Even critics of the Promise Keepers movement would have to concede that its leaders have shown an uncanny knack for crunching complex issues into mantras that men can chant in stadiums or, this Saturday, on the National Mall.<\/p>\n\n
A classic example occurred at last year\u2019s rally for 42,000 clergy in Atlanta.<\/p>\n\n
The movement is built on seven promises about faith, marriage and family life. The sixth commits a Promise Keeper to reach beyond any \u201cdenominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.\u201d Thus, superstar writer and preacher Max Lucado asked each pastor in the Georgia Dome, on the count of three, to shout his denomination\u2019s name. The created a verbal train wreck. Next, he asked them to name their savior, which drew a unified shout \u2014 \u201cJesus!\u201d \u2014 followed by lots of hugs.<\/p>\n\n
It was a joyful moment linked to a painful reality. Any movement that asks believers to pray, witness and work together will eventually be accused of watering down essentials of the faith. This is especially true on the conservative side of the ecumenical aisle, where evangelicals, fundamentalists, charismatics, Calvinists and Catholics keep bumping into one another. Some barriers are higher than others.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cI think we have a lot in common. But there are some obvious communications problems to overcome,\u201d said evangelist Jim Berlucchi, who this summer became the first Catholic to play a high-profile role in several Promise Keepers rallies.<\/p>\n\n
Earlier this year, business leader Michael Timmis of Detroit also became the first Catholic on the group\u2019s board of directors. Timmis will be a featured speaker during the five-hour \u201cStand in the Gap\u201d rally in Washington, D.C. Catholics also have been taking another look at Promise Keepers after a positive report on the movement from the U.S. Catholic Bishops\u2019 Committee on Marriage and Family Life.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cI think, initially, that Catholic leaders perceived Promise Keepers to be just what it was \u2013 an evangelical Protestant movement,\u201d said Berlucchi. \u201cIt certainly wasn\u2019t connected to the Catholic faith. \u2026 But there was something about these big events that was very appealing to all kinds of men \u2014 including Catholic men \u2014 even though the whole style was so evangelical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Catholic leaders knew that many Catholics were going to Promise Keeper events with Protestant friends. Some observers put the Catholic participation figure as high was 10 and 20 percent of those in attendance. Reports circulated that some Catholics were making decisions to change their lives \u2013 including changing churches. Many noted that Promise Keeper founder Bill McCartney was an active Catholic, before joining an independent charismatic congregation.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cBut the more Catholic leaders looked at Promise Keepers, the more they saw themes they obviously could affirm,\u201d said Berlucchi. \u201cCatholics are all for men taking responsibility, caring for their wives and families, being willing to take more of a leadership role in their own homes and seeking accountability and spiritual direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
This doesn\u2019t mean everyone is ecstatic. The Fundamental Baptist New Service issued this warning: \u201cThe Bible commands us to mark and avoid those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine which we have been taught in God\u2019s Word. \u2026Certainly this means that God forbids us to fellowship with a movement which accepts Roman Catholic bishops and priests as brothers in Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Meanwhile, Catholic progressives \u2014 especially feminists \u2014 distrust Promise Keepers as much as do their secular counterparts. The group\u2019s success also reminds the hierarchy that U.S. parishes have, in recent decades, had trouble appealing to men. There is, noted Berlucchi, a \u201ccertain lack of virility\u201d in much of today\u2019s worship. Thus, many Catholics have embraced the take-no-prisoners style of music, prayer and preaching at Promise Keepers events.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe messages are very challenging and in-your-face,\u201d he said. \u201cThey take on issues that men know are real. Men like that. They look around those stadiums and see thousands of other men responding to that. \u2026 And all of this is taking place in the context of a wider cultural crisis and great confusion about what it means to be a man. Catholics are not immune to that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Even critics of the Promise Keepers movement would have to concede that its leaders have shown an uncanny knack for crunching complex issues into mantras that men can chant in stadiums or, this Saturday, on the National Mall. A classic example occurred at last year\u2019s rally for 42,000 clergy in Atlanta. The movement is built […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n