ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 14, 1996 TAG: 9611140061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
The Baptist General Association of Virginia wrapped up its 173rd annual meeting Wednesday with the election of a Falls Church woman as its new president and with an expression of sympathy for Roanoke pastor Charles Fuller on the recent death of his wife, Pat.
Almost 2,000 messengers - voting members - attended the meeting, the first since some dissident members split to form the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.
The state's Southern Baptist churches divided over doctrinal issues, mostly related to the authority and nature of the Bible, and over their relationship with the national Southern Baptist Convention. The Baptist General Association has been a stronghold of "moderates" who have been critical of the conservative leadership of the national body in recent years.
The final day of this year's meeting included the election of laywoman Mary Wells as president and a vote to convey the group's sympathies to Fuller, pastor of Roanoke's First Baptist Church.
The body did briefly debate, but finally approved, a resolution recognizing the split with the conservatives, giving "thanks for years of fruitful ministry" together and remaining "hopeful for a reunion." No specific action toward reunification was recommended, and speakers conceded that it was not likely any time soon.
The group also sent the report of the state's Christian Life Committee back for revisions without accepting it. The report called on Virginia's Southern Baptists to recognize that modern-day definitions of "family" transcended tradition models of a married couple with children, including cohabiting unmarried couples and same-sex couples. The messengers voted to ask the committee to make clear in its report that it was not condoning same-sex marriage or cohabitation.
Next year's meeting will be in Salem.
LENGTH: Short : 42 linesby CNB