CHICAGO — A group of 84 Evangelical Protestant leaders issued a declaration Tuesday insisting on believers' right to spread their message to all.
The "Chicago Declaration on Religious Freedom," named for the city where it was drafted and issued, does not mention the uproar over a summer evangelism project in Chicago. Established by the Southern Baptist Convention, it has become a divisive issue between Jews and conservative Christians.
Southern Baptist officials were prominent in developing the statement, along with figures such as Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, Charles Colson of Prison Fellowship Ministries, president Richard Mouw of Fuller Theological Seminary, executive editor David Neff of Christianity Today magazine, chief counsel Jay Sekulow of American Center for Law and Justice and executive director David Brickner of Jews for Jesus.
The new declaration says that only free speech in "the robust marketplace of ideas envisioned by America's founders can safeguard the true liberty, freedom and human dignity we all pursue."
The declaration acknowledges that some churches have lacked "proper respect for the rights and dignity of others" and denounces "coercive techniques, dishonest appeals or any form of deception."
It rejects any assertions that evangelism efforts "undermine a peaceful, pluralistic society and may lead to intolerance, bigotry and even violence."