Polish Baptists Deny "BWA Alternative" Meeting

Polish Baptist representatives may not be meeting with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) leaders to consider an "alternative" to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA).

"With great surprise and sorrow rumours have reached us telling us that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is making plans to meet in Poland, the same week of the Baptist World Alliance Centenary Congress in Birmingham, England, to organise a new alternative to the Baptist World Alliance," said Leszek Wakula, general secretary of the Polish Baptist Union.

The BWA, the largest international fellowship of Baptist churches, and the SBC, the largest Baptist denomination in the USA with 16 million members, severed their 99-year relationship over "theological disputes" in 2004. Since then, tensions have been running thick between the two groups: the SBC continues to charge the BWA of being theologically liberal and the BWA continues to say the real reason for the break was because the SBC was unable to take full autocratic power over the Alliance’s membership board.

Last month, controversies broke out again after the head of the SBC’s public policy ministry said the "SBC is planning to meet with international Baptist leaders in July to create an alternative to the Baptist World Alliance."

The ABP, an independent moderate news agency for Baptists, quoted Richard Land, the president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission (ERLC), as saying, "I am going to a meeting with other Southern Baptist leaders and with Baptist leaders from around the world in Warsaw, Poland, this July to form a new alternative to the Baptist World Alliance."

An independent Baptist newspaper implied the "new alternative" will be a competing organisational force to the BWA.

"A July meeting would compete with the Baptist World Congress July 27-31 in Birmingham, England, when BWA will celebrate its 100th anniversary," the ABP reported.

However, Land, in a following interview denied the charges and said the meeting will be more of a spiritual support group without any formal organisational functions.

"Yes, we will be meeting in Warsaw in July, but it will not be to duplicate the BWA. We will be holding discussions from interested leaders to discuss ways of mutually supporting each other," Land said. "We’ve had enough of formal organisations."

When asked what he meant by "alternative organisation," Dr Land explained: "It’s not so much so an alternative organisation or structure, but it is an alternative way for international Baptists to relate to one another."

Land also said the alternative group should not cause any wider problems within the Baptist world.

"We’re only going to be working with and ministering with those who want to work with us," said Land. "This is a purely voluntary and cooperative mutual king of thing, and I don’t see how this could be threatening to anyone."

However, in a statement released last week to the BWA, the Polish Baptist Union leaders said "even just an idea of such a project awakes sadness in our hearts."

"We would like to officially acknowledge that neither the Executive Board of the union or its members are aware of such a meeting in Warsaw or even of any plans for such. We express our regret and sorrow that if such a project is going to take place in Poland, then it takes place behind our back," said Wakula.

At last check, SBC executive Morris Chapman said the meeting will still take place in July.




Pauline J. Chang
Ecumenical press