ARTICLES

Should Catholic Men Take Part in Promise Keepers?

JUSTIFICATION ISSUE WORRIES SOME PROTESTANTS

By Ernie Grimm

Many Catholics View the Christian men's movement, Promise Keepers, with a cautious eye. Its message of devotion to God and revitalization of the family through commitment to marriage and fatherhood are admirable. But its evangelical tone concerns those who would preserve the integrity of the Faith from Protestant theology. But Promise Keepers, because of its inclusion of Catholics, has at least one outspoken Protestant critic: the Fourth Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In a pamphlet titled, "Promise Keepers: What's Really at Stake?" found locally in First Southern Baptist Church of San Diego on Park Boulevard, Dr. Douglas R. McLachlan of the Fourth Baptist Church objects to Promise Keepers on three grounds: "Its Ecumenical Character.... Its Charismatic Connection.... Its Roman Catholic Confusion."

McLachlan believes that the inclusive nature of ecumenism and the emphasis on experience in "the charismatic movement" result in a compromise of the truth. And in his explanation of Promise Keepers's "Roman Catholic Confusion," he writes, "Jack Hayford (a Promise Keepers spokesman) wrote in The Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper, the following statement: 'Redeeming worship centers on the Lord's Table. Whether your tradition celebrates it as Communion, Eucharist, the Mass, or the Lord's Supper, we are called to this centerpiece of Christian worship.' The Mass is considered an offering again of Jesus upon the altar of that church. That is an assault on the finality and efficacy of Christ's cross-work and is a denial of Scripture. More than this, the biblical teaching of justification by faith alone is equally assaulted in Roman Catholicism."

When contacted by News Notes, McLachlan said, "We love Catholics -- we love all people -- but we're very concerned about clarity and precision with regard to the subject of justification. I've read in World magazine and in other sources that, under the suggestion of Catholic theologians, Promise Keepers eliminated from their doctrinal statement the sola fide statement. They still have 'by Christ alone' but not 'by faith alone.'" The fifth point of Promise Keepers's statement of faith reads, "Only through faith, trusting in Christ alone for salvation which was made possible by his death and resurrection, can [alienation from God] be removed." McLachlan still maintains that the wording is a "concession to grow crowds. That's a dangerous pragmatic tool."

"'Whosoever will, let them come.' That's our approach," said Steve Chavis, a national spokesman for Promise Keepers. "Our doctrinal statement of faith is a basis of fellowship across the Christian spectrum....It's not our calling to delineate authentic expressions from unauthentic expressions beyond what was stated in our statement of faith. We believe that we can cross the denominational spectrum and agree on those five points. Many people want Promise Keepers to proclaim who's in and who's out. We have taken the other tack, which is to outline what we think are the core essentials and offer events and resources that Christian men get together on. That satisfies quite a few people but there are some people that does not satisfy."

Should it satisfy Catholics? Steve Wood, a convert from Protestant ministerhood and founder of Family Life Center International in Port Charlotte, Florida, answers, "A Catholic who is confirmed in his faith, who has a very clear understanding of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, there's no danger in him attending a Promise Keepers event. On the other hand, if someone does not have a good grasp of his faith, especially his belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, I think there's a real danger in his attending a Promise Keepers event."

A Catholic alternative to Promise Keepers is St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers, a men's ministry Wood founded two and a half years ago. "I did about 100,000 miles of flying around to family conferences," says Wood, "finding all kinds of wonderful Catholic wives who were there wishing their husbands were with them. At the same time I saw the successful strategy that Promise Keepers has discovered of pulling men apart by themselves for challenging, encouraging, and equipping them for their role as dads. I knew fathers were important, but Promise Keepers helped alert me to the fact that it was just a matter of separating them for a time in order to reach them."

In St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers, says Wood, "We see ourselves as having a little different focus. With Promise Keepers, the center of gravity is the men's small group. A lot of people think it's their stadium events -- it's not, it's their men's small group. We want the family to be the family center. Also, there are large numbers of Catholic men who are involved in St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers who have at first been through Promise Keepers and found it personally renewing but then have desired to find a Catholic expression of that. They want to build into it a sacramental appreciation; how do the sacraments of marriage, reconciliation, and the Blessed Eucharist fit into God's plan for Christian marriage and family life?"

Any plans for a Promise Keepers-like stadium event series? "We hold conferences in various parts of the country," Wood answers. "They're not nearly the size of Promise Keepers events, at least not yet. We knew from the outset that we were going to grow slower than Promise Keepers has due to some of the components in our commitments. We mention the indissolubility of marriage and it's a lot tougher message to put across today. Then, of course, there is the message of the immorality of birth control. If you mention that today you're not going to get the crowds that you'll get if you're quiet on those things. But we feel to keep silent on those issues is almost building on sand because if they're not addressed, the family in the United States will simply cease to be."