The document, "Catholics and Evangelicals Together: The Christian Mission in the 3rd. Millennium" claims that all Catholics are Christian, hold the same faith as evangelicals, and are our "brothers and sisters in Christ". If so, then the Reformation was a tragic mistake which we all must denounce.

For 1000 years before the Reformation there were always groups of evangelical Christians outside the Catholic Church, millions of whom were slaughtered for obeying Scripture instead of Rome. Through the example of these Vaudois, Albigenses, Waldenses and other early evangelicals, and from the Bibles they preserved, a few Roman Catholic priests and monks realized that their Church didn't preach the truth and that they and their fellow Catholics were not saved, but lost. They began preaching salvation by grace through faith instead of Catholicism's false gospel of sacramental rituals and works. For this they were excommunicated and untold thousands more were martyred.

Such is the heritage of today's evangelicals, which this document now rejects. We are asked to believe that the Reformers were deluded, that like all active Catholics today they were saved and didn't know it. Already the declaration is being translated into Spanish, Polish. Portuguese and Russian for circulation throughout Latin America and Eastern Europe. Soon it will have a revolutionary impact worldwide.

In a survey of thousands of Catholics who were saved and left that Church, "not one" ever heard the true gospel. "Nor one" was saved by being a Catholic, but by believing a gospel that was anathema to Catholics. Knowing that these millions of Catholics are lost, causes evangelicals to work day and night to bring them the gospel.

And now we are asked to refrain from sharing the gospel with those who desperately need it and to assume them already saved, when their own doctrines forbid this assurance. It is outrageous that leading evangelicals have placed nearly 25% of the world's population off limits to evangelization. Missionaries must now leave Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and those in Latin America. Such is the tragic implication of this document.