Full-Page New York Times Ad Signed by Christian Leaders Across Denominations

Statement from R. Lamar Vest, President of American Bible Society, on New York Times Ad - “Burning the Qur'an Does Not Illuminate the Bible"

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2010—R. Lamar Vest, president of American Bible Society, issued the following statement about this weekend's full-page ad in Section A of The New York Times.

"Today's ad in The New York Times simply states that ‘burning the Qur'an does not illuminate the Bible.'  I have signed my name to it along with many of today's most prominent Christian leaders from across denominations and traditions.

The intent of this ad is to communicate that the true biblical response to those of other faiths-or no faith-is respect and civility in religious discussions, disagreements and debates.  Acts of hatred in the name of Christianity are antithetical to the good news of the Gospel so intrinsically expressed in the Bible.

American Bible Society works to make the Bible accessible to people of all faiths, no faith, and across the Christian faith so that people can engage with God's Word and experience its life-changing message.  We are deeply encouraged to join with leaders across the whole of the Christian Church to make clear that we don't have to denigrate another religion's text to elevate our own.

Our hope and prayer is that Muslims and people of all faiths will understand that those who denigrate, defame or destroy the Qur'an do not represent a biblical worldview and do not speak for all Christians."

About American Bible Society:

Headquartered in Manhattan, the 194-year-old American Bible Society exists to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message.  One of the nation's oldest nonprofit organizations, today's American Bible Society provides interactive, high- and low-tech resources enabling first-time readers and seasoned theologians alike to engage with the best-selling book of all time.

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Click the links below to download:

• PDF version of this statement
• PDF version of the ad
  
• Web-ready or high-res, downloadable graphic of the ad

Signers Featured on the Ad:

 John R. Bryant, African Methodist Episcopal Church

 Lamar Vest, American Bible Society

 Anne Graham Lotz, AnGeL Ministries

 Olof H. Scott, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

 Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archdiocese of Denver

 Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archdiocese of Miami

 Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archdiocese of New York

 Erwin Raphael McManus, Awaken Humanity/Mosaic

 Steve Douglass, Campus Crusade for Christ

 Arnie Cole, Center for Bible Engagement

 Richard L. "Dick" Hamm, Christian Churches Together in the USA

 David Neff, Christianity Today Media Group

 Raymond F. Culpepper, Church of God International

 Chuck Colson, Colson Center for Christian Worldview

 Penny Nance, Concerned Women for America

 Luis A. Cortes, Jr., Esperanza

 James C. Dobson, Family Talk

 Jim Daly, Focus on the Family

 Archbishop Demetrios, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

 Leith Anderson, National Association of Evangelicals 

 Michael Kinnamon, National Council of Churches of Christ

 Rob Hoskins, OneHope

 Leonid Kishkovsky, Orthodox Church in America

 Gabe Lyons, Q

 Ravi Zacharias, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

 Christopher S. Webb, Renovaré

 Bryant Wright, Southern Baptist Convention

 T.D. Jakes, The Potter's House

 Alistair Begg, Truth for Life

 Larry M. Goodpaster, United Methodist Church

 Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops