Conservative SBC Leaders Respond to BWA Support Group
Top leaders from the SBC reiterated the reason why the denomination had to break from the BWA on Dec. 14, in lightof the recent gathering of pro-BWA Southern Baptists who urged support for the Alliance
Top leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) reiterated the reason why the denomination had to break from the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) on Dec. 14, in light of the recent gathering of pro-BWA Southern Baptists who urged support for the Alliance from the denomination’s individual churches and members.
"If there were any doubts in the minds of Southern Baptists about the moderate theological perspective embraced by BWA staff leadership, the latest action of the BWA general secretary is enough to dispel those doubts," Chapman said in a statement to Baptist Press. "He has enlisted the help of former SBC leaders, the Who's Who of Southern Baptist moderates, in an effort to generate individual and church funding for BWA activities."
The disputed gathering was held in Atlanta on Dec. 4, under the auspices of former SBC executive Duke McCall – one of the “Who’s Who of Southern Baptist moderates” mentioned by Chapman.
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During the meeting, some 2 dozen former chief executives of SBC entities said they were “advocates of the Baptist World Alliance,” and urged continued cooperation between the SBC and the alliance it helped create 99 years ago.
"Our purpose is to retain Southern Baptist participation in and support of the Baptist World Alliance," said McCall. "We function within Baptist freedom and the autonomy of every Christian church."
The decision to break from the BWA marked the latest clash between conservative and moderate ideologies present in the mammoth denomination. Earlier this year, about two-thirds of the delegates to the SBC’s annual meeting voted – by a show of hands – to halt membership and funding to the BWA. Reasons presented by those supportive of the break included a shift of theology toward the left and “questionable” usage of funding within the Alliance.
While conservatives overwhelmingly supported the break, more moderate members stood against it, reminding the delegates that the BWA provides a door of opportunity for Southern Baptists to share in fellowship with other Baptists around the world. They also pointed to the fact that next year, the BWA will be celebrating its 100th year, and that breaking apart from the BWA one year before that time of celebration would be too harsh.
BWA staffers, meanwhile denied the charges made against the Alliance, and said the SBC’s decision was a result of the BWA’s recent acceptance of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship – a moderate fellowship of churches that broke off from the SBC a decade ago over theological disputes – for membership.
McCall, who served as president of the BWA from 1980 to 1985, reminded individual SBC churches that they are able to choose to continue fellowship and funding to the Alliance.
"The SBC withdrawal from BWA membership does not require any individual or church, or Baptist association to sever that Christian relation to the BWA," McCall said. "We do not counsel any individual or church to withdraw from the SBC."
In lieu of the gathering, James T. Draper Jr., president of LifeWay Christian Resources and a member of the SBC's BWA study committee that recommended the division, said to Baptist Press that the decision to withdraw was the “best way for the SBC.”
"We just do not feel that the BWA is the only way or the best way for the SBC to relate to the larger Baptist family across the world," he said.
Draper added that he was disappointed at the moderate leaders for holding the meeting.
"It is very sad to me that leaders who once championed the cause of our traditional strategy of cooperation would perpetuate this action,” Draper said.
According to his statements to Baptist Press, the break with the BWA was a result of the BWA’s break in cooperation with the SBC.
"Several years ago the BWA began to appeal directly to Southern Baptist churches for financial support, in spite of repeated objections on the part of our leadership," he said.
Chapman also pointed to financial reasons involved in the break.
“In anticipation of an SBC withdrawal, Lotz recommended to the BWA General Council that membership, which was previously restricted to Baptist denominations, conventions and unions, be opened to all Baptist churches and even individuals,” Baptist Press reported. “The letter to churches said a gift of $250 would make a church an "associate member" of BWA while a gift of $1,000 would make it a "Global Impact Church."
"Now former leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have come out of retirement to ask churches to give to the BWA, a request they never would have made when they were SBC leaders, leading organizations that were dependent largely upon Cooperative Program gifts," Chapman said in his statement to BP. "That they would be willing to call for anything that has the potential to decrease Cooperative Program giving in favor of support to an organization outside the convention is astounding and regrettable."
