NEW YORK – Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday that leaders in an interdependent world must work to end religious conflict or face “catastrophe” as he introduced a new foundation dedicated to interfaith understanding.
Religion is as important in this century as political ideology was in the last, Blair said. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will fight extremism, organize faith groups against poverty and illness, and educate people worldwide about religions other than their own, he said.
“There is a new reality. We have to come to terms with it. And it implies, at its fundamentals, peaceful coexistence or catastrophe,” said Blair in a speech before religious and business leaders at the posh Time Warner Center. “If faith becomes a countervailing force, pulling people apart, then it becomes destructive and indeed dangerous.”
Former President Bill Clinton, who became a close friend of Blair’s when both men were in office, opened the event, putting his arm around the former prime minister and calling his faith “genuine” and “deep.”
Blair, who stepped down from office last year, recently converted to Roman Catholicism. He has faced ridicule in widely secular England for openly discussing his spirituality. His press secretary Alistair Campbell once said, “We don’t do God.” Blair’s foundation now aims to counter the idea that religion is no longer relevant.
Specifics on funding for the initiative were not released at Friday’s event.
A Blair representative said the group has received donations and pledges in the tens of millions of dollars from individuals, charitable groups, companies and governments. The foundation plans to release exact dollar figures in its annual reports.
The group’s advisory council includes evangelical megapastor Rick Warren, who with his wife, Kay, advocates for HIV/AIDS victims worldwide; Ismail Khudr Al-Shatti, an adviser to the prime minister of Kuwait; and world Baptist and Jewish leaders. Catholic Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor of Westminster, England, has pledged to join the council when the pope allows him to retire.
Yale University is a partner in the project. The former prime minister plans to teach at the school next year, leading a seminar on faith and globalization.
In a brief interview, Blair said he defined extremists as “people who want to exclude the other if someone is of a different faith.” Blair told the crowd that although Islamic extremism draws the most attention, “there are elements of extremism in every major faith.”
“It is important where people of good faith combat such extremism, that they are supported,” said Blair, who is an envoy for the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers – the U.S., European Union, Russia and United Nations.
Among the foundation’s many initiatives are promoting research on religion and globalization; developing interactive media and publications on religion geared for young people, businesses and political groups; and, working with the U.N. and groups such as the Malaria No More Campaign to fight the illness.
Blair said the foundation would not focus on “doctrinal inquiry” or “subsume different faiths in some universal faith of the lowest common denominator.”
Sayyid Syeed, a national leader of the Islamic Society of North America and a veteran of interfaith outreach, said it is possible to find common ground without watering down religious teachings if the work is based on sound scholarship about each faith.
“It has been done in the past and can be done again,” Syeed said.
Richard C. Levin, Yale’s president, who shared the stage with Blair and two young American Muslim leaders, said the community service programs that will be part of the foundation’s work will build a bond among young people, despite any theological differences.
“You cannot understand the modern world,” Blair said, “unless you understand the importance of religious faith.”
The problem is there is no common ground between biblically sound Christian faith and the coming one world church. It is a point to take notice of that Rick Warren is involved in this. He is supposedly an evangelical. One of two things is wrong here, either evangelical Christianity is not really Christianity or Rick Warren is not loyal to his Christian beliefs, either way there is a divergence here heading down a broad road that leads to the judgment of God. We thought things were a little radical in the sixties with interfaith meetings. That was really nothing, but this really gives me shivers. This is so very un-biblical and un-scriptural it is very hard to know where to start.
Its happening and will happen even quicker once this movement is in place… You might be asking whats happening? Its the new one world faith. What do you think the Ecumenical movement is about. Basically, those that believe in the Bible and the Bible alone will be shunned and scolded for their belief in the 1 and only Living Christ. Christians will become the scape goat of the reason for extremism. Stay in prayer Christian soldiars and stay in the Living breathing Word of God. The sooner is starts, the sooner it ends, the sooner we go live on into Eternity.
Just as predicted in Daniel and Revelation the secret societies are moving to a One World Religion in the name of peace and unity to implement their New World Order to dominate socio-religio economic policies and allow for religious persecution. They will ultimately fail.
[…] Rick Warren joins Tony Blair’s interfaith movement: “The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will fight extremism…. ‘There is a new reality…. And it implies… peaceful coexistence or catastrophe,’ said Blair…. The group’s advisory council includes evangelical megapastor Rick Warren… Ismail Khudr Al-Shatti, an adviser to the prime minister of Kuwait; and world Baptist and Jewish leaders.”[12] […]
[…] Rick Warren joins Tony Blair’s interfaith movement: “The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will fight extremism…. ‘There is a new reality…. And it implies… peaceful coexistence or catastrophe,’ said Blair…. The group’s advisory council includes evangelical megapastor Rick Warren… Ismail Khudr Al-Shatti, an adviser to the prime minister of Kuwait; and world Baptist and Jewish leaders.”[12] […]
Thanks for this post. If you care to listen there’s an excellent Message from Brannon Howse who has been saying for years that Rick Warren is going down the wrong path. He has a big following…but there are some people out there who know very well that he’s leading people in the wrong direction. There is a remnant out there that still loves God’s word and don’t feel they need to ‘market’ it to grow their church! The great divide is upon us, you’re either For Christ Jesus or against Christ Jesus. Again thanks for this post! worldviewtimes.org radio, Brannon Howse archive.
This is no surprise. When Rick Warren allowed a man to speak from the pulpit that stands against everything I hold dearly as a Christian, I knew where his heart truly was. Since Obama has become president all the world can see the kind of person he truly is. Even if Rick Warren was confused back then he has had plenty of time to wake up. Obama has given him every reason to denounce the president and uphold his faith. We have seen him do neither. He is defiantly leading his flock astray.
[…] Click here to continue. Related Articles: RICK WARREN, TONY BLAIR & THE VATICAN AGENDA Rick Warren joins Tony Blair’s interfaith movement Posted on October 25, 2009 @ 1:28 am Source […]
I have been speaking out against Rick Warren and his New Age/New Spirituality/Emergent purpose driven bedfellows for quite some time now. It is good to hear that there are others out there who still know right from wrong…biblical truth from heresy. In the end, Rick Warren, Tony Blaire and all the other New Spirituality heretics will become exactly what they profess to be trying to change…that is, a religious group of fanatics who will try to rid the world of anyone and everyone who disagrees with their “One world Religion” manifesto (also known as the Emergent Manifesto of Hope). Those who hold on to their true belief in Jesus Christ as the only path to salvation will be hunted down and eliminated as “separatists”, troublemakers, and the only thing holding humanity back from becoming “One” with god and, thereby, gods themselves (Heaven on Earth). I look forward to meeting all you who still hold to Biblical Truth and Scripture as the only True Word of God.
I have just finished a book project that has lasted ten years. The subject is prophecy, gloalization and the interfaith movement. Interfaith begins with indifferentism and will lead to syncretism setting the table for the Lawless one.
It is great to hear from someone else who understands the apostate movements in the various church bodies and their lack of discernment. Great blog title. Thank you for lifting my spirits and not making me feel alone.
I’m preparing a talk that in part addresses the trend toward one world religion and would very much like to get a copy of the book Gary Swanson mentioned in his reply. Would you ask Gary to email me? Thanks, Art
Anyone can read the Bible and see how things will be in the end and nobody can stop God’s will, not even the whole world together. Since the Lord is Truth the world will end exactly as He said it would. There will be no peace until He returns.
I don’t know anything about Rick Warren but he probably is like others and being misled because of his compassion for others. It always makes people “feel good” to think of peace and harmony. You have to ask yourself, “Am I to please God or please man?” God should always be first.
The world’s peace is not the same as God’s peace. This whole one-world-faith is just satan’s diversion to keep people focused on themselves and the world instead of the Lord.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Ezekiel 13:10-11 ” ‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.
Jeremiah 6:14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
Deuteronomy 23:6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
A friend recently shared this story with me and I’m not surprised that Rick Warren would be involved in this. He is using his power and influence to glorify himself and not God. I recently learned that my church just went to his pastor conference and bought a bunch of his materials to help grow the church. It is getting very difficult to find a true believing church these days that doesn’t sway from the truth.
All these “one world religion” things that are taking place are proof that we as true Christians are to preach Christ and Him crucified like never before.
Jesus came to save sinners and we are His mouth and feet to preach that Jesus is the only Savior!
There is no doubt, that The Lord Jesus is about to split
the eastern sky wide open, and call His church home.
Call no one “pastor” for only One is your Pastor – Jesus Christ.
Read Matthew 23:1-12 🙂
God bless.
this just proves christ is coming. you put this in with our president and the strive for world governance and the complete disregard for congress etc..Jesus has to come soon! THEN THEY CAN ALL HAVE IT
couldnt believe what I was reading would like to know more
I had attended Rick Warrens church for 23 years. I now attend Compass Bible Church,reason for the previous several years I have whitness a graduale suttle change not unlike a frog in boiling water. I woke up and decided the message at saddleback was mixed and did not fall in line with scriptures. I felt a quicking of the sprit that this church was headed in the wrong direction with the world outreach one world,one religion agenda. Rick lived a block away from my home and in the early 90s he moved to rsm.
I do not understand why Rick changed over the last decade, I do know it was suttle and caught me off guard because they have many positive outreaches and ministries that help people around the world.
You want to believe that you are involved in what the Lord clearly states in scriptures that we are to go into the world and preach the word. I believe for me it was the topics that were being preached without studing the actual word. The church I attend now, the pastor teaches right from scripture and we bring our bibles and study verse by verse. This teaches us to use our bibles to study the whole bible and not take it out of contex.
Christians be ware!!! we are living in very deceptive days. Study the bible, know the scriptures, be warned we can be deceived and cooked like a frog in warm water.
Sometimes it is so hard, though–when I mention these facts to many Christians , they are unwilling to even look the information up. They basically think I am slandering Rick Warren and others–probably because what they are doing is really quite drastic. I am trying to find a church with no Rick Warren ties also—very very hard to find!
Being close to God’s Word (the good translations) and seeking the Holy Spirit is key–I agree!!! God bless you all for speaking the Truth
Wow! I am blown as I read about Rick Warren and the one world system that is coming…I had no idea Rick Warren joined Tony Blairs interfaith movement and not as a platform to preach Jesus Christ.
Check out http://www.garykah.com for more info on where we are at in relation to Bible prophecy.For moe info get the 3 DVD pak “The Anti-Christ’s Economic, religious, and political system exposed
The bible is true, before the man of sin is revealed, there shall be a falling away. The falling away spoken of is not about little children leaving the faith. it is about big wigs of faith leaving the path of truth. rick warren has joined the league of fall aways.
it is not religion that causes wars it is greed and avarice. Religion is the cloak to hide the true intention
No wonder Rick Warren doesnt want to discuss the Last Days as revealed in Scripture. Its inconvienent to talk of the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Coming, God’s wrath on an unbelieving wicked world because it gets in the way of his coming global apostate church.