Evangelicals, WCC, Vatican reach accord on proselytizing
The new limits on proselytizing are a smack in the face to wingnut churches: the ones that preach faith healing, prosperity gospel, hate towards muslims, and hate towards gays.
Christian missionaries are to “reject all forms of violence … including the violation or destruction of places of worship, sacred symbols or texts,” the document says.
Instead, they should “acknowledge and appreciate what is true and good” in other religions, and make any criticisms “in a spirit of mutual respect.”
The document also calls on missionaries to respect the “full personal freedom” of their converts by allowing them “sufficient time for adequate reflection and preparation” before they adopt a new faith.
Noting the importance of faith healing in many ministries, the document instructs missionaries to ensure the “vulnerability of people and their need for healing are not exploited.” Likewise, the document denounces proselytizing with the use of “financial incentives and rewards.”
Though not a full-throated apology for such practices, the injunctions are “tantamount to an admission that they have been going on,” said the Rev. Daniel A. Madigan, an expert on Muslim-Christian relations at Georgetown University.
