BILL McCARTNEY, (1940-xx) founder and CEO of Promise Keepers (Contemporary)
Bill McCartney's is a so-called "born-again" Catholic [1] -- a religious humanist. He is associated with the Boulder Valley Vineyard (John Wimber) located near Longmont, Colorado. This charismatic church is led by the controversial James Ryle, who was the chaplain for McCartney's University of Colorado football team and now Promise Keepers board member.
From the center of the stadium "Coach Mac" barks, "Almighty God has given man--a free will. Man makes his own choices. Almighty God will not mandate His will, because that would be to strip man of his free will." ---- The Power of a Promise Kept, Promise Keepers '95, Oakland, California, 1995.
Born during Bill McCartney's negative public-relations battles with the homosexual community in Colorado, Promise Keepers' original mission was to encourage and build masculinity amongst men -- a noble goal. However, the movement's theology was heretical from its inception, and has gone from bad to worse.
Colorado's Archbishop Charles Chaput praised Promise Keepers, saying Catholics could embrace it as long as they continued to seek Jesus in the church's tradition and sacraments. McCartney seemed to return the compliment, noting at the start of his speech [in Denver 1/98] he was born Catholic -- and at one time considered becoming a priest. "I still revere priests," McCartney added. "(They) gave up many things others get to enjoy." [2] Colossians 2:20-23?
- [1] Interview with Larry King Live.
- [2] Rocky Mountain News, January 23, 1998.
Striving for Integrity...but falling far short
MISSING FROM ACTION, A Historical Response to the Crisis Among American Men, by Weldon Hardenbrook
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