National Religious Leaders Release Historic Declaration on Christian Conscience

Washington, D.C., Press Conference Unveils 4,700-Word Statement Signed by More Than 125 Orthodox, Catholic & Evangelical Leaders

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009—Friday a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders and scholars released the Manhattan Declaration, which addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.  The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not - under any circumstance - abandon their Christian consciences.  Drafted by Dr. Robert George, Dr. Timothy George and Chuck Colson and signed by more than 125 Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders, the Manhattan Declaration is available at DeMossNews.com/ManhattanDeclaration.

The signers of the Manhattan Declaration who appeared at the press conference include:

• Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
• Donald William Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, Diocese of Washington, D.C.
• Harry Jackson Jr., Bishop, Hope Christian Church
• Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Diocese of Philadelphia
• Timothy George, Professor, Beeson Divinity School at Samford University
• Chuck Colson, Founder, The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview
• Ron Sider, Professor, Palmer Theological Seminary and Director of the Seminary’s Sider Center on Ministry & Public Policy
• George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center and Founding President of the James Madison Foundation
• Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
• Jim Daly, President and CEO, Focus on the Family
• Fr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor, CEO and Archpriest, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

Excerpts from the declaration include:

• "We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right - and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation - to speak and act in defense of these truths.  We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence."
• "We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral."
• ". . . We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family."

MEDIA NOTE:  The full text of the Manhattan Declaration with a list of the 125+ signers is available at DeMossNews.com/ManhattanDeclaration.  To schedule an interview with a spokesperson, contact Kelly Wells or Amy Anderson at (770) 813-0000.  Onsite contact: Michelle Farmer, (770) 757-4900.

D.C. Press Conference

WHAT:     

Orthodox, Catholic & Evangelical Christian leaders will release the Manhattan Declaration at a Washington, D.C., press conference.  Addressed not only to Christians, but to the president, Congress and civil authorities, the 4,700-word document - signed by more than 125 religious leaders - addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.

WHERE:    

National Press Club, Lisagor Room

529 14th Street NW


Washington, DC 20045

WHEN:    

Friday, Nov. 20, at noon ET

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