Author of Manhattan Declaration to Speak at First Public Forum Since Release
Chuck Colson, one of the primary authors of the controversial Manhattan Declaration, is speaking at his first public forum since releasing the document. The event will be a major gathering of Christians on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 in Mobile, Alabama at the Mobile Convention Center, Grand Ballroom, 6:00 am – 7:30 am. Colson has not spoken publicly about the Declaration since its release at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. last month. The Manhattan Declaration (http://www.manhattandeclaration.com) has been causing political and religious reverberations from Washington, D.C. to the Vatican since its public unveiling.
Because of its bold, straightforward language, and a direct call for Christian to engage in “civil disobedience,” the Manhattan Declaration, a self-proclaimed “Christian call to conscience,” has stirred action, anger, admiration and controversy since its release. The document calls for Christians to unite to “reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good.” Many leaders and laypeople from Evangelical, mainline Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic denominations have publically signed the document and are supporting its efforts. All of those Christian constituencies will be well-represented at the event in Alabama. Event organizers are expecting from 1,500 to 5,000 people to attend.
The event in Mobile is being called “12.23 – Men of Mobile Bay Area,” and organizers say its purpose is to “foster the continued transformation of our area, man to man.” Groups of Christian businessmen are sponsoring this event across denominational lines.
Charles “Chuck” Wendell Colson is author of at least 20 books, including several that have been recognized with ECPA Christian Book Awards.
Colson devotes his life to his non-profit organization, a prison ministry called “Prison Fellowship.” He is founder and chairman of the Wilberforce Forum, which is the Christian worldview thinking, teaching, and advocacy arm of Prison Fellowship, and includes Colson’s daily radio broadcast, Break Point, now heard on a thousand outlets. The ministry conducts justice reform efforts through Justice Fellowship.
Colson has received 15 honorary doctorates and in 1993 was awarded the Templeton Prize, the world’s largest annual financial prize given for merit (over $1 million), which is given each year to the one person in the world who has done the most to advance the cause of religion. He donated this prize to further the work of Prison Fellowship, as he does all his speaking fees and royalties.
On November 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C., a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders and scholars released the Manhattan Declaration, which addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.
The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not – under any circumstance – abandon their Christian consciences.
Drafted by Dr. Robert George, Dr. Timothy George and Chuck Colson and signed by more than 150 Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Christian leaders, the Manhattan Declaration was made public at a press conference held in the Lisagor Room at the National Press Club. The document has since gained approximately 300,000 signatures.
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