American Baptists approve gay association

RICHMOND, Va. — The governing board of the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. recently approved the creation of a regional association designed for gay-friendly churches. The denomination’s General Board established the Evergreen Baptist Association, which was formed by churches that felt ostracized by the more conservative — and much larger — American Baptist Churches of the Northwest. Many of the congregations opposed the larger group’s stance on sexuality issues.

Meeting June 27–30, ABC delegates also approved nonbinding resolutions calling on American Baptists to combat the worldwide AIDS crisis and confront religion-related terrorism.