Earlier today, a friend on Facebook brought The Manhattan Declaration to my attention. I read the declaration a number of times and recognize the complexity of layers and tags. Being a reader of history and strategist by nature, I see many of the alignments, agendas, and opportunities.

Reading this sober declaration led me to read Bill C-268, which led me read Jonathan Edwards work of 1736, A Narrative of Surprising Conversions,

This work of God, as it was carried on, and the number of true saints multiplied, soon made a glorious alteration in the town: so that in the spring and summer following, anno 1735, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God: it never was so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God’s presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought unto them; parents rejoicing over their children as new born, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. The goings of God were then seen in his sanctuary. God’s day was a delight, and his tabernacles were amiable.

Reading Edwards led me to reread The Lausanne Covenant, which I mention in Clairvaux Manifesto on page 103 in the short chapter Sacred Creativity,

Along with clarity, we need to establish credibility. Credibility is about maintaining clarity over time. All mountain climbers tell me the exact same things about the mountains: don’t trust a climber who offers shortcuts while scoffing at everyone else’s advice. In the same way, do not go beyond the peaceful common sense of corporate discernment. We gain more credibility the more questions we ask, and the more mountains we climb. Soon, we may be able to guide others.

When clarity and credibility are maintained over time, creeds are formed. If we desire clarity of vision and longevity of credibility, we must explicitly state what we believe and implicitly reflect those beliefs in every decision of our day to day lives. The Apostles’ and Nicene creeds are clear historical benchmarks, as is the more recent Lausanne Covenant, agreed upon by the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization comprised of 2,700 leaders from more than 150 nations; pre-Internet. It’s time for us to gather like that again, intentionally crafting covenants.

And as I complete this post I hear Bono singing in the background,

Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won’t listen to your boys and girls
Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven’t heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow

It’s not a hill, it’s a mountain
As you start out the climb…

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