My Hope For Baptists In 2004
By President Jimmy Carter, Plains, GA

Note: This article first appeared in The Baptist Studies Bulletin, published online January 15, 2004, at their website: www.mercer.edu/baptiststudies/

            A few years ago, I invited about a dozen moderate Baptist leaders and an equal number of more conservative ones to The Carter Center, including ten men who had been or would be presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention. My hope was that the two groups might be reconciled enough to work together harmoniously. There was no acrimony during two extended meetings, and we produced a positive public statement at the time.

            Unfortunately, subsequent events have erased much of the good will we expressed, and we now find ourselves separated—or fragmented—over a few secular issues despite our common faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Mission work suffers and our reputations are tarnished as a great portion of our attention is focused on the adoption of what some consider to be imposed creed and others a necessary expression of common belief. There are sharp divisions over the “submission” of women or their equal treatment in church affairs. Some have exalted the sinfulness of homosexuality to the highest pinnacle of importance, while others point out that Jesus never mentioned this issue and it is a genetic or innate inherited trait that should not exclude gays from Christian fellowship.

            It has become increasingly obvious that we cannot ignore or minimize these disagreements. I don’t have any authority and lack the influence and objectivity necessary to initiate another reconciliation effort, but my hope for the New Year is that the differences might be relegated to a completely secondary status as we Baptists consider our obligation to work in harmony to fulfill the mandate given to us by Jesus.

            There is a notable precedent for Christians to absorb strong differences and still work together to further God’s kingdom. Some believers in the early church were convinced that the path to salvation had to lead through the adoption of Jewish religious customs including circumcision. Others thought that the eating of meat sacrificed to idols was very important, and there were divisive debates about whether Jesus could be both fully human and also the Son of God.

            The church survived when the fundamentals of our faith offered an adequate bond to unite the fallible and argumentative Christians. Perhaps, once again, Baptists might be reconciled through emulating the actions and teachings of Christ, based on justice, peace, humility, service, forgiveness, and unselfish love. Is it too much to hope for this kind of miracle?

Updated Sunday, March 07, 2004