Rick Warren: Protestants, Catholics Must Unite to Defend Life, Sex, Marriage – ‘We’re on the Same Team’

Pope Francis and Pastor Rick Warren. (Photo: Courtesy of Rick Warren)

Evangelical pastor Rick Warren, who leads the eighth largest church in America, Saddleback Church, and is the author of the hugely popular book The Purpose Driven Life, said that Protestants and Catholics must form a “unity of missions” to defend the sanctity of life, sex, and the family, stressing that, “If you love Jesus, we’re on the same team.”

“We have far more in common than what divides us,” said Pastor Warren in an interview with Catholic News Service. “When you talk about Pentecostals, charismatics, evangelicals, fundamentalists, Catholics, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, on and on, they would all say we believe in the Trinity.”

“We believe in the Bible,” he continued. “We believe in the resurrection; we believe in salvation through Jesus Christ. These are the big issues.”

Warren, along with leaders of other faiths and denominations, attended a conference at the Vatican in November – the “Complementarity of Man and Woman” -- to discuss and defend the family and marriage as being between one man and one woman, and related topics. He made his comments in the video in December.

At the conference, Warren re-emphasized that “marriage can only be between a man and a woman, explaining that marriage reflects Christ’s love for the church.

Pastor Warren, Like Peter, Denies Christ (at least His teachings) During Holy Week

Perhaps his Holy Week betrayals account for Pastor Rick Warren canceling his Easter Sunday appearance on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" moments before he was to appear. Being caught in lies is damaging for a politician, fatal for a spiritual leader.

From LifeSiteNews
Editorial By John-Henry Westen


Rick Warren, the popular pastor who seems to have taken on the mantle of 'America's Pastor' from Billy Graham, was a strong defender of the family, and of marriage - until recently. One of the areas of greatest conflict between Christian morality and worldly morality today is homosexuality.

With the advent of modern ultra-sound technology and thus the increasing awareness of the humanity of the unborn child, many today will forgive you for being pro-life. After all it's a human rights issue; you're standing up for those smaller and weaker than yourself. But when it comes to homosexuality, there's no disagreement allowed in this day and age.

Pastor Warren came at the issue of homosexuality from a thoroughly Christian perspective - out of concern for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of those practicing destructive sexual lifestyles. But on April 6, the Monday of Holy Week, Rick Warren appeared on CNN's Larry King Live program where he said he was "oblivious" to the Iowa court decision to legalize same-sex 'marriage', explaining, "that's not even my agenda."

"I am not an anti-gay or an anti-gay marriage activist. Never have been, never will be," Warren told King at the outset of the interview. "During the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop 8 was going." (see the video of it here: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/04/07/lkl.ric... )

When pressed, Warren admitted that he did tell his congregants to vote in support of Prop 8. "I just simply made a note in a newsletter" he said. He likely did not recall that he had in fact video taped a message of over 2 minutes length in support of Prop 8. That video was featured on the Prop 8 website and is still available on Warren's own Saddleback Church website here: http://saddlebackfamily.com/blogs/newsandviews/index.html?co...;

The two videos, the CNN clip and the Prop 8 promo by Warren, make for a rather embarrassing juxtaposition when played back to back. The seriousness of Warren's denials on Monday, however, go way beyond any kind of misrepresentation or forgotten video.

Warren is chastised in his own words. On the video Prop 8 promo video he says: "If you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8."

For an evangelical Christian, believing the Bible is literally all there is. In denying the Bible - you deny Christ. Warren has point blank denied supporting Prop 8, and, given his own previous assessment of the matter, that raises a question about denying Biblical truth and thus denying Christ.

Just over 2000 years ago this week, another follower of Christ denied his Lord out of fear. Peter on this very Holy Thursday night, after Jesus' arrest, denied that he knew Jesus three times before the cock crowed - just as Christ had predicted he would. The crowing of the cock reminded Peter of Jesus' prophesy and brought him to tears of repentance.

Rick Warren is a beloved brother in the Lord. He has defended life and family, he has promoted the love of Christ and been steadfast for many years. He has also grown immensely popular, even to the height of delivering the invocation at the Presidential inauguration.

But what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

Like Peter, Rick Warren has a chance of becoming a real leader and being crucified with Christ, receiving the Kingdom which is not of this world. He could also betray him for 30 pieces of silver, the soon to be worthless coinage of fame, popularity and the world's esteem.

This is the choice now set before Pastor Warren.

Peter repented after he denied Christ, and thereafter became a great leader in the Church. After the resurrection Christ asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" and when Peter responded in the affirmative Jesus instructed him "feed my sheep".

I believe that Pastor Warren will be similarly tested, specifically on the issue of gay marriage. With four states having already succumbed to the massive pressure against the traditional family, that's not a hard prediction to make.

The pro-family movement needs Christian leaders like Pastor Warren to continue their strong defense of the family, especially at this critical time.

After Peter repented and reaffirmed his love for Christ, Jesus informed him that when he was young went about as he would, but when older he would be led where he did not want to go and have his hands stretched out (signifying Peter's later crucifixion). Yes, this road of following Christ's truth on hard issues such as homosexuality may lead to unpopularity, vilification and even worse.

But that should only cause you to rejoice. Since, as the Scripture says: "Blessed are you when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven."

An Obama Kind of Evangelical

Like those "conservative leaders" Obama dined with in Georgetown, Rick Warren is an Obama kind of guy. Should we be surprised he was chosen to offer prayer at the Inauguration? The One has a keen eye for the weakest links.

Rick Warren disavows support for Prop. 8

From OneNewsNow
By Jim Brown

California mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren says he apologized to his homosexual friends for making comments in support of California's Proposition 8, and now claims he "never once even gave an endorsement" of the marriage amendment.

Monday night on CNN's Larry King Live, Pastor Rick Warren apologized for his support of Prop. 8, California's voter-approved marriage protection amendment, saying he has "never been and never will be" an "anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist."

"During the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never -- never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop. 8 was going," Warren claimed.

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A Christian Clergyman ‘Horrified’ by ‘Aggressively Christian’ Prayers?

From The Fox Forum

By Lauren Green

The inauguration invocation is the high profile event for a member of the clergy. It’s only been around since 1937, but it’s grounded in a rich, religious history that’s helped shaped this country.

At President-elect Barak Obama’s inauguration, Pastor Rick Warren will have the honors. Pastor Warren is the senior minister of Saddleback Church in Southern California and the uber-bestselling author of “The Purpose Driven Life.” Liberals objected to Warren because of his conservative views, specifically his support of Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in California.

What some see as a move to placate the gay and Lesbian community was the selection of the openly-gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson to say the prayer for the star-studded, kick-off of the inaugural week. The Inaugural Committee says it wasn’t about “righting” a perceived “wrong.” They said Bishop Robinson had been on their list for a while and they chose him for his message of inclusive civil rights.

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Tyrants of Tolerance Go After Obama, Rick Warren

From Idaho Values Alliance
By Bryan Fischer

VOICES OF TOLERANCE, DIVERSITY, MULTICULTURALISM COME UNGLUED

Prediction: for the first time in American history, a speaker at a presidential inauguration may be booed unmercifully, and his remarks completely drowned out by angry jeers from an incensed crowd. We may even see shoes tossed at the inauguration platform by the hundreds. It could be a modern day lynching, only this time the victim of a vigilante mob will be proverbially strung up not because of skin color but creed.

Liberals in general and homosexual activists in particular claim to be all about tolerance, diversity, pluralism, multiculturalism and respect for differences.

Well, their commitment to those values has just been challenged by President-elect Barack Obama, and they have failed the test miserably.

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