David S. Dockery - Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, What Belongs to Caesar

Advance Praise for

Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty

This book commemorates ten years since the release of the Manhattan Statement on Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty . That ten years feels more like a quarter century. The pace of cultural change in the West has far exceeded reasonable estimates. I am grateful to see this volume addressing these critical issues through the written contributions of some of our finest thinkers and analysts. Martin Luther King, Jr. insisted the church must not simply reflect culture, but must act to influence it. Works such as this one can help us accomplish that goal.

Hunter Baker , J.D., Ph.D., Dean, College of Arts and Sciences,
Union University

The Manhattan Declaration was a landmark event in American history when it was issued in 2009. This splendid volume is a fitting reflection on the Declaration, and a welcome check-up on its health and influence ten years hence. Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty is more than that, for it stands on its own as a collection of social commentaries by a score or so of Americas most insightful and engaged scholars and journalists. It is in fact a trusty guide to those perplexed by the somersaults in our culture and politics over the last decade.

Gerard V. Bradley , Professor of Law and Director, National Law Institute, Co-editor, The American Journal of Jurisprudence ,
University of Notre Dame Law School

A FIDELIS BOOKS BOOK

An Imprint of Post Hill Press

Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty:

What Belongs to God, What Belongs to Caesar

2019 by David S. Dockery and John Stonestreet

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-1-64293-257-7

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-64293-258-4

Cover Design by Cody Corcoran

Unless otherwise indicated all Scripture is from:
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV Text Edition: 2016. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Post Hill Press

New York Nashville

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Published in the United States of America

in piam memoriam

Charles W. Chuck Colson (19312012)

Mentor, Visionary, Leader,
and Courageous Follower of Christ

Contents

In the fall of 2009, guided by the leadership of Chuck Colson (19312012), more than 150 religious leaders came together to address the three key issues of the cultural moment: life, marriage, and religious liberty. At Colsons request, Timothy George, dean of the Beeson Divinity School, and Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, served as primary authors of a significant statement known as The Manhattan Declaration . We were privileged to be part of the collective that affirmed the Declaration and part of a smaller group who offered initial support for the project.

Included among the 150 religious leaders were Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Evangelical Protestants from various denominations as well as non-denominational backgrounds. Deep theological differences would have made it difficult for those in this group to reach consensus about things such as the work of evangelism or church life, or even to share communion together. So, to be clear, The Manhattan Declaration was no attempt at a mushy ecumenism. Rather, the statement was an affirmation built around genuine shared conviction. Though, they also recognized their shared commitments to the Nicene Creed and their shared concerns regarding the issues of life, marriage, and religious liberty, among other important cultural and societal challenges. Within months, more than 550,000 people added their names in support of the Declaration .

Now, a decade later, we find ourselves at a somewhat different cultural moment, even as we maintain our commitments on these three key issues. A few years ago, the responsibility for the Declaration was handed to the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, under the direction of John Stonestreet, by The Manhattan Declaration Board. The ten-year anniversary of the statement provides an opportunity to not only renew and reaffirm the commitments articulated so clearly in 2009, but also to reflect on what those commitments require of us today. In that light, several people who were directly or indirectly influenced by the wide-ranging leadership of Chuck Colson have come together to speak afresh to these vital issues.

Building on their work as the primary authors of the original statement, Timothy George and Robert P. George have provided the bookend chapters for this volume. The Beeson dean has written an initial reflection while the McCormick Professor has offered a concluding and defining word regarding a contest of worldviews. Between these two brilliant chapters are thoughtful contributions related to themes of life, marriage, and religious liberty. We have provided a word from Chuck Colson, which was originally penned in 2010 shortly after the release of the Declaration.

Bestselling author Randy Alcorn has provided the opening chapter on the importance of life. Russell Moore and Andrew Walker, key leaders at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission have combined to address Why Life at All Stages Belongs to God, Not the State. Their chapter includes important thoughts on a variety of ethical issues including abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, poverty, elderly care, and capital punishment. A younger voice, Trevin Wax, whose influence continues to grow, speaks to How the Church Can Defend Life at All Stages. Readers will appreciate the powerful, personal insights from Joni Eareckson Tada, as she writes about How the Church Can Protect the Dignity of the Most Vulnerable Among Us. Frederica Mathewes-Green courageously reflects on Why Being Pro-Life is also Pro-Woman.

The second section of the book focuses on marriage, beginning with significant chapters on the importance of marriage. Timothy Cardinal Dolan has offered a Roman Catholic perspective and Rick Warren has provided an evangelical perspective. The ever-astute cultural observer Mary Eberstadt has offered a thoughtful contribution to the broader impact of The Manhattan Declaration . Jennifer Roback Morse has given us a fine piece on Why Marriage Belongs to God, Not the State and the persuasive work of Ryan Anderson follows with a timely response called Marriage Equality, Marriage Reality.

The third section includes important chapters on the issue of religious liberty. The initial chapter in this section, authored by Michael Farris, provides a historical overview regarding Why Religious Freedom Matters. Chad Hatfield, president at St. Vladimirs Seminary, has offered a pastoral perspective on Why Our Conscience Belongs to God, Not the State. R. R. Reno, editor of First Things , has provided a wonderful piece on How the Church Can Protect Religious Liberty and the Rights of Conscience. Kristen Waggoner offers a thoughtful review of our cultures most recent religious freedom clashes, and theologian Bruce Ashford has penned the final chapter in this section with a reflection on children in contemporary society. The Manhattan Declaration is attached as an addendum.