The Call (religion)
Encyclopedia
The Call is an organization which sponsors prayer meetings led by Lou Engle
along with other Christian leaders pastors in the U.S.. The meetings request prayer and fasting
by Christians in protest against issues such as same-sex marriage
and legal access to elective abortion
. The Call has drawn support from American Evangelical leaders, but has also been criticized for intolerance.
, the Call hosts 12 hour events which combine prayer, sermons, and Christian rock
music. The events are also known for their cultural and ethnic diversity, described in National Review
as "the Breakfast Club
of religious gatherings." Speakers at The Call events frequently draw parallels between the pro-life movement and the American Civil Rights Movement. The Call is meant to be a gathering of fasting and prayer to confess personal and national sins, to pray for God’s blessing on the nation, and for spiritual awakening among youth. Personal and national repentance among Christians and prayer for spiritual awakening has been the core focus of The Call since its inception. Much of the events are devoted to prayer and sermons against abortion and homosexuality. The Call events has been attended by prominent evangelical leaders such as Mike Huckabee
, James Dobson
, and Tony Perkins
. Engle believes that gatherings such as The Call are necessary to prevent Divine judgment
from taking place in the United States due to legalized abortion and the acceptance of homosexuality in American culture.
. Engle later said that he opposes the Ugandan bill and also called for the church to examine its own sins and to oppose violence against homosexuals.
Lou Engle
Lou Engle is a controversial American charismatic Christian leader, best known for his leadership of The Call and association with prominent members of the Christian Right. He also is a senior leader of the International House of Prayer and has planted several smaller houses of prayer...
along with other Christian leaders pastors in the U.S.. The meetings request prayer and fasting
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
by Christians in protest against issues such as same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and legal access to elective abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. The Call has drawn support from American Evangelical leaders, but has also been criticized for intolerance.
Events
Originally planned as a co-ed youth version of Promise KeepersPromise Keepers
Promise Keepers is an international conservative Christian organization for men. While it originated in the United States, it is now world-wide...
, the Call hosts 12 hour events which combine prayer, sermons, and Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
music. The events are also known for their cultural and ethnic diversity, described in National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
as "the Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
of religious gatherings." Speakers at The Call events frequently draw parallels between the pro-life movement and the American Civil Rights Movement. The Call is meant to be a gathering of fasting and prayer to confess personal and national sins, to pray for God’s blessing on the nation, and for spiritual awakening among youth. Personal and national repentance among Christians and prayer for spiritual awakening has been the core focus of The Call since its inception. Much of the events are devoted to prayer and sermons against abortion and homosexuality. The Call events has been attended by prominent evangelical leaders such as Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
, James Dobson
James Dobson
James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder in 1977 of Focus on the Family , which he led until 2003. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesman for conservative social positions in American public life...
, and Tony Perkins
Tony Perkins (politician)
Anthony Richard "Tony" Perkins is president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian think tank and public policy foundation based in Washington, D.C...
. Engle believes that gatherings such as The Call are necessary to prevent Divine judgment
Divine Judgment
Divine judgment means the judgment of God or other supreme beings within a religion. The concept is prominent in Abrahamic religions, most significantly in the Last judgment.-Objective and subjective judgment:...
from taking place in the United States due to legalized abortion and the acceptance of homosexuality in American culture.
Uganda Controversy
On May 2, 2010, Engle traveled to Uganda and organized a TheCall Rally at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Engle's choice to hold a rally there was characterized by some as implicitly supporting an anti–homosexuality bill that had been proposed in Uganda shortly before his trip. The bill called for life imprisonment or the death penalty for gays and lesbians in UgandaUganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. Engle later said that he opposes the Ugandan bill and also called for the church to examine its own sins and to oppose violence against homosexuals.
Gatherings
- September 2, 2000 (Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) - October 3, 2002 (SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) - Estimated 30,000 - March 1, 2005 (GunsanGunsanGunsan is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is located on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. Gunsan is served by frequent railway service on the Gunsan Line from Iksan. It is also connected to the Seohaean Expressway.Kunsan Air Base...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) - July 7, 2007 (Nashville, TennesseeNashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
) - January 12, 2008 (Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
) - April 6, 2008 (Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, AlabamaMontgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
) - Estimated 20,000 - August 16, 2008 (Washington, D.C.) - Estimated 70,000
- November 1, 2008 (San Diego)
- January 17–18, 2010 (Houston)
- May 2, 2010 (Uganda)