ENVIRONMENTALISM IS A RELIGION—The recent EarthCare '96 conference in Chattanooga mixed bad theology with pseudo-science. Speaker Richard Austin (environmental activist and former Presbyterian Church-USA pastor) said: "Christ is fully God and fully Earth...He came to save the world." And saving the Earth is our job too, he added. He said: "I hear the Bible calling us to redeem from destruction the Creation." (5/18 World). Other speakers were: Dean Ohlman (lecturer at GARBC-Cornerstone College & Grand Rapids Bapt. Seminary) and Stan LeQuire, head of the Evangelical Environmental Network. EEN was started in 1993 as a joint effort between World Vision and Evangelicals for Social Action. Tony Campolo is involved in it, and more than 1,200 churches are now using EEN teaching materials.

CAN'T PROHIBIT SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR HOMOSEXUALS?—Coloradans voted 54 percent to 46 percent in 1992 to bar governments from giving special rights to homosexuals. The Supreme Court May 20 declared the prohibition unconstitutional. But a 1986 court declared Georgia's sodomy law constitutional, so why can't preferential treatment be barred from those who practice sodomy? A 5/26 Huntsville Times article said there is no reliable evidence that homosexuality is genetic, and said it is a behavior afflicting less than 2 percent of the population. Even most psychiatric associations recognize it as pathological or as a sexual deviation. Per a 1993 Psychiatric News report, only three psychiatric associations out of 125 worldwide (including the U.S.) have declared homosexuality normal.

RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST LEGACY—For many decades, atheism has been the official policy in Russia. Russians now drink 4 gallons of pure alcohol per capita a year, compared to 3.4 gallons per Frenchman, and about 2 gallons per American. An estimated 6 million Russians are alcoholics (4/15 USN&WR). A June Reader's Digest article says: "The Communist Party once again dominates the Russian parliament. Free-market reformers in Boris Yeltsin's government have been purged."

ROBERT MULLER ON EARTH DAY 2013—Catholic globalist New Ager Robert Muller at the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions, Chicago (see 6/1 & 10/15/93 CCs), gave a "State of the World on Earth Day 2013" message. He said: "Humanity is now a united world community of nations...", and said the World Spirituality Agency, a new spiritual world order, was working with the UN and other world bodies for total disarmament and demilitarization achieved by 2010. He said a World Monastic Council has been established to bring together the richness of monastic practices and experiences from around the world.

NEW AGE 'CENTERING PRAYER'—Centering prayer is a modern method of tapping into the ancient tradition of contemplation. It was developed in the 1970s by monks in the Roman Catholic Trappist monastic order (5/25 HT). A participant sits quietly in meditation for twenty minutes, twice daily, "communing with God beyond words, thoughts or emotions." It involves a "letting go, emptying one's mind" [demon control?], and "gradually opens the unconscious to the divine therapy in which God heals childhood memories that affect one's thoughts and decisions." A founder, Rev. Thomas Keating said: "God speaks through the prophets, but he speaks better in silence." "Centering prayer" is a dangerous, occultic practice. Be warned, be wise, beware!

CHARISMATIC LIARDON 'TOURED HEAVEN'—Roberts Liardon claims three personal encounters with God. He said when he was 8, Jesus took him on a personally escorted tour of heaven and ordained him to the ministry. He "saw the storehouse where 'spare (body) parts' await believers' faith to bring them to earth." He frolicked in the River of Life, saw animals in heaven. He said, "There is dirt in heaven." Some tongues-speaking charismatics have fertile fantasies.

ROOM IN SBC FOR CHARISMATIC TONGUES, HEALING?—Three charismatic churches in Florida have been asked to leave the Southern Baptist Convention (6/96 Charisma). Missionary Charles Carroll in Singapore was dismissed last December for his involvement in "Spirit slaying." SBC Foreign Mission Board head, Jerry Rankin, admitted 3 years ago that he had a charismatic experience while a missionary in Asia. A Pa. pastor in a letter in the May Charisma said: "The Carrolls were not dismissed because their charismatic practices irked SBC leaders. For years, the Carrolls' church practiced activities such as deliverance, tongues and healing without any problem from the SBC's Foreign Mission Board..." He said the problem was the extra-biblical practice of "being slain in the Spirit."

FALWELL & CHARISMATICS AT WASH. FOR JESUS RALLY—Reggae, gospel and rock bands entertained at the April 29-30 Washington For Jesus rally--organized by Bishop John Gimenez, pastor of the Rock Church (Va. Beach). Women preachers and tongues-speaking were featured. Liberty University Pres. Jerry Falwell promoted this "Christian Woodstock" rally in his 4/96 Nat'l Liberty Journal. He, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Hagin, Jr. were featured speakers. Following the lead of Oral Roberts Univ., Falwell said Liberty U. would give $5,000 for the expenses of the WFJ meeting. He earlier told Gimenez: "We must network together or we will lose this country." WFJ concluded with a faith-healing "Signs and Wonders" Miracle Service led by "heretic" Benny Hinn. ACCC Exec. Sec'y Ralph Colas attended WFJ as a reporter and said: "While Dr. Jerry Falwell claims to be a Fundamentalist Baptist, his willingness to compromise is very evident. To participate in a religious service with those who accept extra-biblical revelations reveals his disobedience to the Truth..." Dr. Colas' long report is available next month from: ACCC, Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086. Send offering.

FALWELL CONFERENCE FEATURES ROBERT WEBBER—Dr. Jerry Falwell's 1996 Super Conference has Wheaton College Prof. Robert Webber as leader of the Praise and Worship Conference. (5/96 Nat'l Liberty Journal). The 9/30/80 Blu-Print called Webber "an ardent New Evangelical turned Episcopalian," and quoted him: "The authoritative basis for Christian truth does not rest on a doctrine of verbal inerrancy, but Apostolic tradition.", and: "The Church, to be apostolic, ought to have within her all the charismatic gifts that were present in the primitive church practiced within the body." The 2/3/86 Christian News quoted Webber from a 1986 book: "We may not all agree that the Bible is inerrant, but we can agree that it is the authoritative apostolic witness to Jesus Christ.", and: "In the Episcopal church I find a healthy sense of unity and diversity." The apostate Episcopal Church has hundreds of women priests, is a member of the NCC/WCC, and lets its bishops and priests ordain practicing homosexuals.

NORTHSIDE TO HOST TIM LEE CONFERENCE, FALWELL—Northside Baptist Church, Charlotte, is pastored by Dr. D. Bradley Price. The May-June Northside News quoted Youth Pastor Bobby Price: "We are once again proud to be hosting the 3rd Annual Youth Alive '96 Conference with Dr. Tim Lee and other great men such as...Jerry Falwell, Johnny Pope...Rick Gage [a Southern Baptist]...." Dr. Falwell has demonstrated time and again his penchant for fellowshiping and pulpit-sharing with charismatics, Catholics, liberals, So. Baptists and New Evangelicals. So it grieves us to see a few Southwide Baptist Fellowship and other "fundamentalist" preachers ignore such blatant compromise. This causes confusion and division within our ranks. Spurgeon said: "That I might not stultify my testimony I have cut myself clear of those who err from the faith, and even from those who associate with them."

CAN A FUNDAMENTALIST STAY IN A DENOMINATION THAT'S GONE LIBERAL?—Sword of the Lord Editor Dr. Shelton Smith says this (5/17 Sword): "To stay in where doctrine has been corrupted compromises your position and testimony. Fundamentalists are strong on heeding the Bible as it is for what it says. If a person is a fundamentalist, by the very nature of his convictions he will separate himself from liberalism, modernism and other doctrinal error and heresy."

FALWELL SPEAKS AT MOON CONFERENCE—Dave Hunt (5/96 Berean Call), said: "...Equally unthinkable was Jerry Falwell's participation as a speaker at a conference last December in Uruguay, sponsored by Sun Myung Moon's Inter Religious Federation for World Peace and Washington Times Foundation, titled, "Christian Ecumenism in the Americas: Toward One Christian Family Under God." [Per] Moon's Unification News (2/ 96), speakers in addition to Moon and Falwell included William Cenkner (Chair of the Dept. of Religious Studies at Catholic University of America), Dr. Nilson Fanini (Pres. of the Baptist World Alliance), and Michael Cromartie... In his speech, Falwell said, 'It is my observation and personal conviction that conferences and seminars like this one can be very beneficial for building bridges of communication.'"

IVCF, URBANA, NEW AGE—We ran articles a few years ago (5/1/91 CC, e.g.) indicating the similarities between the agenda of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's URBANA '90 and the New Age agenda. Rev. David L. Brown has edited a 31-page report by Rev. David C. Kanz that documents this and much more. It is available from: Logos Communication Consortium, P.O. Box 173, Oak Creek, WI 53154 ($5 postpaid). Rev. Brown, in a cover letter, comments: "...Now, the reason I am concerned is that listed in The Great Commission Handbook, the book given out at URBANA'90, are Baptist Mid-Missions, Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, The Master's College, New Tribes Mission, Dallas..., Trinity...and more....[N]ot only did Baptist Mid-Missions have a booth there, so did A.B.W.E. When you read the [Logos] report... you will see why this is alarming. [And], in December of this year is URBANA '96. Our researcher has been in contact with them and this conference will have an even more NEW AGE bent. I wonder which 'Fundamental Baptist' agencies will be at URBANA '96?" By definition, "none"!

CBF'S RETIRING CECIL SHERMAN A LIBERAL?—Cecil Sherman, leader and founder of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (the moderate/liberal group that "split" from the SBC), retires in June as CBF Coordinator. He eschews the "liberal" label, but in a 1983 interview (6/7/94 Ind.Bapt.), he said: "Sometimes I'm a liberal and sometimes not....I'm not nearly as chained to what is orthodox as some in our denomination [SBC] are. I guess that would make me a liberal...."

PROOF THAT HARRIS BELIEVES IN RESURRECTION?—BDM Letter Editor Rick Miesel asks (concerning Trinity Prof. Murray Harris's agreement with Evangelical Free Church Pres. Paul Cedar, and other groups, that he now believes in the bodily resurrection of Jesus-see 4/15 CC): "Shouldn't we have more tangible proof of Harris's doctrinal correction? [And] expect him and the EFCA to publicly correct the heresy previously taught? And what about all those adversely affected by Harris's previous books? Does Harris plan an extensive public campaign to repent of these past false teachings?...[Will] he publicly request that his two heretical books on the subject be removed from distribution?,,,[If not], it would appear that he has merely signed-on to the Reaffirmation statement in order to hold his job at a school that has now officially abandoned his position on a crucial doctrine."

GRAHAMS RECEIVE GOLD MEDAL—Billy Graham and wife Ruth were honored last month with the Congressional Gold Medal--the highest honor Congress can bestow on a citizen (5/13 Chr.News). The first was given to George Washington, 1776.

ECUMENICAL ANGLICANISM—Anglicanism throughout Southeast Asia generally is more evangelical, charismatic, and conservative than that of the Church of England (4/29 Chr. Today). Anglican head George Carey said: "Anglicanism at its very best can hold differences of thought together." He added: "Catholicism, evangelicalism, charismaticism, and liberalism all contribute."

JOHNSTON TO START A CHURCH—Evangelist Jerry Johnston recently announced that he will start a new "seeker-sensitive" First Family Church in Kansas City this year. This Liberty University alumnus was pictured in the 4/91 Charisma as a speaker at a 4/91 Spiritual Warfare Training Conference at the Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland Fla.(See 1/15/91 CC). He and other speakers (charismatics) were called "qualified deliverance ministers," who will "provide a total approach to deliverance and healing."

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