Former US President Jimmy Carter Speaks at Baptist Congress

The former President of the United States of America Jimmy Carter spoke Saturday at a press conference held at the Baptist Centenary Congress on the future of the Christian faith and more specifically the Baptist Church, as well as the issue of terrorism and interfaith dialogue.

President Carter started with a brief speech in which he expressed sympathy and solidarity with Britain after the 7 July terrorist attacks, before going on to talk more specifically about the problems facing Baptists and fellow Christians in general.

President Carter said the world was currently suffering from an “intense hunger for an intense healing of the differences that separate one another”.

He went on to call for greater inter-denominational unity as a solution to the split in the Christian faith in order to provide the secular world with “a singular voice ... that can set aside the divisions that plague our faith”, as well as criticising Christians for the “escalation of differences based on human differences.”

He also expressed great hope in establishing a strong and peaceful interfaith dialogue in order to prevent the current growth of terrorism from turning into a pandemic.

Instead of highlighting the differences between religions, President Carter spoke warmly of the many positive things the main religions have in common: “I would say that the overwhelming number of Hindus, Muslims, and other denominations in the Christian community all share common things.

“We believe in peace, justice, hospitality, alleviation of suffering and we believe in truth and justice. And if we can agree on those that would make the united front against terrorism much more perfected.”

The issue of Iraq inevitably came up, to which President Carter expressed his deep regret, referring to an editorial he wrote two years ago for the New York Times: “I thought then and I think now that the invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and unjust and I think the premises on which it was launched were false.”

President Carter called for a dialogue based on truth not simply between nations but between faiths, saying “I think that arrogant attitude to derogate others because of our faith is a mistake.” Referring once again to the common bonds of religion he said: “I think every religion emphasises truth, justice, benevolence, compassion, generosity and love.”

Turning to the future of the Baptist World Alliance under new President David Coffey and the vision of global mission, President Carter said. “He [new BWA President David Coffey] will be in a position of leadership and my hope and full expectation is that he will spread the Word of Christ and worldwide evangelism, in harmony and peace and benevolence to as many people and nations as possible.”

He continued: “Here is the opportunity for the BWA to become a much greater factor in Christain life than it has been in the past. I think it’s a time for almost explosive growth.”

President Carter offered this advice to the newly inducted President Coffey: “Don’t set your goals too low.”

The 81-year-old, who has been a Sunday school teacher for many years, will hold a Bible study tomorrow on the final day of the Baptist World Centenary Conress currently taking place in Birmingham, UK. Carter will cover the issue of finding a ‘common understanding’ between Christians.