An overture asking that the PCA withdraw from the NAE was presented at the last General Assembly. That resolution is currently being considered. The following is just a short list of some of the actions, resolutions, and positions taken by the NAE that should make the withdrawal of the PCA a no-brainer.

“The sole functions of the Church, as a kingdom and government distinct from the civil commonwealth, are to proclaim, to administer, and to enforce the law of Christ revealed in the Scriptures.” (PCA BCO 3-3)

“Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.” (WCF 31.4)

Introduction: The NAE claims to represent and act on behalf of it’s members. The PCA is a member of the NAE. The critical question we must ask ourselves, therefore, is would or could the PCA have endorsed any of the following actions at its General Assembly?

1) May 7, 2003 – NAE holds a Press “Consultation on Evangelical Christian-Muslim Relations” where it publicly “Lovingly rebukes” Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Chuck Colson, Jerry Falwell, and Dr. Jerry Vines for their statements condemning Islam as violent:

None of these publicly rebuked brothers, save Franklin Graham who is an NAE member, were invited to the rebuke beforehand. Jerry Vines responded: “”I must say I am really amazed at a ‘loving rebuke’ being issued to a brother none of you know, and in the public secular media, at that,” Vines wrote. Rebuke’ is a pretty strong word. As I understand it, personal sin must be involved before a rebuke is issued. I would like for you to point out to me what my sin was for which you issued me a ‘loving rebuke.'” Source [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced in this article is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

2) January 17, 2007 – NAE Releases Letter to President and Congress Endorsing Climate Change (Global Warming) and Pressing for Legislation:

The Letter calls on “religious, scientific, business, political and educational circles to join the initiative” and urges “fundamental changes in values, lifestyles, and public policies required to address these worsening problems before it is too late.”: “Evangelicals Embrace Climate Change Science To Save The World, Washington (AFP) Jan 17, 2007 Evangelical and scientific leaders have united for the first time to sway Americans to back urgent action to stem greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming threatening the planet. Repudiating the struggle between neo-creationists and defenders of the theory of evolution, a group of prominent scientists, including Nobel prize winner Eric Chivian and NASA’s chief climatologist James Hansen, joined US evangelical leaders on Wenesday to launch this unprecedented joint-initiative.

The coalition of 28 US scientists and eminent members of the Christian evangelical movement, which boasts 30 million followers in the United States, announced an “urgent call to action” to curb habitat destruction, pollution, species extinction, the spread of human infectious diseases and other manufactured dangers that are now threatening humanity. The statement was released at a news conference and sent to US President George W. Bush, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, bipartisan congressional leaders and national evangelical and scientific organizations.

The group pledged to “work together toward a responsible care for Creation and call with one voice” on religious, scientific, business, political and educational circles to join the initiative. They urged “fundamental changes in values, lifestyles, and public policies required to address these worsening problems before it is too late.” “There is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat, a liberal or conservative, a religious or secular environment. We all breath the same air and drink the same water,” said Chivian, Nobel laureate and director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. “Great scientists are people of imagination. So are people of great faith. We dare to imagine a world in which science and religion cooperate, minimizing our differences about how Creation got started, to work together to reverse its degradation. We will not allow it to be progressively destroyed by human folly,” added Richard Cizik, vice-president for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals.” Source

NB: This understanding is still part of the official NAE website:
“International Adaptation – As natural disasters and other problems begin to erupt due to the effects of climate change, funding is needed to help poorer countries adapt to the changes and problems. Governing bodies believe this will not only reduce vulnerability but also enhance resilience in response to observed or expected changes. Evangelical relief and development organizations that work with the vulnerable and poor worldwide are coming together to make sure appropriate private and federal funding is in place.” Source

3) June 19, 2008 – NAE meets in Morocco to discuss Climate Change Initiatives with Muslims:

“On Thursday, June 19, 2008, delegations from the Kingdom of Morocco and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) met at the World Bank for a day-long discussion centering on the topic of “Creation Care,” or religiously-inspired care for the environment. The meetings represented a continuation of an engagement between a significant segment of the US evangelical community and Moroccan leaders, The NAE delegation was led by President Leith Anderson and Vice President for Governmental Affairs Richard Cizik, both well known for their involvement in climate change activism.

“The Moroccan delegation, led by Ambassador Aziz Mekouar, included several prominent Moroccan academics and government figures who have been involved in environmental work. The lunch discussion was also noteworthy for its exploration of issues of religious freedom as it affects particularly Moroccan Muslims and evangelical Christians. Rick Love, currently in the Reconciliation Program at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, gave a presentation addressing the “ethics of dawa and evangelism” and the importance of interfaith dialogue. The afternoon session took the form of an open discussion between the two delegations around a series of pre-planned questions. Three main themes emerged from the conversation. First, many delegates emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue, even in the face of criticism from others (such as more conservative members of the Evangelical or Muslim communities) who oppose such initiatives.” Source

4) October 2008 – NAE endorses Ecumenical Christian Apology to Muslims:

“Loving God and Neighbor Together” a document produced by the Yale University Center for Faith and Culture in which “300 evangelical, mainline Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders sponsored a letter seeking “reconciliation” and “common ground” with Islam. The letter, “Loving God and Neighbor Together,” was issued as a response to a similar letter written to Christians by 138 Muslim leaders last fall: The Christian letter expressed regrets for the Crusades and for excesses of the “war on terror,” acknowledged Allah as the God of the Bible and insisted that, “without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world.” Source

The RPCNA (the last other Reformed denomination in the NAE) withdrew from the NAE as a result of this letter in 2009 citing “President Leith Anderson’s participation in the meeting between Christians and Muslims where the document, ‘Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to “A Common Word Between Us and You”’ was approved and signed.” and noting that “The document is clearly based on an unbiblical premise. It falsely assumes that Christianity and Islam approach the same God, but in different ways.” [RPCNA IRC NAE Withdrawal Statement (permission granted to cite by the RPCNA Interchurch Committee)]

5) December 2, 2008 – Richard Cizik, -Vice President for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals publically endorses Gay Civil Unions in an NPR interview:

“In a short portion of the program, Gross asked him, “A couple of years ago when you were on our show, I asked you if you were changing your mind on that. And two years ago, you said you were still opposed to gay marriage. But now as you identify more with younger voters, would you say you have changed on gay marriage?” Cizik responded, “I’m shifting, I have to admit. In other words, I would willingly say that I believe in civil unions. I don’t officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I don’t think.” Source

[NB: Cizik resigned as a result of his views, but it is noteworthy that prior to the interview the NAE had resisted all prior calls from Evangelical Leader for his resignation because of his well known “non-traditional views.” The question should be asked, what was Cizik doing acting as an ideological leader in the NAE in the first place and why was he allowed to continue doing so for so long? The NAE has a history of highly questionable decisions regarding its leadership, including the decision to elect Charismatic Pastor Ted Haggard, an associate of C. Peter Wagner and a promoter of “the New Apostolic Reformation.” President Haggard subsequently resigned in November 2006 after it was revealed he has had a three year affair with a Male Prostitute and had been buying crystal methamphetamine from him.]

6) October 8, 2009 – NAE Approves Resolution Supporting Comprehensive Immigration Reform:

“Washington, D.C. – The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), representing 40 denominations, scores of evangelical organizations and millions of American evangelicals, today approved a resolution calling for action on immigration reform. Source

“The president of the largest evangelical body in the United States testified in favor of liberalized immigration policies before a Senate subcommittee on Thursday, following an endorsement of immigration reform by the group’s governing board. Anderson, who pastors the large Wooddale Church in suburban Minneapolis, reported to the committee that the NAE board had earlier that day unanimously endorsed a call for immigration reform. The NAE represents evangelical denominations such as the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Assemblies of God. The United States’ largest protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is not an NAE member. Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Schumer eagerly embraced the NAE resolution. “Evangelicals’ community support for immigration reform is a moral imperative for all people of faith,” said the U.S. Senator from New York.” Source

7) Feb 2011 – NAE Reaches out to Mormons:

“The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) Board of Directors, which includes the CEOs of 40 denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations and churches, will gather in Park City and Salt Lake City on March 10, 2011 for its semiannual board meeting. This meeting is the first to be held in Utah, where the majority of its residents are Mormons.[i] In addition to board business, the NAE leaders will meet with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss various issues of concern to evangelicals. The board will also meet with a leader from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). “We hope this time of dialogue with LDS leaders will deepen our understanding of the Mormon faith and contribute to the ongoing work of evangelicals in Utah,” said Leith Anderson, NAE President. “For the sake of Christ and his kingdom, we seek to represent biblical evangelicalism to those who wouldn’t hear or know. We also look for common ground on issues where we can work together.” Source

8) July 21, 2011 – NAE joins with liberal Christian groups in asking President Obama not to cut Social Welfare Spending:

“In a meeting with President Barack Obama and senior White House staff yesterday afternoon, national Christian leaders asked the president to protect funding for programs for hungry and poor people in the ongoing budget debate and in any deal concerning the default crisis. All agreed that we can get our fiscal house in order without doing so on the backs of those who are most vulnerable. The shared concern was to cut the deficit in a way that protects the safety net, protects the vulnerable, and maintains our investments in the future.

“I was pleased that the President made meeting with Christian leaders about the poor a priority in his schedule,” said Galen Carey, Vice President of Government Relations for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). “I hope all the leaders involved in the negotiations will honor our nation’s historic commitment in caring for the poor.”

Christian leaders at yesterday’s meeting included representatives from the NAE, the National Council of Churches, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bread for the World, Sojourners, the Alliance to End Hunger, the Salvation Army, the National African American Clergy Network, the National Baptist Convention of America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.” Source

9) November 8, 2011 – NAE Board Calls for Nuclear Weapons Reductions:

“The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), representing more than 45,000 local churches from over 40 different denominations, approved a resolution at its semiannual meeting in October calling for new efforts toward verifiable multilateral reductions in nuclear weapons and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.” Source

Individuals in the PCA who would like to comment on this issue should write to ‘Chairman, Committee on Interchurch Relations’. Email should be sent to [email protected] or mail addressed to the Office of the Stated Clerk, PCA, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8143. Of course, Sessions and Presbyterians may send Overtures to the 40th General Assembly. Online comments may be directed to The Aquila Report Facebook page

Andy Webb is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and serves as the pastor of Providence PCA in Fayetteville, NC

[Editor’s note: Original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]