Moderate Southern Baptists still divided over gay, lesbian issues

It has been a slow and sad process, one still in motion. The Southern Baptist Convention, representing the multimillion-member denomination characterizing the spiritual soul of the South, has lost its diversity. In the past 25 years, fundamentalist conservatives, voting as a majority bloc, albeit a slim one, have taken over the SBC.

The denomination's seminaries were purged of so-called liberals, and to their and the moderates' chagrin, the SBC incorporated a right-wing agenda that made Jerry Falwell proud.

"The Southern Baptists, to a large degree, proscribed the definition of Baptist for America today," said Tony Campolo, a leading voice among progressive Baptists. "And it comes across as being anti-gay, anti-women, pro-war, anti-environment, pro-gun. There are a lot of us saying that's not who we are. We need an alternative [Baptist] voice, and this could be it."

Last month, moderate Baptists from throughout the nation, many from the South, gathered in Atlanta to embrace a "New Baptist Covenant," one that includes a deep commitment to evangelism, while also incorporating a strong social justice component.

The brainchild of former President Jimmy Carter, the conference stuck closely to the Democratic Party line. Former President Bill Clinton attended, as did former Vice President Al Gore; U.S. Sen. Barack Obama sent a videotaped message.

Yet while there were several positive signs as this new group tries to form its identity, for those hoping to see a loving hand extended to gays and lesbians, or to hear a stronger rebuke of U.S. imperialism, the gathering was disappointing.

Opposition to the Iraq War received some airtime, but the U.S. Army was allowed to set up a booth to recruit Baptist chaplains. Race was a hot topic, but abortion and capital punishment were not. Most notably, the gathering did not offer an official embrace to the LGBT community.

 Moderate Southern Baptists still divided over gay, lesbian issues
The Independent Weekly, NC