THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994 TAG: 9406170544
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: 940617 LENGTH: ORLANDO, FLA.
In a major step toward ecumenism, the Southern Baptist Convention said born-again believers may be found in all Christian denominations, and endorsed Baptist-Catholic dialogue.
{REST} ``We live in a land where there is a demonic onslaught against the forces of decency and righteousness, and we need to stand with good people together,'' Timothy George, dean of Beesom Divinity School in Montgomery, Ala., told the convention on the final day of its 137th annual meeting.
The declaration, overwhelmingly approved by about 7,500 convention delegates, places no limits on the freedom of Baptists to persuade other Christians to switch churches. It also acknowledges serious theological differences with Catholics on issues that include papal infallibility and the relation between the Bible and church tradition.
Set against the historical enmity between the nation's two largest religious groups, the formal declaration of the desire for dialogue was seen as historically significant.
``It certainly is a major step to consider whether members of other churches really are part of the Body of Christ,'' said the Rev. Frank Ruff of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Southern Baptists and Roman Catholics make up the largest denominations in South Hampton Roads. There are about 56,000 Southern Baptists and 54,000 Roman Catholics.
The Rev. Donald J. Dunlap of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk said he supports the resolution, hoping ``the ecumenical church of Christ'' would benefit. He said he sees it ``as catching up with where a lot of people have been for years.''
Dunlap said leaders of the Baptist General Association of Virginia met with leaders of the state's two Catholic dioceses more than 10 years ago. The Norfolk Clergy Association includes both Southern Baptist and Roman Catholics. Dunlap said he connects with Roman Catholic priests ``all the time.''
Barbara Lynch, pastoral associate and minister of religious education at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia Beach, said she has also seen cooperation between members of both denominations. Holy Spirit's bookkeeper is a Southern Baptist, she said.
Since Vatican Council II addressed ecumenism in the 1960s, the Catholic Church has acknowledged that both Catholic and Baptist believers are ``saved and under Jesus Christ's banner,'' Lynch said. She said it is ``a prayer and a dream'' to have other denominations recognize the same thing about Catholics.
Baptists and Catholics have quietly had conversations since 1971, beginning with informal regional dialogues and progressing to national conversations between Catholic and Baptist scholars. This year, participants in a Catholic-Baptist dialogue jointly sponsored by the Baptist Home Mission Board and the bishops conference published five pamphlets offering biblical reflections on social issues, including the environment and racism.
Still, such conversations have never been formally endorsed by the annual convention.
What brought the discussion into the forefront this year was a widely publicized appeal for closer relations signed by conservative Catholic leaders and prominent evangelicals, including Pat Robertson, Charles Colson and the heads of both the Home Mission Board and the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
``As evangelicals and Catholics, we dare not by needless and loveless conflict between ourselves give aid and comfort to the enemies of Christ,'' said the declaration.
The resolution affirms the shared beliefs of Catholics and Baptists on central tenets of faith, such as the divinity and humanity of Christ and his resurrection. The resolution notes Catholics and Baptists have worked closely on abortion, pornography, racism and other issues.
by CNB