Pope meets with Evangelicals

[CaryC]

Leaders of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) met with Pope Francis in the Vatican on Thursday to discuss closer cooperation with the Catholic Church, particularly regarding issues of religious freedom and Christian persecution around the world.

The head of WEA, Bishop Efraim Tendero, spoke to Vatican Radio of his experience with ecumenical relations in his native Philippines, where there is strong practical cooperation on a number of shared moral issues.Curiously, last summer, two close advisers of Pope Francis published an article criticizing historical relations between American evangelicals and Catholics in the United States, labeling their collaboration as an “ecumenism of hate.”In an article in the Jesuit-run Italian journal La Civiltà Cattolica, Father Antonio Spadaro and Rev. Marcelo Figueroa decried those “who profess themselves to be Catholic” but express themselves in ways “much closer to Evangelicals.”The authors found particularly upsetting that evangelicals and Catholics should work together on moral issues that they hold in common.

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Johnson said he has particular interest in Catholics and evangelicals publishing educational materials together and looks forward to “a broader coalition over years.”“Christians of all varieties need to be protecting each other in the public square,” he said.The mixed messages emerging from the Vatican, however, suggest the need for greater coordination regarding what the relationship between Catholics and evangelicals should look like.While the Pope’s outreach to evangelicals is encouraging to all, he may need to reign in close confidants who seem suspicious of this relationship and publicly denounce such alliances in the public square as an “ecumenism of hate.”In his words to Vatican Radio, Bishop Efraim said he was issuing a “call for closer partnership” with Catholics in protecting religious freedom, a theme that has been at the forefront of religious news in recent times.The WEA represents more than 600 million evangelical Christians worldwide, from Protestant churches in 129 nations.It is increasingly important to “look for a common agenda” rather than “focus on what differs and what pulls us apart,” the bishop said.

http://www.breitbart.com/national-se...gious-freedom/

[ByGraceAlone]

Wait until 90% of evangelical churches who aren't participating in this find out their catholics, too. All the Vatican had to do was plant their people in key positions at the tops of protestant denominations and churches and slowly lead the flock away from the Bible and the saving faith of the Lord Jesus. It was too easy, the sheep didn't care about the truth.

[moestooge]

Wait until 90% of evangelical churches who aren't participating in this find out their catholics, too. All the Vatican had to do was plant their people in key positions at the tops of protestant denominations and churches and slowly lead the flock away from the Bible and the saving faith of the Lord Jesus. It was too easy, the sheep didn't care about the truth.

The large majority of evangelical and Baptist churches and their members lack anything resembling spiritual street smarts.