Posted on 05/18/2006 9:12:48 AM PDT by NYer
COVINA, May 17 (UPI) — Leaders of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest have left the denomination, primarily over its handling of homosexuality.
The region's board of directors unanimously affirmed late last week an earlier recommendation to withdraw from its "Covenant of Relationships and Agreements" with the American Baptist Churches USA, Associated Baptist Press reported Wednesday.
The national denomination, which has its origins in a Civil War-era split from what is now the Southern Baptist Convention, is based in Valley Forge, Pa.
"God's heart is broken when sisters and brothers in Christ divide over matters of scriptural interpretation. We pray God's blessing on PSW as they go their way from the ABC family," said Roy Medley, the denomination's general secretary, according to American Baptist News Service. He also said "this parting of the ways will not diminish our passion, commitment and undaunted spirit to move forward in mission and ministry."
The latest decision ratifies an April 29 "straw poll" vote of delegates from the region's churches. In that vote, held at First Baptist Church in Pomona, Calif., and other locations around the region, members representing congregations voted 1,125-209 to terminate the covenant. In American Baptist polity, such covenants are important written agreements that bind the region with the national body.
The region's executive minister, Dale Salico, said in a May 12 press release that such an "overwhelming response" indicated a "mandate" from the vast majority of the region's American Baptists. The release also noted that 152 of the region's 250 eligible churches participated in the vote.
The region's board of directors, in initially recommending the severance, released a statement saying they made the recommendation because "deep differences of theological convictions and values between the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest (ABCPSW) and the American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABCUSA) are understood by the board of directors of the ABCPSW as irreconcilable."
Most of the "irreconcilable" differences seemed to focus on the way the denomination, with approximately 1.5 million members in more than 5,800 churches, relates to "gay-friendly" ministers and congregations. Even though American Baptist leaders approved a 1992 resolution opposing homosexual conduct, some ABC conservatives have asserted the wording and the enforcement of the motion on denominational agencies and personnel are not strong enough.
An August 2005 vote by the ABC-USA Ministers' Council particularly riled conservatives in the denomination. In it, the ministers defeated a proposed amendment that would have required members of the organization to be ministers who believe "sexual intimacy is only appropriate in the context of heterosexual marriage."
Progressive and centrist American Baptists, meanwhile, have tried to defend what they see as traditional Baptist stances on congregational autonomy and individual conscience in opposing the ouster of pro-gay churches and leaders.
The region's churches still have to decide individually whether to sever their relationships with the national denomination. A new group, called the Association of American Baptists in the Pacific Southwest, has established itself to coordinate the work of churches that choose to stay in the denomination. The group's Web site says it will work with the Los Angeles Baptist City Society, a local association of American Baptist churches.
In the meantime, according to the departed region's website, American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest will change its name to Transformation Ministries, which the site describes as "a movement of Baptist churches committed to change their worlds for Christ."
.....I won't go into the obvious headline, I shall remain ever so politically correct.
Doogle
"Don't let the door hit ya where homosexuality split ya."
Okay... I'm confused. Where does the Southern Baptist Convention come into all this? What is their stand?
Not this American Baptist. Nor his church.
My guess is the Southern Baptists are the traditional Christians and the splinter group represent modern day revisionist "feel-good" Christianity.
If I'm reading this correctly, it sounds like the ABCPSW got it right.
A very poorly written article. They should clearly state, A left B because B supports gays. Instead there is just confusion and PC talk.
You mean the "And I say unto thee,if it feelest good,thou shalt do it in the name of the Lord thy Pal" crowd?
But more so, when brothers and sisters disregard the clear instruction of scripture and "reinterpret" it to condone perversion.
What you said.
That is particularly vexing, when you recall that UPI is owned by Pat Robertson.
Probably the same people who think "God's doing a new thing!"
He isn't, and the Word has not changed. Homosexuality is still an abomination to God.
That is why they get all those degrees so they can successfully appear to say something when they are not actually saying anything at all. Clinton was master at this.
Yeah, about a 98 to 2 split.
SBC is a different denomination entirely. This has nothing to do with them. They are very biblical in their stance against homosexuality, and they thus far haven't fell too hard for the emotional arguments that begin to weaken that stance.
GLAAD Concerned Over Pat Robertson's Purchase of United Press Internationalhttp://www.glaad.org/media/archive_detail.php?id=294&PHPSESSID=fc443a97c5ae2371a95a92e246b13d6f
HOLLYWOOD, CA -- In response to confirmation that televangelist Pat Robertson had successfully purchased the financially strapped press wire United Press International, the Los Angeles Chapter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation expressed serious concern over the potential negative ramifications.
"UPI has a long history, and a reputation, that gives its name a lot of credibility," commented Chris Fowler, executive director. "The possibility that UPI's name could lend credibility to Robertson's extreme and fundamentalist viewpoints is a terrifying prospect. He's dodged questions about ways in which he might affect the editorial policies of UPI. That should be a warning sign to anyone who considers Robertson's message exclusionary and hateful. It is particularly frightening to minorities who have historically lacked access to the media, and whose existences don't conform to Robertson's so-called 'family values'."
"We know what this man's views are on rights for gays and lesbians, and on abortion," continued Fowler. "Robertson inappropriately attacked these issues to champion 'family values' in his 1988 presidential campaign. With UPI as his new platform, Robertson could spread his prejudiced message even further in a world that already suffers from far too much intolerance, and not enough acceptance."
There is also concern over Robertson's expressed interest in the Latin American and radio operations. "Robertson's views could have a powerful impact in parts of Latin America," concluded Fowler. "The news is supposed to be unbiased. Yet Robertson has built a reputation on being blatantly biased. If he's preaching his message in any way editorially -- no matter how subtly -- then he's having a negative affect on the people UPI serves."
http://www.sbc.net/printfriendly.asp
Sexuality
We affirm God's plan for marriage and sexual intimacy – one man, and one woman, for life. Homosexuality is not a "valid alternative lifestyle." The Bible condemns it as sin. It is not, however, unforgivable sin. The same redemption available to all sinners is available to homosexuals. They, too, may become new creations in Christ.
That is CBN. UPI is a liberal news organization.
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