I just read Al Mohler’s explanation of why he signed the MD. (For the record, Mohler is on my top-ten list of modern day Christian heroes. I profoundly respect him and my disagreement with him on this issue doesn’t change my opinion of him at all.) Toward the end of his post Mohler has this to say:
My beliefs concerning the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches have not changed. The Roman Catholic Church teaches doctrines that I find both unbiblical and abhorrent — and these doctrines define nothing less than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But The Manhattan Declaration does not attempt to establish common ground on these doctrines. We remain who we are, and we concede no doctrinal ground. (Emphasis mine)
I disagree. I think that the simple act of calling someone a “Christian” does imply common ground on doctrines associated with the gospel (whether intentionally or not). The title “Christian” cannot be separated from the gospel and its associated doctrines (justification by faith alone, etc.). I still think that calling Roman Catholic and Orthodox people “Christian” will inevitability concede the very doctrinal ground that Mohler is so passionate to retain–especially for those who do not understand the gospel.
ANOTHER ADDENDUM: John MacArthur makes essentially the same argument that I do. Worth a read.
