NEWS SIDEBAR: Carter’s Statement on Southern Baptist Convention

c. 2000 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The statement by former President Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist deacon and Sunday school teacher, disassociating himself from the national denomination: Although I have been disappointed and feel excluded by some of the policies of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), I have never been involved in its divisive political […]

c. 2000 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) The statement by former President Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist deacon and Sunday school teacher, disassociating himself from the national denomination:

Although I have been disappointed and feel excluded by some of the policies of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), I have never been involved in its divisive political struggles. Although I will continue my work as a Baptist deacon and Sunday School teacher in Maranatha Baptist Church and will support the education and mission programs of Georgia Baptists and foreign missions through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, I have come to the very painful decision that I can no longer be associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.


Over the years leaders of the Convention have adopted an increasingly rigid creed, called a Baptist Faith and Message, including some provisions that violate the basic tenets of my Christian faith. These premises have become mandatory criteria that must be accepted by employees, by members of committees who control the Convention’s affairs, and by professors who teach in the SBC-owned seminaries. Obviously, this can have a far-reaching and permanent effect.

Rosalynn and I have been trying to identify other traditional Baptists who continue to share such beliefs as separation of church and state, servanthood and not domination of pastors, local church autonomy, a free religious press, and equality of women. Most disturbing has been the Convention’s recent decision to remove Jesus Christ, through his words, deeds, and personal inspiration, as the ultimate interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. This leaves open making the pastors or executives of the SBC the ultimate interpreters.

We are quite concerned by the effort of SBC leaders to impose their newly adopted creed on state conventions and individual believers. The major Baptist Conventions in Texas and Virginia have rejected these alarming policies, but we Baptists in other states, including Georgia, are now facing this decision.

On my own initiative, and as a Baptist layman, I am expressing my concerns through a letter to some other Christians and, after listening to a clear and simple explanation of the new SBC creed by Dr. Charles Wade, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, I have decided to enclose with that letter a tape of his remarks.

My hope is that church congregations and individuals will consider the serious consequences of this proposed departure from our traditional beliefs.”

DEA END RNS

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