Key 73 is another one of the many keys of the last half century opening the door to the great ecumenical Church structure of the last days. The following quotes will verify the statement:
“After decades of going separate ways most of the denominations and Christian groups in the United States and Canada have now joined together in what is to be the biggest cooperative evangelism project in the history of the Christian Church...”
“In Key 73 Christians will be working together to share Christ...”
“Key 73 is a broad venture bringing together most of the organized Christian denominations.” From Launching A Movement by the interdenominational Key 73 Phase One Task Force, Nashville Tennessee.
Key 73 is a program to promote and coordinate nationwide evangelistic efforts...by a wide range of Christian groups including a number of national Protestant bodies and some Catholic dioceses.” From Gospel Herald, June 20, 1972.
“This Continent-wide effort. . . is a voluntary movement with an aim to unite the Christian Church and during 1973 call the North American Continent to . . . Christ.” From Mennonite Weekly Review, October 5, 1972.
“Key 73 . . . is not a Mennonite huddle but an opportunity to work together with all God's children. . . It expresses itself in interrelationships which display the 'many-colored' wisdom of God. . . More than 150 denominations and groups now cooperate in the temporary organization that provides inspiration and sharing of resources.” From Missionary Messenger, October 1972.
In many of the reports given, evangelism is held forth as “the primary task of the Church” —”the most demanding thing the Church can do” etc. And, of course, the unity of the professed Church in fulfilling this obligation is implied to be its most significant achievement. Achieving doctrinal purity and unity is secondary if not altogether objectionable. Along with this emphasis, whether intentional or unintentional, there is an effort made to camouflage the possible ecumenical effect of the Key 73 program. Each denomination will need to “do its own thing” reported the Gospel Herald (September 26, 1972). “It is not an effort to merge Churches,” says the Missionary Messenger (October 1972) and one of the reports of the Mennonite Weekly Review stated that Lutheran Theodore Raedeke, executive director of the Key 73 movement wants “each denomination to handle the challenge in its own way.”
However, it must be recognized, and history bears truth to the fact, that when Churches function and fellowship together as is being done in the preparation and the implementation of this movement it cannot help but move them closer to organizational union. Ten years ago A. J. Metzler, who was then promoting the merger of the various Mennonite bodies said that “if we don't want union we'll have to stop fellowshipping and functioning together” (Christian Living, December 1963). He referred to the Mennonite Central Committee's relief work as a help to get the Church to function and fellowship together. Thus, the Mennonite Central Committee's organizing more than 50 years ago, and their work involving all the Mennonite bodies in a relief program has admittedly served as a key to the ecumenicalism overtaking the larger Mennonite Church groups today.
Under the heading “Turned On Mennonites Probe Evangelism” Christianity Today reporting this summer's Probe 72 All—Mennonite Consultation on Evangelism in Minneapolis said that a point of major significance was given by Mennonite Hour broadcaster, David Augsburger when he said, “We have been together in the past on relief and service; now we are together on evangelism.” Here Augsburger informs us that M.C.C. has helped to unite the divided Mennonite bodies and that Key 73 is another step in that direction,
In the same issue of Christianity Today under the title “Catholic Bishops: Key 73 Sounds Okay” it is noted that at a meeting of the Nations Catholic bishops in Atlanta that 240 bishops present listened to a report on for Key 73 and “Although no action was taken on the report the absence of dissent construed as tacit approval of Key 73.”
Now if the Catholics as a whole are not opposed to, and some of them are actually participating in, the Key 73 program they must feel confident that this evangelism will be of such a character as to contribute to their Church rather than in any way to be a threat to it. And when a program is launched which has a powerful enough appeal, or of such a character as to bring Protestants and Catholics and Mennonites together in a common interest it is evident that the One World Church of the end time is rapidly approach consummation.
The present ecumenical thrust for organizational unity at the neglect or cost of any doctrine and unity of purity is an movement that will end in confusion and destruction. And, as it appears now, the thing that will open the door to the united involvement of more Church groups than other key has yet opened is Key 73.
Don't get us wrong—we are all for evangelism when it is carried on by penitent, believing and obedient members of the body of Christ and when it fulfills our Lord's last great commission to His disciples.
Aaron M. Shank
February 1973
PS As one small addition to this article, anyone who frequently heard Bro Aaron pray in public will remember his plea that the Lord would “bless every consistent and conscientious effort to worship and to witness for Him.” Bro Aaron did not take an exclusive, one true visible church only position. HSE