"In our scales, spiritual, moral, and social power are as important as political power...."
"I must disagree, and wholeheartedly so," said Land, according to the Baptist Press. "I can't believe that this is what the Manifesto's authors intended to say, but it is what they said. Spiritual power is, and always will be, more important than political power, however noble its motives and causes."
Still, both leaders praised the manifesto for trying to be a prophetic voice and steering the evangelical movement to refocus on its theological roots.
Mohler praised the document for its analysis of the cultural crisis and for challenging Christians and the integrity of Christian faith.
But both leaders in the end decided against signing the document.
Another evangelical heavyweight who did not sign the document was Dr James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Dobson, said the board agreed that Dobson should not sign the manifesto "due to myriad concerns about the effort", according to The Associated Press.
"One of the things that disappointed Dr Dobson was that when the manifesto was initially circulated, no African-American pastors or theologians were on the invite list," Schneeberger said. "His thinking was, 'How can this purport to represent the voice of evangelicals when people so vital to who we are as a movement are excluded from involvement?'"
Schneeberger did not say what else in the manifest disappointed Dobson.
Other well-known leaders who did not sign the evangelical manifesto for various reasons include evangelist Billy Graham, Tony Perkins of Family Research Council, Bishop Harry R Jackson Jr of the High Impact Leadership Coalition.
"An Evangelical Manifesto" was released in Washington DC last Wednesday in hopes of redefining the movement's image as theological, rather than political or social, as it has been painted in the media in recent years.
Supporters also declared that the document's purpose is to call members of the movement to reform their behaviour and rededicate themselves to being followers of Jesus Christ.
The manifesto's steering committee included Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary; Os Guinness, co-founder of The Trinity Forum; and David Neff, vice president and editor in chief of Christianity Today magazine, among others.
