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Manhattan Declaration (Selling Out our Reformation?) -- Part I
By Dr. Robert A. Morey
The New York Times Magazine, Dec. 20, 2009 carried an article by David Kirkpatrick on his old mentor and friend Dr. Robert P. George, a Roman Catholic “natural law theorist” who teaches at Princeton University.
During the interview, Dr. George is quite candid about the theological and philosophical basis of the “Manhattan Declaration,” a document that recently surfaced in New York City and has made headlines in the secular media. Dr. George is the hand behind the Declaration from beginning to end.
What makes the “Manhattan Declaration” significant are the three points laid out in the interview:
- The Manhattan Declaration “disavows dependence on divine revelation or biblical authority” (p. 27). Luther’s teaching that “reason is so corrupted that faith in the divine was humanity’s only hope” (p. 29) was specially denounced by Dr. George.
- He noted that the Protestant doctrine of original Sin poses a serious threat to the basis of the Declaration. Dr. George comments, “This is a serious issue and, if I am wrong, this is where I am wrong” (p. 29).
- The Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura, if true, would mean that, according to Dr. George, “that he (George) puts too much faith in the power of reason, in overlooking what Christians describe as Original Sin.” (p. 29)
Thus the basis of the Declaration is that the Protestant doctrines of Original Sin and Sola Scriptura are erroneous.
- God and His Word are not the ultimate authority of what we are to believe or how we are to live.
- Once Sola Scriptura is rejected, what or who is the ultimate authority on what to believe and how to live? George stated that “human reason,” apart from and independent of revelation is the Origin of truth, justice, morals, meaning, and beauty. Man’s reason is the measure of all things.
Kirkpatrick summarized George’s position:
George is the leading voice for a group of Catholic scholars known as the new natural lawyers. He disavows dependence on divine revelation or biblical Scripture…Instead, George rest his ethics on a foundation of “practical reason”; “invoking no authority beyond the authority of reason itself.” (p. 27)
George argues that sodomy and same sex marriages can be condemned and made illegal on the sole grounds of “reason” and “logic.” (pgs 26f) Kirkpatrick comments, “George argues that reason alone show that heterosexual sodomy and homosexual sex are morally wrong…” (p. 29)
“Heterosexual sodomy” refers to oral sex between a man and a woman - including between a husband and wife. “Reason,” according to George, would make oral sex between a husband and wife a matter of criminal law!
George expressed his amazement that so many “evangelicals” signed the Manhattan Declaration, which is clearly based on Roman Catholic natural law theory. He noted that evangelicals historically denied Catholic natural law and preached that the Bible was the ultimate authority over faith and practice.
How did he get so many Protestants to sign on to his Catholic Declaration when by signing they were unwittingly rejecting the very basis of the Reformation? George stated, “I sold my view about reason!” (p.29) He tricked them into throwing out the Bible and putting human reason in its place!
Who Signed?
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
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