Does the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) support homosexual friendly organizations?
CBF coordinator Daniel Vestal said in a statement issued July 26 that CBF “has never issued any statement, taken any action or spent a single dollar that was intended in any way to condone or promote the gay-lesbian lifestyle.”
Still CBF finds itself caught in a firestorm of charges that it supports homosexual friendly groups. The charges are being widely circulated, especially through the Internet.
The charges surfaced after the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (BPF) exhibited a curriculum during the recent CBF annual meeting. The curriculum, produced by BPF, is called “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth: A Resource for Congregations in Dialogue on Sexual Orientation.” It is endorsed by some persons identified with CBF.
According to a Baptist Press (BP) news story, the resource affirms same-sex partnerships, denies the Bible condemns homosexual behavior and affirms homosexuality as an unchangeable sexual orientation.
Biblical view
BPF executive Ken Sehested is presented as contending the Bible nowhere condemns homosexuality as a sin. He said the biblical passages about homosexuality deal with “power relationship with minors,” not consensual adult gay sex. Sehested is quoted as arguing that gay marriage and ordination are “a parallel to the civil rights movement” and can no longer be ignored by Baptists. He predicted Baptists will one day issue a statement of confession over homophobia as they did over slavery in 1995.
When BPF adopted such views in 1995, CBF withdrew financial support from the organization’s operating budget in protest.
But this year, $9,900 appears in the CBF line item budget for BPF. CBF critics charge the appropriation proves the link between CBF and pro-homosexual views.
Vestal counters that the appropriation is a contract for three designated projects. “These projects have nothing to do with the issue of homosexuality. Rather, they focus on developing congregational resources dealing with issues of church conflict and reconciliations, restorative justice and biblical teachings about peace, justice and reconciliation,” he said.
Vestal said BPF was one of 93 exhibitors at this year’s CBF meeting and that CBF does not screen all the items displayed.
Following the statement, critics pointed out that Vestal stopped short of saying CBF’s policy about exhibitors would be reviewed or that BPF would not be allowed back as an exhibitor.
Comments by the immediate past president of Baptist Women in Ministry are also creating problems for CBF. Becca Gurney is quoted in the same BP story as saying “Who am I to say who God can call and gift for ministry? In terms of God calling gays and lesbians, when we start limiting God’s call, we’re in dangerous territory.”
Baptist Women in Ministry receives $30,000 from CBF. Again, critics point to a link between pro-homosexual statements and CBF funding.
Critics cite two other events to illustrate concern about Baptist Women in Ministry and a pro-homosexual agenda. In 1997, the Alliance of Baptists described Providence Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark., as having “a pro-gay stance” when the church received an Alliance grant.
At the time, Kathy Manix Findley was pastor of the church. She served as president of Baptist Women in Ministry immediately before Gurney.
Current president Raye Nell Dyer is listed as one of five resource persons for media interviews in a news release titled “Progressive Religious Leaders Respond to Racism and Homophobia by Southern Baptist Convention Leaders.”
In his statement, Vestal said the $30,000 has nothing to do with homosexuality. “If she (Gurney) was quoted directly, I personally disagree with some of her statements. but her comments on that issue have nothing to do with the nature of our cooperative work with Baptist Women in Ministry.
Vestal quoted from a CBF brochure in which he stated, “I believe the practice of homosexuality violates the teaching of Scripture.” He said both retired CBF coordinator Cecil Sherman and he had made unequivocal public statements expressing personal opposition to homosexual behavior.
“But I will not throw stones at those who live a homosexual lifestyle — or any other lifestyle I believe to be outside the will of God,” Vestal added. “As a follower of Jesus, I should offer them my love and friendship. I should do this in spite of humility that grows from my own need for forgiveness and grace.”
Vestal charged critics are trying to discredit CBF with “a mean-spirited guilt by association” campaign.
Critics said they were only trying to “tell the truth” about what they described as a “shadowy denomination.”
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