Manhattan Declaration

Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and evangelical Christians unite with one voice.

The Manhattan Declaration: A call of Christian conscience

In times when moral clarity seems uncertain, united statements of that express timeless truths derived from Biblical foundations are necessary. The Manhattan Declaration may be seen by some as just words, but its real power is the joining together of a critical mass of Christians in public witness to these timeless moral truths.

The declaration bonds together and encourages Christians from Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical traditions and reaffirms to a watching public that there is a wide swath of Christians in our society who are committed to these core values, not for political or cultural leanings, but because we believe them to be Biblical truths.

Over 398,000 people have since signed this declaration since November, adding momentum and critical mass to a united Christian conscience declaring our commitment to:

1. Life: the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life;

2. Marriage: a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike, to be the most basic institution in society and;

3. Religious liberty: grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image.

The organizers of this declaration write that “Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Many additional leaders from Minnesota have since signed The Manhattan Declaration, and discussions are underway both locally and nationally among different Christian traditions about ways to engage our commitment to these issues.