Baptist leaders from around the world meeting July 2–7 in Santiago, Chile, endorsed a historic joint agreement drafted by Catholics, mainline Protestants and evangelicals outlining ethical guidelines for Christian witness amid religious diversity and formalized two Baptist World Alliance (BWA) executive staff appointments.
About 300 Baptist leaders were part of the BWA annual gathering.
In an opening celebration service July 2, BWA President John Upton recalled worldwide Baptist support for Chileans during recent crises like the massive Feb. 27, 2010, earthquake and the mining disaster that trapped 33 miners underground for more than two months, from Aug. 5 until Oct. 13. Upton, executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, expressed the BWA’s joy to be able to come to Chile for its annual gathering of global Baptist leaders.
Delivering his entire greeting in Spanish, BWA General Secretary Neville Callam reminded Chilean Baptists they are one part of one family with other Baptist Christians around the world. “We are one Baptist family, brothers and sisters, witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.
The guidelines and diversity resolution adopted during the BWA meeting “commends and endorses” a 2011 document titled “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World.” Drafted by leaders of the World Evangelical Alliance, the World Council of Churches and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council on Inter-religious Dialogue, it is in part a response to criticism leveled at Christians by some religious communities alleging unethical evangelistic methods, in some cases contributing to anti-conversion laws and violence.
The resolution declares that sharing the gospel in both word and deed is imperative to Christ’s commission in Matthew 28, but affirms “that violence, bribes and threats or force are incompatible with Christian mission.”
It laments “increasing interreligious, political and economic tensions in the world that result in conflicts, bribes, threats, force, violence, war and loss of life” and acknowledges that Christians “are sometimes implicated in these conflicts.”
It urges Baptists to treat people of other faiths with respect and to foster “reconciling relationships” with others. It encourages BWA member bodies to study and incorporate practices in the seven-page document in their own context.
Drafted over a five-year period, “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World” rejects deception and “coercive means” of proselytizing in non-Christian societies. It was the first time the three bodies had ever worked together. While affirming the use of healing ministries in mission, it says such services should not be exploited and denounces “financial incentives and rewards” in evangelism.
Other resolutions commemorated the 200th anniversary of the 1812 journey of Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson and Luther Rice to Asia to serve as missionaries; renewed statements about climate change made by the general council in 2008 and 2009, adding a commitment to seek to reduce the “carbon footprint” of BWA gatherings; and denounced recent bombings of houses of worship and violence carried out in the name of religion in Nigeria.
Since last Christmas, an Islamic sect called Boko Haram has carried out a series of attacks on churches in Nigeria, prompting retaliatory killings of Muslims by Christian youths, police and the military.
The two BWA staff appointments took place July 6.
Rothangliani Rema Chhangte, originally from India but who worked most recently for American Baptist Churches USA, begins Aug. 1 as director of Baptist World Aid, the BWA’s relief-and-development arm. She takes over for Paul Montacute, a former youth worker from Great Britain who retires at the end of July after 22 years with the Washington-based BWA.
Chhangte’s appointment was made official by the general council, one of several governing bodies within the 221-member body BWA.
Chhangte was first approved for the Baptist World Aid post by the BWA executive committee last March.
“I am humbled by your vote of confidence and thank you and God for giving me this opportunity to be of service to Baptist churches around the world,” Chhangte told the council. “I look forward to working closely with all of you and partnering with you so that together we can make Baptist World Aid the premier relief and development agency for Baptists worldwide.”
Chhangte holds a master of divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary, master of business administration from Eastern University and a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University, all in the United States. She also has diplomas from the Oxford Graduate Summer School of Theology in the United Kingdom and the Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies in Switzerland.
The council also ratified the November 2011 election of Duro Ayanrinola by formally appointing him as the BWA regional secretary for Africa. He was previously director of the Missionary Organization Department of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
The general council meeting also included presentation of the Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award to Edgar Palacios, a Baptist pastor form El Salvador recognized for peacemaking efforts during that country’s 1980–1992 civil war. Palacios, currently a pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, paid tribute to “the heroism and courage of hundreds of leaders of the Salvadorian people … who gave their lives and talents to achieve justice and peace.”
During business sessions prior to the annual meeting, a committee signed two major contracts in preparation for the 21st Baptist World Congress in Durban, South Africa, in 2015.
(Compiled from ABP stories)
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