300 Christian Theologians Say Repent and Believe in the Gospel!

The Boston Declaration aims to promote what Christ really taught.

Over 300 Christian theologians wrote, signed, and released the Boston Declaration.[/tweetit] The document roundly condemned the abuse done by the name of Christian faith. This, it found out was done by a worryingly large number of Christian Conservatives. The announcement was done through a press conference at the well-known Old South Church in Boston.

300 Christian Theologians Say Repent and Believe in the Gospel![/tweetthis]

The signors were attendees of American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. The yearly event attracts 10,000 religion professionals. Many of them were dressed in ashes and sackcloth to ask for a truer version of Christianity compared to what is being practiced in the U.S.

They called for repentance from those they believe have strayed from the path. The presenters distinctly said that white Evangelicalism in the U.S. is presently embroiled in crisis. They said that the crisis was made the evangelicals themselves. The root of all problems, the signors reiterated, is that the conservative American Christian has jettisoned the Gospel as preached by Jesus Christ.

The event brings back memories of another declaration made in 1934. That year, Martin Niemoller and Karl Barth along with other Confessing Church pastors released the now famous Barmen Declaration. The signors at that time called out the complicity of the German Church with the Nazi regime headed by Adolf Hitler. The Boston Declaration is clearly inspired by the German one. The present-day declaration admits that if any person wants to travel the path walked by Jesus, the person must fight racism and any kind of oppression, that person must also fight poverty and economic exploitation. All these can be achieved with faith.

Looks like the North American evangelical church movement is in a state of reformation with the Nashville Statement and #BostonDeclaration. One of these is better than the other (imo)

— Rey (@RedeemedRey) November 21, 2017

Reverend Dr. Pamela Lightsey, one of many signers of the Boston Declaration, and an important organizer of the event, pointed out the many differences between what the Gospel teaches and what is now presented as Christianity in the United States. Lightsey, who is an Associate Dean, Boston University School of Theology, said that the Declaration was made as according to Jesus, they should love neighbors as they love themselves. They refused the hijacking of Christianity by people supporting women abuse and those who want to shut the American door to immigrants needing shelter. They also do not support the playing down of continuous lies. The same opinion has been expressed by Reverend Dr. David Wilhite, who said that most evangelicals of today now misrepresent Christianity. Dr. Wilhite is the theology professor at Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

Resources

• Huffington Post
• Religion News Service
• Boston Declaration

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