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-
- THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
-
- AN ECUMENICAL TOWER OF BABEL
-
- By Dr. M. H. Reynolds
-
- FUNDAMENTAL EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
-
- P. 0. Box 6278, Los Osos, California 93402
-
-
- WHAT IS THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES?
-
- The World Council of churches is the major ecumenical religious
- organization in the world today. Founded in 1948, it represents
- some 400 million Protestant and Orthodox Church members from 305
- denominations in over 100 countries. It represents you if you
- belong to any of the USA and Canadian churches listed at the end
- of this report. This is true whether you know it or not and
- whether you like it or not!
-
- KARL MARX OR JESUS CHRIST?
-
- In August, 1982, the Reader's Digest created a furor in
- ecumenical circles by printing an article entitled, "Which Master
- is the World Council of Churches Serving - Karl Marx or Jesus
- Christ?" This article was a blistering attack upon the WCC based
- upon its continual advocacy of some form of socialism while
- maintaining a steady drum beat of attacks upon capitalism and our
- free enterprise system. This Digest article correctly called
- attention to the fact that the WCC consistently shows "a
- preference for social concerns over purely religious ones."
- Hitting the nail right on the head, the article stated, "The
- World Council owes almost as much to Marxism as to Christianity."
- Naturally, WCC leaders were infuriated!
-
- WHERE DO YOUR CHURCH OFFERINGS GO?
-
- In January, 1983, the Reader's Digest kept the ecumenical pot
- boiling with yet another article entitled, "Do You Know Where
- Your Church Offerings Go?" This expose dealt not only with the
- World Council of Churches' involvement in funding radical,
- revolutionary groups around the world, but also the way in which
- the National Council of Churches (USA) is similarly involved.
- Liberal spokesmen from the various WCC-NCC denominations were
- quick in coming to the defence of both councils, not only denying
- the accusations but fully defending and supporting the way in
- which the WCC and NCC are spending the funds committed to them by
- member churches.
-
- TOP-RATED CBS TV PROGRAM "60 MINUTES"
- DROPS ANOTHER BOMBSHELL
-
- On Sunday, January 23, 1983, a major segment of the top-rated CBS
- TV program, "60 Minutes," put NCC and WCC leaders on the spot
- before a listening and watching world. Millions of viewers were
- understandably shocked as they saw and heard perhaps for the
- first time just how cleverly and deceitfully the ecumenical
- movement uses church funds to fuel the fires of a world-wide
- socialist-communist revolution. Bishop James Armstrong of the
- United Methodist Church represented the National Council of
- Churches and Dr. Philip Potter General Secretary of the World
- Council of Churches was the spokesman for the WCC. As the CBS
- correspondents pressed these top ecumenical leaders for answers
- to the very serious questions of the use of church money to
- promote revolution, it was pathetic but very revealing to observe
- their evasiveness and doubletalk. Following so closely on the
- heels of the two Reader's Digest articles, this further
- revelation of liberalism's use of church funds to promote
- political revolution was a real eye opener to many!
-
- RADICALISM IS NOTHING NEW FOR LEADERS
-
- As editor of Foundation Magazine (previously FEA News & Views), I
- have closely followed both the World and National Councils of
- Churches since their formation in 1948 and 1950 respectively. The
- WCC traces its roots to the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of
- 1910. The NCC is actually the successor of the Federal Council of
- Churches which came into being in 1909. The FCC became so radical
- politically that a layman's group prepared and circulated
- thousands of copies of a documented brochure titled, HOW RED IS
- THE FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES? And, in the theological realm,
- the Federal Council of Churches numbered among its leaders some
- of the most blatant apostates and false teachers of the century!
- And so it was that by 1950, when the National Council of Churches
- was formed, leaders of the older FCC welcomed the opportunity to
- merge with several other ecumenical agencies and obtain a new
- name - the National Council of Churches. However, it should not
- be forgotten that the leadership of liberalism and radicalism
- continued unchanged! It is also important to note that these very
- same USA ecumenical radicals participated with their counterparts
- in other nations of the world in the formation of the World
- Council of Churches in 1948.
-
- WHAT IS THE PRESENT SITUATION?
-
- THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES will hold its Sixth World Assembly
- in Vancouver, B C., July 24 - August 10, 1983. Some of the most
- radical religious leaders in the world are scheduled to attend
- and participate. Nearly 1000 of official delegates are scheduled to
- be present along with an estimated 3000 additional persons
- including journalists, accredited visitors, representatives of
- non-member churches, representatives of other Christian
- organizations, special guests, WCC staff, translators,
- interpreters and stewards. Any true believers who may be able to
- be present wiLl be able to see for themselves just how extensive
- and pervasive the radicalism of the WCC really is. The Reader's
- Digest articles and the "60 Minutes" expose merely scratched the
- surface. No matter how many denials may come from WCC leaders or
- even pastors in local WCC-affilliated churches, the facts are
- there for anyone to see who wants to see!
-
- PEPPERED WITH MARXIST IDEOLOGY
-
- One Godly Australian pastor, Brian Wenham, had a shocking
- initiation into WCC radicalism when he attended the WCC's
- Conference On World Mission And Evangelism, held in Melbourne,
- Australia, in 1980. For years he had read about the radicalism of
- the WCC but this was his first personal opportunity for a
- first-hand look. He was shocked! He wrote, "At this conference
- Marxism permeated everything - the liturgy, the songs, the
- addresses, the questions, the books all, the voluminous free
- literature - everything! Revolution was in the atmosphere." One
- of Pastor Wenham's friends also having his first personal look at
- the WCC, commented, "Had I not seen the sign, World Council of
- Churches, on the gate, and had I not known what I was visiting, I
- would have thought I had strayed into a Communist Party
- workshop." Wenham concluded, "In every session, every paper and
- almost every brochure and poster, I was being peppered, even
- pounded with marxist philosophy!"
-
- "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE REVOLUTION"
-
- Just in case you have the idea that Pastor Wenham and his friend
- may have overstated their impression of the WCC's meeting
- mentioned above, bear in mind the fact that they listened to
- messages such as the one prepared by Rev. Caanan Banana, a
- Methodist minister and president of the revolutionary government
- of Zimbabwe. The foLlowing are direct quotes from this radical's
- prepared text: "What is wanted today is an outright clear
- denunciation of capitalistic exploitation and dynamic action to
- over throw it. It seems that institutionalized religion is not
- capable of effecting this." ... "In the final analysis it is not
- so much a social struggle as a class struggle: poor against rich,
- oppressed against oppressor ... each historical situation will
- determine the choice of the method the poor will use to achieve
- their ultimate goal of changing the system and building
- socialism." ... "As for me, I am not ashamed of the revolution,
- for it is the power of the people unto salvation." And aU this
- came from the mind and heart of a Methodist minister - a strong
- supporter of the World Council of Churches! No wonder Pastor
- Wenham was alarmed! But what about you? Are you concerned? Are
- your gifts helping to strengthen the hands of evil-doers?
-
- THE WORLD COUNCIL OF HYPOCRITES
-
- The secular press often seems to discern the radicalism and
- hypocrisy of the WCC more quickly than the religious press and
- the average church-goer. The WCC held its 5th Assembly in
- Nairobi, Kenya in 1975. Here is a sampling of some of the
- headlines and key statements which were printed by various
- newspapers in the free world. "World Church Assembly - Spectacle
- of Decadence," read the headline of an editorial that ran kn the
- Gloucester County Times. This editorial began, "The 5th Assembly
- of the World Council of Churches solemnly assembled in Nakobi,
- Kenya, presented a stomach-turning spectacle of moral and
- spiritual illness." The Pasadena Star News said, "It would be hard
- to find a Christian in this area who believes the delegates in
- Nakobi represent Christianity." The Richmond News Leader titled
- its editorial, "Dry Rot in the W.C.C." "HYPOCRISY IN NAIROBI"
- read the headline in The State, Columbia, S.C., and the editorial
- continued, "The World Council of Churches ... might have changed
- its name to the WORLD COUNCIL OF HYPOCRITES." It is very clear
- that conservatives who reaLly listen to what the WCC is saying and
- doing have ample grounds for concern, especially when they are
- paying the bills to help accomplish the undermining of their own
- cherished freedoms!
-
- CHURCH URGED TO HELP DESTROY CAPITALISM
-
- With these exact words, the Nairobi Sunday Nation headlined its
- report of an address given by one of the main WCC speakers,
- former Prime Minister Michael Manley of Jamaica. Manley was
- quoted as saying, "At no point in history has an economic system
- reflected the process of domination in political, social,
- psychological and ultimately, even in philosophical terms, more
- completely than under capitalism." Down with capitalism -- Up
- with Socialism ! This is a recurring theme running through WCC
- documents and addresses, and such a program occupies a large
- portion of WCC staff time and funds!
-
- KGB AGENT SERVED AS PRESIDENT
-
- At Nairobi, the late Metropolitan Nikodim of the Russian Orthodox
- Church was elected as one of the six WCC presidents. He had been
- repeatedly identified as an actual KGB agent by many Russian
- refugees. He, together with other leaders from the many WCC
- member churches which are under complete communist domination and
- control, continually use the WCC as a propaganda sounding board
- for Red philosophies and causes. Ever since the Red-controlled
- churches joined the WCC, they have effectively silenced any real
- protest against Red atrocities. In addition, they have supported
- those programs of the WCC designed to give aid and comfort to
- revolutionary groups around the world.
-
- RED CHRISTIANS HELPED BUILD COMMUNISM
-
- In 1966, 1 personally covered the WCC's World Conference on Church
- and Society held at the WCC headquarters in Geneva. Revolution
- was the key word of this conference which involved 410 delegates
- from around the world, 48 of whom were from communist countries.
- The foLlowing is a direct quote from the late Metropolitan Nikodim
- referred to in the preceding paragraph. "I should also like to
- say that Christians in the Soviet Union ... have not only
- accepted the socialist revolution that took place in our country,
- but have and are active builders of a classless, socialist
- society, which is free from exploitation, racial or other
- inequality, and every member of which possesses equal rights as
- well as the opportunity for individual development and an active
- participation in the life of the whole society." Lies such as
- this are not only tolerated but welcomed within the WCC as Red
- agents dressed in the robes of the church continue to use the WCC
- as a sounding board for Red propaganda.
-
- DOCUMENTATION PROVES WCC RADICALISM
-
- Ecumenical leaders who defend the WCC claim that the charges
- leveled against them are simply not supported by the facts.
- Exactly the opposite is true! Our own files contain voluminous
- first-hand documentation which proves conclusively that the World
- Council of Churches is and always has been extremely radical,
- both theologically and politically. The materials already
- produced for the Sixth Assembly in Vancouver clearly indicate
- that the WCC radicalism will be perpetuated with only a "sop" of
- evangelical language and terminology given from time-to-time in an
- effort to pacify evangelicals and other conservatives.
-
- THE WCC IS RADICAL POLITICALLY
- BECAUSE IT IS LIBERAL THEOLOGICALLY
-
- The Bible, God's Holy Word, explains that when people "turn away
- their ears from the truth" they will be "turned unto fables." 11
- Timothy 4:4. The World Council leadership has done just that! Oh
- yes, they have a short doctrinal basis which sounds biblical and
- even evangelical. It reads: The World Council of Churches is a
- fellowship of churches which confesses the Lord Jesus Christ as
- God and Saviour according to the scriptures and therefore seek to
- fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God,
- Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Actually, this "doctrinal basis" is
- meaningless because an official WCC document goes on to explain
- that "Since the World Council of Churches is not itself a church
- it passes no judgment upon the sincerity with which member
- churches accept the basis." Document 24 (Appendix 111) of the WCC
- Central Committee Meeting of August 22-29, 1973, specifically
- states: "The World Council of Churches has no common confession.
- It is a fellowship of churches confessing Jesus Christ each in its
- own way."
-
- EVIDENCE OF THEOLOGICAL LIBERALISM
-
- The foLlowing statements are taken from the WCC's World Conference
- on Faith, Science and the Future, held in 1979. Note the frontal
- attacks upon the Bible and the God of the Bible. "Traditional
- doctrines of the Omnipotence of God must be rethought and
- reformulated ... Traditional ways of expressing the authority of
- Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium, need to find a new way of
- being stated ... One final thing needs to be said about the
- current situation. The credibility and validity of every human
- institution - government, industrial, academic, religious or
- scientific - stands ultimately under the judgment of society at
- large." Again we quote: "Some of the views of other religions may
- prove both closer to the Bible and more appropriate to the
- intellectual and social needs of our time. This means that
- learning from neighbors of other faiths can lead to a valuable
- enrichment of our understanding of the Bible and to a fruitful
- reformulation of our theology." Finally, this document says,
- "Christ has embraced us all, with every people everywhere, people
- of every religion and no religion, because we all belong to God
- in life and death and life again." Are words such as these
- compatible with biblical christianity? Of course not! Yet, such
- outright attacks upon the Bible and the promotion of heretical
- teachings are the rule rather than the exception in the World
- Council of Churches.
-
- "INTERIM THEOLOGIES"
-
- One of the great dangers of the World Council's philos-ophy and
- program is the unbiblical premise that, in the interest of unity,
- all different kinds of theological views will not only be
- tolerated but actually welcomed. So it is that even evangelical
- theology is welcomed (although it is reaLly not well received by
- the majority of WCC people). At the other extreme, you have
- extreme liberal theology and, in recent years, what is called
- "Liberation Theology" which sounds so much like communism that
- you can scarcely tell the difference. There are also many other
- theologies (all of them liberal in essence) which go by a variety
- of terms such as "Contextual Theology," "Black Theology," "A
- Theology of the Poor," etc. Perhaps the most accurate description
- of the WCC's theology is "INTERIM THEOLOGY." Having forsaken
- God's eternal Word as the basis of their theology, they are left
- with only that which is temporary and subject to continual change
- - a "Theology of Man."
-
-
- MIXING TRUTH WITH ERROR
-
- Our Lord Jesus Christ warned about the "leaven (false doctrine)
- of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." Matthew 16:6-12. God tells us
- in I Corinthians 5:6 "... Know ye not that a little leaven
- leaveneth the whole lump?" The WCC boasts of the wide theological
- latitude represented by its members but God pronounces a woe upon
- those who call evil, good and good, evil. Isaiah 5 :20. The fact
- that the WCC does use evangelical terminology and language at
- times should not be permitted to obscure the fact that along with
- the evangelical language is the deadly mixture of heretical
- doctrines and the preaching of a false gospel. When there is
- "poison in the pot," everyone who partakes will be harmed!
-
- "THE LEOPARD CANNOT CHANGE HIS SPOTS"
-
- One does not need prophetic vision to forecast some of the things
- which the WCC wiLl say and do at Vancouver. God's Word reminds us
- that just as the "leopard cannot change his spots, neither can
- those do good who are accustomed to do evil." Jer. 13:23. The WCC
- cannot change its radical spots but they may try to mask some of
- them and deny others. More likely, the WCC will even boast about
- their "radical spots", attempting to make them appear to be
- benefits rather than liabilities! But nothing can hide the WCC's
- radicalism from the eyes of those who exercise spiritual
- discernment and who view the WCC in the Light of the Scriptures.
-
- WHAT YOU MAY EXPECT
- TO SEE AND HEAR AT VANCOUVER
-
- (1) An elaborate series of "Bible Studies " is planned with the
- theme, "IMAGES OF LIFE." This will be another ecumenical exercise
- in "twisting the Scriptures", 11 Peter 3:16, in an attempt to
- "politicize" the Bible and use it to further the cause of world
- revolution.
-
- (2) A supposed new "doctrinal convergence" on BAPTISM, EUCHARIST
- & MINISTRY will be featured as a wonderful new breakthrough on the
- road to christian unity. The B.E.M. Document, hammered out by the
- WCC's Faith & Order Commission over a period of many years, is a
- masterpiece of compromise and double-talk with a little something
- to please almost everyone. But it will not be swallowed by true
- Bible believers who will note its acceptance of the heresy of
- baptismal regeneration; its Romish position concerning the eucharist;
- and its approval of apostolic succession and the ordination of women
- ministers.
-
- (3) There will be a massive new peace emphasis - one which
- closely parallels the current communist peace offensive which
- would leave the free world an easy prey for a communist takeover.
-
- (4) There will. be stepped-up attacks upon capitalism and demands
- for a new world economic order - one which is based upon the
- unscriptural premises of socialism rather than on the biblical
- free enterprise system.
-
- (5) Leaders of heathen religions wiLl be welcomed and praised.
- Dialogue with heathen religionists and communists will be
- continued and enlarged.
-
- (6) There will be praise and flowery words for evangelicals and
- Roman Catholics. Both groups are being wooed by WCC leaders who
- are actuaLly paving the way for a return to Rome!
-
- (7) The "POOR" will be used as pawns in the WCC's efforts to
- promote world socialism. Some WCC leaders are claiming that the
- "poor" are already a part of God's Kingdom on earth.
-
- (8) The WCC will seek to enlarge its program of socialistic
- indoctrination through education in the USA and around the world.
- Much church money will be deceptively budgeted for "education" -
- a kind of education designed to completely change the social and
- moral value5 of all men everywhere. (9) Precious scriptural words
- like liberation, justice, freedom, redemption, salvation, etc.,
- wiLl continue to be redefined and reinterpreted, so that instead
- of preaching the gospel of eternal salvation through Jesus
- Christ, the message will be one of economic and social revolution
- through the efforts of man. (10) Stung by recent revelations of
- their radicalism, WCC leaders may be expected to launch a
- counterattack upon the "new right", "unloving christians" and
- "reactionary conservatives."
-
- "A PIECE OF CHRISTIAN POETRY, SYMBOLIC
- STATEMENT-OR A PIECE OF NONSENSE"
-
- The WCC has published a pre-assembly book titled, "The Feast of
- Life - a Theological Reflection on the Theme - Jesus Christ, the
- Life of the World." This book actually reveals the pathetic
- situation in which the WCC finds itself today. Having turned away
- from the truth of God's Word, they are left with only fables. On
- pages 69 and 70 of this book, the various "contemporary
- responses" seeking to address the problem of church renewal in
- multifaith, pluralist societies are listed. Of the seven
- responses given, only one sets forth the biblical doctrine of
- salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. AU the
- other views stated are heretical and anti-christ in nature. Yet
- all are presently held by WCC members and this portion of the
- book closes with the highly significant statement, "WE ARE IN A
- TIME THEREFORE OF INTERIM THEOLOGIES!" No wonder confusion reigns
- supreme within the WCC and the entire ecumenical movement! It is
- time for Bible believers to wake up, face the facts, and take
- necessary action!
-
- FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
- ABOUT THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
-
- Fact 1. The WCC is extremely liberal and radical, both
- religiously and politicaLly! Fact 2. The WCC is one of the best
- friends the world wide communist movement has! Fact 3. The WCC
- has close ties with and wholeheartedly supports the United
- Nations! Fact 4. The WCC strongly backs the radical Women's
- Liberation Movement! Fact 5. The WCC is committed to the concept
- of "One Visible United Church" Fact 6. The WCC's eventual goal is
- "Unity of all religions - Unity of all Mankind." Fact 7. The WCC
- is promoting an unscriptural program for world peace! Fact 8. The
- WCC is using your church contributions to accomplish their
- purposes and goals!
-
- ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE
-
- STEP ONE - Immediately withdraw all financial support from the WCC!
-
- STEP TWO - Withdraw membership from any church which is a member
- of the WCC!
-
- STEP THREE - Help to inform and alert other Christians as to the
- true nature of the WCC!
-
- STEP FOUR - Join and support only churches and organizations
- which are true to the Bible!
-
- Some evangelicals are advising believers to remain in the NCC and
- WCC; to withhold or designate financial support; and seek to
- effect corrective changes from within. One of the two Reader's
- Digest articles gave just such advice. But such action is a myth
- and an exercise in futility. More importantly, God's Word
- commands exactly the opposite: "come out and be separate and
- touch not the unclean thing." 11 Cor. 6:14-18. Further God says,
- "Have no. feLlowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but
- rather reprove them." Eph. 5 :11. Theological and political
- liberalism is so firmly entrenched in both the World and National
- Councils of Churches that it is "too little, too late" to attempt
- to clean house. Conservatives in various WCC-NCC denominations
- have tried for years to withdraw their denominational membership
- without success. Meanwhile, ecumenical leaders are doing their
- best to maintain the support of conservatives without which they
- would be severely handicapped.
-
- It is time for true Bible-believers to obey God and separate from
- the apostate ecumenical movement as represented by the NCC and
- WCC. If you are a true, born-again believer in Jesus Christ and
- you at the same time belong to any of the denominations listed
- below then you are certainly not pleasing the Lord but are rather
- giving aid to those who are undermining the very Faith and
- Freedom so dear to us all!
-
- MEMBERS OF THE WCC AS OF 1982:
-
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-
- African Methodist Episcopal Church; African Methodist Episcopal
- Zion Church; American Baptist Churches in the USA; American
- Lutheran Church; Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of New
- York and all North America; Christian Church (Disciples of
- Christ) in the United States; Christian Methodist Episcopal
- Church; Church of the Brethren; Episcopal Church; Hungarian
- Reformed Church in America; International Evangelical Church;
- Lutheran Church in America; Moravian Church in America (Northern
- Province); Moravian Church in America (Southern Province);
- National Baptist Convention of America; National Baptist
- Con-vention, USA, Inc.; National Council of Community Churches;
- Orthodox Church in America; Polish National Catholic Church;
- Presbyterian Church in the United States; Progressive National
- Baptist Convention, Inc.; Reformed Church in America; Religious
- Society of Friends: Friends United Meeting; United Church of
- Christ; United Methodist Church; United Presbyterian Church in the
- United States of America
-
- CANADA
-
- Anglican Church of Canada; Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Society
- of Friends; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada;
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada; Evangelical Lutheran Church
- of Latvia in Exile; United Church of Canada.
-
-