Teaching Truthfully and Ministering Mercifully
by the National Pro-life Religious Council
Our Situation
In our time and place, the dignity of the human person is under attack. Year after year, horrendously high numbers of abortions are performed in American society. Also, the proliferation of embryonic stem cell research, eugenics, euthanasia, and other similar problems exhibit a casual disregard for human dignity.
Occasionally, in the political arena and within church life, the great debate regarding human dignity surfaces. But most often, literally fearing disagreement, churches simply remain silent about these matters. Through their silence, churches in America prove themselves accommodated to American society and deepen their accommodation. Thus routine attacks on the dignity of the human person, in our country, can continue with few serious challenges.
In our time and place, it is crucial that churches (Protestant, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic) rely on God’s Word and grace, demonstrate the unity that Jesus Christ gives, set aside fearful silence, and strive to teach truthfully and minister mercifully, “in season and out of season” (II Timothy 4:2, RSV here and following), with regard to abortion and other life issues. To assist churches in those tasks, the following ecumenical confession is offered.
Our Confession
I. We believe in the one, true, living, loving, Triune God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God reveals Himself in history — through faithful encounter with Israel, most fully through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Church (one, holy, catholic, and apostolic) in Word and Sacrament. This God speaks and acts.
This God is not the creation of humanity’s pious imaginations or spiritual enthusiasms.