econi

Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt (Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org

The following appeared in the 22nd November, 2002 edition of Cork Christian News - a regular email news sheet which documents religious activity here in Cork. We have commented on some of its content before and there is good cause to do so again. We do not feel that we must comment on every single issue that comes up…we do, however, take the liberty to comment upon those things which we feel Christians in Cork should know about. I quote direct from the CCN:

6. ECONI ... For your info, from John Faris
ECONI is a group of evangelicals in the North who have been trying over the past ten years and more to apply biblical principles to the divisions which cause great pain to so many and bring dishonour to the name of Christ. John Faris has a recent article written by ECONI available to those who are interested. He’s also wondering if anyone would like to get together from time to time to pray about the situation in the North. Please contact John for more information on (021) ----------- or email jfaris@iol.ie

Before I answer the question at the top of the page, there are a number of matters which must be borne in mind.

[1] No Evangelical objects to people evangelising Roman Catholics with the gospel. The writer has come to Cork from Belfast for this very purpose and talks regularly to Roman Catholic people, including those who are very devout. I count some of these folk as good friends. The issue is not about evangelising Roman Catholics. The Great Commission (Mark 16:15) has every last sinner of whatever religion in mind.

[2] ECONI have a civil right to so meet and discuss whatever they want. I am simply disputing their claim to be evangelical. The question which heads this article challenges the concept that the ECONI movement is as evangelical as it professes to be…at least in the Bible sense of the word. It is my contention that it is more ecumenical than evangelical and therefore a danger to those who cherish their liberty in Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:1)

[3] I have in mind, as I write this article, many of the evangelical constituency in Cork who have been saved out of the Roman Catholic faith. In obedience to their new found Lord and Saviour, they have left the Roman Catholic Church. Why did they leave? Simply because they could no longer countenance the thought that the Church of Rome is a Christian church. This basic thought puts them at odds with ECONI who, as we will see below, regards the RC Church as a Christian church. We ask the question again:

HOW EVANGELICAL IS ECONI?

1) In their booklet Beyond fear, suspicion and hostility, (Alywn Thompson) ECONI acknowledge both the Ecumenical view of Rome (there is more that unites us than divides us) and the Separatist view (what divides us is so fundamental as to warrant no fellowship) ECONI, however, advocate a third view which tries to ditch the significance of doctrine and accepts all "believers" at face value. Working on the idea that the NT Christians in the Book of Acts received people into their ranks "on the basis of a limited confession" this soon leads us on the statement:

"Evangelicals need to recognise that believers within the Roman Catholic church are as much their brothers and sisters in Christ as believers within the Protestant denominations. They are one, not because of common belief or common church order, but simply because they are Christians. At this level, therefore, there can be no objection to sharing fellowship with Roman Catholic Christians."

[a] No one doubts that there are those within the Roman Catholic who have truly found the Lord but have not separated from her fold. Both Luther and Calvin and many others remained within for a while although truly converted to Jesus Christ. No one can make a blanket statement on this matter. Yet if such are truly saved, sooner or later they are going to run into serious problems. As they grow in grace and knowledge i.e. with solid Bible teaching or reading, they are going to come to see that Rome effectively preaches another gospel (Galatians 1:8) Those fundamental RC doctrines e.g. the special priesthood, the Pope, the mass, Mary as co-Mediatrix, justification by faith plus works etc., will become abhorrent to him. In the past (usually through the faithful teaching of one who is himself outside of Rome) such a painful realisation led such to separate from the Rome on the basis of teaching like 2 Corinthians 6:14-16/Ephesians 5:11/1 Timothy 6:4-6/Revelation 18:4 etc., This has served all concerned well in the past. Such does not mean that the former RC has no testimony or opportunity to witness to those whom he has left behind. Indeed, it may be argued that he has strengthened his position by giving consistency to his teaching.

[b] Many of those whom ECONI recognises as Christians in the Church of Rome do not have "a limited confession" Instead, they have a very full confession and still defend and advocate those Roman doctrines which deny basic evangelical and therefore saving truths. ECONI give their full support to organisations like Evangelical Catholics led by people like Paddy Monaghan from Dublin. Notwithstanding a few evangelical sounding phrases, these folk are still wedded to the RC Church and have no intention of obeying God in the matter of separation. In this, they are aided and abetted by ECONI and their supporters. Paddy Monaghan is a leading light in the present Power to Change effort. If your church did not back this campaign - and I note that not many professing evangelical churches in Cork are listed as having done so - find out why. If it was because of the rampant ecumenical involvement, then remember that ECONI advocate a different view to that of your fellowship. It would be pointless having taken a stand in one area to throw it away in another. Ecumenism is an incessant enemy of the gospel. It is not enough to take a stand once and then sit back. We must reaffirm our stand again and again as each fresh attack seeks to overthrow those liberties which we have all found in Jesus Christ.

[c] ECONI have followed through their own logic and employed the use of Roman Catholic's in their organisation. Mr Cecil Andrews who visited Cork a few months ago under the auspices of Calvary Chapel once discovered the ECONI stand at Bangor Missionary Convention being manned by a professing Roman Catholic. This is sheer ecumenism. Some once evangelical agencies here in Ireland have gone this road and actually employ in a full time capacity those who are still faithful Roman Catholics. The head of the Scripture Union in Ireland is a Roman Catholic and recently the Scripture Gift Mission have taken on a full time Roman Catholic worker. This latter move led to the resignation of many evangelical board members.

2) ECONI themselves go on the attack against those of us who oppose the Church of Rome. Although in the above booklet, ECONI stresses that those of us who are Separatists "are neither sectarians or bigots" it still manages to denounce our position as an "extreme religious view" Evangelical Protestants in particular are said to respond to Roman Catholicism - note the ism i.e. the doctrine - in a way which is "often irrational and hysterical" and "many Protestants, particularly those who consider themselves evangelical, still respond in the same manner. Many are locked in a 16th Century time warp, oblivious to the changes within Roman Catholicism, within evangelicalism and in the world in which we all live." Again this is greatly flawed also:

[a] It is never extreme to follow the teaching of the word of God. The Bible teaches that Christians are to separate from those who preach "another gospel" (Galatians 1:8) Those verses listed above are a small example of many. If this is extremism, then the Apostles were extremists. The word "extreme" is a relative word. I am putting to you now that it is ECONI and their fellow ecumenists who have moved ground - away from the Bible and towards Rome.

[b] No one says that an evangelical can never entertain thoughts that are irrational or hysterical. The writer uses, however, the word "often" and it is followed up with the crunch word "many" This is just an attack upon evangelicals by ecumenists sailing under the evangelical flag.

[c] Although the Scripture teaches that there is no new thing under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) yet to fight the same battles as have always been fought ever since Abel rejected Cain's false gospel is simply dismissed as being caught in a particular time warp. Rome has not fundamentally changed in her doctrine since the 16th Century and indeed has taken on new heresies since then. That the world has changed since the 16th Century is no guiding star to the Christian. Since when are Christians to be guided by the world? If by evangelicalism, we mean ECONI then the change may be traced back to a time considerably later than the 16th Century. It is worth noting also that many ecumenical clergymen, in order to draw their stipend, are quite happy to run back to the 16th century and sign up to the Westminster Confession of Faith (Presbyterian) or the 39 Articles of the Religion (Anglican) even though they effectively deny those truths contained therein.

CONCLUSION

This then is the ECONI Mr Faris is seeking to introduce to the evangelical scene in Cork. As mentioned above, ECONI have a civil right to propagate whatever they want. I am just exercising my right as an evangelical to point out to fellow evangelicals here in Cork that this organisation is far from being evangelical as professed. This is not the evangelicalism of those great names who are noted for their Bible stance. This is not the evangelicalism of the Reformers or of men like Spurgeon or Ryle or T.C. Hammond etc.,

It's initial booklet "For His glory Alone" published in 1988 reads like a "Who's who" among Irish Protestant ecumenists. It includes the names of Protestant ministers who warmly welcome RC priests to their pulpits including Rev. Ken Newell of Fisherwick Presbyterian Church and Rev. Cecil Kerr (COI) Mr Faris himself has done so here in Cork and advocates unity with Rome each January in the Christian Unity week. We will leave it there for another while.