Enlarged April 2, 2008 (Updated May 7, 2002, first published May 3, 2001) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) –

Evangelist Luis Palau, who has been called “the Billy Graham of Latin America,” follows Graham’s ecumenical model and has an uncritical relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.

In an April 24, 2001 interview with Ed Flynn of “Talk of the Town” on radio station 1320 AM, promoters of the Palau festival in Waterbury, Connecticut, said that the evangelist is “a uniter, not a divider,” that he is “nondenominational” and sends his converts “right back to the churches they come from.”

Christianity Today for Dec. 19, 1975, reporting on Palau’s Managua, Nicaragua, crusade, said: “It enjoyed the support of most of Managua’s 125 Protestant churches and many Catholics. Catholic charismatic groups attended.”

While covering Amsterdam ‘86, Fundamental Evangelistic Association reporter Dennis Costella asked Luis Palau if he would cooperate with Roman Catholics. Palau replied that he certainly would and admitted that it was being done. He went on to mention specific plans for more extensive Catholic involvement in his future crusades (Foundation, Jul.-Aug. 1986).

The 1987 Palau crusade in New Zealand was reportedly “the first time the Catholic Church has ever backed a major evangelical Christian mission” in that area. Catholic Bishop Dennis Browne of Auckland accepted an invitation to join the mission’s advisory board along with leaders of many other denominations (Challenge Weekly, April 18, 1986, reprinted in Australian Beacon, May 1986).

In 1992, the Arizona Republic gave the following description of Palau’s relationship with the Roman Catholic Church:

“Palau’s form of worship presents such a broad Christian message that it appeals to Protestants and Catholics alike ... But unlike other Evangelicals who have actively tried to lure ... Catholics away from their churches, PALAU AIMS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES—REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION ... ‘on the core of Christianity, we are one,’ Palau said in a recent interview. ... Palau represents a growing trend among religious groups ... that do not want to alienate Catholics... [Palau] CAREFULLY AVOIDS THE CONTROVERSIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS. ... Protestants of Palau’s type have a message that does not require abandoning church membership. ... Bible studies are deliberately held at times that would not conflict with Masses and controversial subjects like the Virgin Mary are avoided. Instead there’s an attempt to find a common ground in the Bible” (The Arizona Republic, October 31, 1992).

Evangelist Palau claims that “at the core of Christianity, we are one”; yet Christian denominations have widely differing definitions of the gospel, of biblical inspiration, of Christ’s atonement, of biblical miracles, of God’s holiness, of Heaven and Hell, and many other core things.

Palau’s 1993 crusade in Kingston, Jamaica, included Catholic participation. The Catholic Archbishop attended some of the meetings. The secretary of the Office of the Archbishop stated that Palau “was not critical of any religion” and was “not like those who criticize other religions” (Peter Van Kleeck, “Wealthy Park Baptist Church and the Luis Palau Crusade,” Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 6, 1994). A Jamaica newspaper ad on January 31, 1993, stated: “The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston gives wholehearted support in mobilizing its members to participate in the National Crusade 1993. This venture is seen by us as an important event in the spreading of the gospel in an ecumenical manner.”

Roman Catholic Churches participated in the West Michigan Palau Crusade in September 1994. 

Palau’s May 1995 crusade in Londonderry, Ireland, brought together Roman Catholics and Protestants in an ecumenical worship service “on the bank of the Foyle River, which divides Protestant and Catholic communities.” Howard Lewis of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland said the Palau crusade produced an ecumenical unity “we never dreamt would work together.”

There were Catholic priests involved in Palau’s April 1996 crusade in Chicago, Illinois. More than 1,500 churches participated. Speakers included Palau, E.V. Hill, Tony Evans, and Ron Hutchcraft.

On May 6-9, 1998, Palau had a crusade at the Roman Catholic Saint Martin’s College in Olympia, Washington (John Beardsley, “Palau Crusading at RC College & Newsboys to be at Black Hills Crusade,” March 7, 1998, jbeard@rapidnet.com). Saint Martin’s is operated by Saint Martin’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery.

Palau’s July 2007 Festival in Omaha, Nebraska, was endorsed by Catholic Archbishop Elden Curtiss. Not only did the Catholic archbishop address the crowd personally, but the Catholics were allowed to put up a tent at the entrance to the venue to distribute rosaries and Catholic material and priests greeted the people as they entered the crusade grounds (Catholic Voice, Archdiocese of Omaha, Aug. 10, 2007). Each participant filled out a card indicating religions background, and all of the cards stating Catholic were given to the Catholic churches for follow up (Catholic Voice, June 8, 2007).