Very nearly a quarter of a century has passed since a sort of joint manifesto was published by some of America's most prominent Roman Catholics and evangelical Christians. The document entitled "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" emphasised how much the two groups had in common, both spiritually and in their ideas about public policy, and it pledged that they would work together for a further narrowing of differences. After all, it declared, "all who accept [Jesus] Christ as Lord and Saviour are brothers and sisters in Christ." While accepting and indeed elaborating the two sides' theological bugbears, it proclaimed a common interest in causes such as opposing abortion, curbing pornography and encouraging "parental choice" in education.
At the time, the proclamation was seen both as a rallying-cry for the future and an acknowledgement of how far the two sides had already inched towards bridging a chasm which had once seemed vast. Memories were fresh of an era when most evangelical Christians had virtually defined themselves in opposition to a Catholic church which, as they saw things, seriously distorted the message of Bible by adding extra teachings. The advent of a Catholic president, in John F Kennedy, was still recalled by hard-line evangelicals as a dark moment because, despite his assurances to the contrary, they could never overcome their suspicion that he would put loyalty to Rome before his earthly homeland.
Read Full Article »