Clinton urges respect with conservatives
ATLANTA (BP)–Former President Bill Clinton’s exhortation to moderate Baptists: Treat conservative Baptists with humility, love and respect “because all of us might be wrong.” Clinton, a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, Ark., in addressing the closing session of the New Baptist Covenant Celebration Feb. 1, noted, “We came here to seek a […]
Breakout sessions present differing views
ATLANTA (BP)–Special interest sessions during the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in Atlanta advocated diverse and at times conflicting viewpoints on issues ranging from the criminal justice system and poverty to sexual exploitation and responding to natural disasters. The convocation included 16 breakout sessions offered Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Georgia World Congress Center, […]
WRAP-UP: New Baptist Covenant Celebration focuses on unity, differs with So. Baptists
ATLANTA (BP)–A diverse group of Baptists meeting at the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in Atlanta Jan. 30-Feb. 1 heard speeches from two former U.S. presidents and a former vice president, made frequent mention of the Southern Baptist Convention and began planning for continued cooperation among moderate and liberal Baptists in America. Registration solely for the […]
Confusion concerning kindness
ATLANTA (BP)--One theme I heard repeated many times at the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in Atlanta was that moderate and conservative Baptists need to cooperate in missions and evangelism and heal the rift between our two camps.
On day two, NBCC speakers go negative, criticize biblical inerrancy, tax cuts, Iraq war
ATLANTA (BP)–To restore their prophetic voice in the culture, Baptists must reject “narrow” interpretations of Scripture and oppose both the Iraq war and President Bush’s tax cuts, plenary session speakers said Jan. 31 at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant in Atlanta. The auditorium, which holds 15,000 people, was approximately half full for Thursday’s […]
Carter asks Baptists to overlook differences
ATLANTA (BP)--Former President Jimmy Carter, during the opening session of the "New Baptist Covenant Celebration" in Atlanta Jan. 30, called for Baptists of all races, political leanings and theological stances to unite around a common belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to set aside the differences that have caused divisions. "My wife Rosalynn and I have visited more than 125 different nations since we left the White House, and we and our hosts have had many discussions about religion," Carter, co-chair of the event, said. "Among the unsaved people on earth, what is the prevailing image of Christians today? "It's not the dedicated and inspired work of our missionaries. It's not the great preaching of Billy Graham or others who inspire people. It's the image of divisions among brothers and sisters in Christ as we struggle for authority or argue about the interpretation of individual verses in the Holy Scriptures," Carter said to an estimated crowd of 9,000 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Gore cites political will, claims scriptural mandate on environmental issues
ATLANTA (BP)--Protecting the earth from global warming is a mandatory part of following Jesus, former Vice President Al Gore said at a "Stewardship of the Earth" luncheon Jan. 31 during the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in Atlanta.
Carter boasts SBC ties at Baptist Covenant
ATLANTA (BP)--Former President Jimmy Carter expressed hopes for cooperation between moderate and liberal Baptists and the SBC and boasted of a "wonderful relationship" with the SBC president on the opening day of the "New Baptist Covenant Celebration" in Atlanta.