a Roman Catholic affirmation of Natural Law and Natural Theology and whether it is in principle a repudiation of the Reformation doctrine of Sola Scriptura.”

Religious Leaders who signed the Catholic Manhattan Declaration. 
Dr. Daniel Akin
President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC)

Randy Alcorn
Founder and Director, Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM) (Sandy, OR)

Rt. Rev. David Anderson
President and CEO, American Anglican Council (Atlanta, GA)

Rev. Dr. Gordon L. Anderson
President, North Central University, Minneapolis, MN

Leith Anderson
President of National Association of Evangelicals (Washington, DC)

Carole K. Ardizzone
TV Show Host and Speaker, INSP Television (Charlotte, NC)

Kay Arthur
CEO and Co-founder, Precept Ministries International (Chattanooga, TN)

Dr. Mark L. Bailey
President, Dallas Theological Seminary (Dallas, TX)

Most Rev. Craig W. Bates
Archbishop, International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (Malverne, NY)

Joel Belz
Founder, World Magazine (Asheville, NC)

Rev. Michael L. Beresford
(Charlotte, NC)

Rev. Thomas V. Berg
President, Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person (New York)

Ken Boa
President, Reflections Ministries (Atlanta, GA)

Joseph Bottum
Editor of First Things (New York, NY)

Pastor Randy & Sarah Brannon
Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church (Madera, CA)

Brian Brown
Executive Director, National Organization for Marriage (Princeton, NJ)

Steve Brown
National radio broadcaster, Key Life (Maitland, FL)

Dr. Robert C. Cannada,
Jr. Chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando, FL)

Galen Carey
Director of Government Affairs, National Association of Evangelicals (Washington, DC)

Dr. Bryan Chapell
President, Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO)

Timothy Clinton
President, American Association of Christian Counselors (Forest, VA)

Dr. Kenneth J. Collins
Professor of Historical Theology and Wesley Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY)

Chuck Colson
Founder, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview (Lansdowne, VA)

Dr. Mark Coppenger
Managing Editor, Kairos Journal

Dr. Barry H. Corey
President, Biola University (La Mirada, CA)

Dr. Gary Culpepper
Associate Professor, Providence College (Providence, RI)

Jim Daly
President and CEO, Focus on the Family (Colorado Springs, CO)

Marjorie Dannenfelser
President, Susan B. Anthony List (Arlington, VA)

Rev. Daniel Delgado
Board of Directors, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference & Pastor, Third Day Missions Church (Staten Island, NY)

Dr. James Dobson
Founder, Focus on the Family (Colorado Springs, CO)

Dr. David Dockery
President, Union University (Jackson, TN)

Dr. James T. Draper
Jr. President Emeritus, LifeWay (Nashville, TN)

Dinesh D’Souza
Writer & Speaker (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)

Dr. J. Ligon Duncan
Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, & President, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

Dr. Michael Easley
President Emeritus, Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL)

Dr. William Edgar
Professor, Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, PA)

Brett Elder Executive 
Director, Stewardship Council (Grand Rapids, MI)

Rev. Joel Elowsky 
Drew University ( Madison, NJ)

Rev. Jonathan Falwell 
Senior Pastor, Thomas Road Baptist Church (Lynchburg, VA)

William J. Federer
President, Amerisearch, Inc. (St. Louis, MO)

Carmen Fowler 
President & Executive Editor, Presbyterian Lay Committee (Lenoir, NC)
Commissioner Israel L. Gaither National Commander, The Salvation Army

Maggie Gallagher 
President, National Organization for Marriage (Manassas, VA)

Dr. Jim Garlow 
Senior Pastor, Skyline Church (La Mesa, CA)

Steven Garofalo 
Founder, National Apologetics Training Center (Charlotte, NC)

Dr. Robert P. George McCormick 
Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)

Dr. Timothy George 
Dean and Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School at Samford University (Birmingham, AL)

Thomas Gilson 
Director of Strategic Processes, Campus Crusade for Christ International (Norfolk, VA)
Dr. Jack Graham Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church (Plano, TX)

Dr. Wayne Grudem 
Research Professor of Theological and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary (Phoenix, AZ)

Dr. Cornell “Corkie” Haan 
National Facilitator of Spiritual Unity, The Mission America Coalition (Palm Desert, CA)

Alec Hill 
President, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA

Dr. Dennis Hollinger 
President and Professor of Christian Ethics, Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary (South Hamilton, MA)

Dr. Jeanette Hsieh 
Executive VP and Provost, Trinity International University (Deerfield, IL)

Dr. John A. Huffman,
Jr. Senior Pastor, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church (Newport Beach, CA) and Chairman of the Board, Christianity Today International (Carol Stream, IL)

Dr. Edith M. Humphrey William F. Orr 
Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Rev. Ken Hutcherson 
Pastor, Antioch Bible Church (Kirkland, WA)

Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr. 
Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church (Beltsville, MD)

Jerry Jenkins 
Author (Black Forest, CO)

Camille Kampouris 
Editorial Board, Kairos Journal

Emmanuel A. Kampouris 
Publisher, Kairos Journal

Rev. Tim Keller 
Senior Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (New York, NY)

Dr. Alveda King 
Director of African American Outreach, Priests for Life
Most Rev. Emmanuel Musaba Kolini Primate, Anglican Church of Rwanda (Kigali, Rwanda)

Jim Kushiner 
Editor, Touchstone (Chicago, IL)

Dr. Richard Land 
President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC (Washington, DC)

Jim Law 
Senior Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church (Woodstock, GA)

Dr. Matthew Levering 
Associate Professor of Theology, Ave Maria University (Naples, FL)

Dr. Peter Lillback
President, The Providence Forum (West Conshohocken, PA)

Dr. Duane Litfin 
President, Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL)

Rev. Herb Lusk 
Pastor, Greater Exodus Baptist Church (Philadelphia, PA)

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer 
Pastor, The Moody Church (Chicago, IL)

Dr. Joseph Mattera 
Bishop & Senior Pastor, Resurrection Church (Brooklyn, NY)

Phil Maxwell 
Pastor, Gateway Church (Bridgewater, NJ)

Josh McDowell
Founder, Josh McDowell Ministry (Plano, TX)

Alex McFarland 
President, Southern Evangelical Seminary (Charlotte, NC)

Dr. C. Ben Mitchell Graves 
Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University (Jackson, TN)

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. 
President, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY)

Dr. Russell D. Moore 
Senior VP for Academic Administration & Dean of the School of Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY)

Richard J. Mouw 
President, Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA)

Thomas D. Mullins 
Christ Fellowship Church, Palm Beach, FL

J. Todd Mullins 
Christ Fellowship Church, Palm Beach, FL

Rt. Rev. Charles H. Murphy,
III Missionary Bishop of Rwanda and Chairman of the Anglican Mission in the Americas

David Neff 
Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today (Carol Stream, IL)

Tom Nelson 
Senior Pastor, Christ Community Evangelical Free Church (Leawood, KS)

Dr. Jerry Newcombe 
Host/Senior Producer, Coral Ridge Ministries (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Niel Nielson 
President, Covenant College (Lookout Mt., GA)

Nikolas T. Nikas, Esq. 
President and General Counsel, Bioethics Defense Fund

Dr. Tom Oden 
Theologian, United Methodist Minister and Professor, Drew University (Madison, NJ)

Marvin Olasky 
Editor-in-Chief, World Magazine and provost, The Kings College (New York City, NY)

Rev. Neftali “Charles” Olmeda
Pennsylvania Chapter Director, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (Allentown, PA)

Rev. William Owens 
Chairman, Coalition of African-American Pastors (Memphis, TN)

Dr. J.I. Packer 
Board of Governors, Professor of Theology, Regent College (Canada)

Tony Perkins 
President, Family Research Council (Washington, D.C.)

Eric M. Pillmore 
CEO, Pillmore Consulting LLC (Doylestown, PA)

Dr. Everett Piper 
President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University (Bartlesville, OK)

Todd Pitner 
President, Rev Increase

Dr. Cornelius Plantinga 
President, Calvin Theological Seminary (Grand Rapids, MI)

Dr. David Platt 
Pastor, Church at Brook Hills (Birmingham AL)

Rev. Jim Pocock 
Pastor, Trinitarian Congregational Church (Wayland, MA)

Fred Potter 
Executive Director & CEO, Christian Legal Society (Springfield, VA)

Dennis Rainey 
President, CEO, & Co-Founder, FamilyLife (Little Rock, AR)

Bob Reccord 
Founder, Total Life Impact, Inc. (Suwanee, GA)

Dr. Harry L. Reeder 
Sr. Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church (Birmingham, AL)

Rev. Eugene F. Rivers 
Senior Policy Adviser to the Presiding Bishop, Chuch of God in Christ

James and Betty Robison 
Founder and President, LIFE Outreach International (Fort Worth, TX)

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez 
President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Frank Schubert 
President, Schubert Flint Public Affairs (Sacramento, CA)

David Schuringa 
President, Crossroads Bible Institute (Grand Rapids, MI)

Tricia Scribner 
Author (Harrisburg, NC)

Dr. Dave Seaford 
Senior Pastor, Community Fellowship Church (Matthews, NC)

Alan Sears 
President, CEO, & General Counsel, Alliance Defense Fund (Scottsdale, AZ)

Randy Setzer 
Senior Pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church (Lincolnton, NC)

Kelly Shackelford, 
Esq. Chief Counsel, Liberty Legal Institute (Plano, TX)

Rev. Louis P. Sheldon 
Founder and Chairman, Traditional Values Coalition (Anaheim, CA)

Dr. Ron Sider 
Director, Evangelicals for Social Action (Wynnewood, PA)

Fr. Robert Sirico 
Founder, Acton Institute (Grand Rapids, MI)

Dr. Robert Sloan 
President, Houston Baptist University (Houston, TX)

Rev. Paul T. Stallsworth 
Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality/Lifewatch

Charles Stetson 
Chairman of the Board, Bible Literacy Project (New York, NY)

Dr. David Stevens 
CEO, Christian Medical & Dental Association (Bristol, TN)

John Stonestreet 
Executive Director, Summit Ministries (Manitou Springs, CO)

Dr. Joseph Stowell 
President, Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, MI)

Dr. Sarah Sumner 
Professor of Theology and Ministry, Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA)

Dr. Glenn Sunshine 
Research Fellow of the Action Institute (Grand Rapids, MI)

Chuck Swindoll 
Founder and Chairman of the Board, Insight for Living, Senior Pastor—Stonebriar Community Church (Frisco, TX), Chancellor—Dallas Theological Seminary

Joni Eareckson Tada 
Founder and CEO, Joni and Friends International Disability Center (Agoura Hills, CA)

Luiz Tellez 
President, The Witherspoon Institute (Princeton, NJ)

Dr. Timothy C. Tennent 
Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (South Hamilton, MA)

James R. Thobaben 
Professor of Bioethics and Social Ethics, Asbury Theological Seminary

Dr. Greg Thornbury 
Dean of the School of Christian Studies, Union University, Fellow at the

Wilberforce 
Forum (Washington, D.C.)

Michael Timmis
Chairman, Prison Fellowship and Prison Fellowship International (Naples, FL)

Michael Timmis, 
Jr Chairman of the Board, Ave Maria University (Ave Maria, FL)

Mark Tooley 
President, Institute for Religion and Democracy (Washington, D.C.)

H. James Towey 
President, St. Vincent College (Latrobe, PA)

Most Rev. Donald W. Trautman 
Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, PA

Juan Valdes 
Middle and High School Chaplain, Flordia Christian School (Miami, FL)

Todd Wagner 
Pastor, WaterMark Community Church (Dallas, TX)

Dr. Graham Walker 
President, Patrick Henry College (Purcellville, VA)

Dr. James Emery White 
Founding and Senior Pastor, Mecklenberg Community Church
(Charlotte, NC)

Luder Whitlock 
Excelsis (Orlando, FL)

Dr. Hayes Wicker 
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church (Naples, FL)

Don Wildmon 
American Family Association

Mark Williamson 
Founder and President, Foundation Restoration Ministries/Federal Intercessors (Katy, TX)

Parker T. Williamson 
Editor Emeritus and Senior Correspondent, Presbyterian Lay Committee

Dr. Craig Williford 
President, Trinity International University (Deerfield, IL)

Dr. John Woodbridge 
Research professor of Church History & the History of Christian
Thought, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL)

Don M. Woodside 
Performance Matters Associates (Matthews, NC)

Dr. Frank Wright 
President, National Religious Broadcasters (Manassas, VA)

Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl 
Archbishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Paul Young 
COO & Executive VP, Christian Research Institute (Charlotte, NC)

Dr. Michael Youssef 
President, Leading the Way (Atlanta, GA)

Ravi Zacharias 
Founder and Chairman of the Board, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (Norcross, GA)