THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 1996 TAG: 9610260327
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: METRO BRIEFS
LENGTH: 25 lines
The Rev. Jerry Falwell has affiliated his church with the Southern Baptist Convention through a donation to the new conservative state convention, based in Virginia Beach.
The affiliation means Falwell's church, Thomas Road Baptist Church of Lynchburg, is now dually aligned with the Southern Baptists and with the Baptist Bible Fellowship based in Missouri, many of whose members consider themselves fundamentalists.
The affiliation signals Falwell's approval of steps that conservatives have taken to distance themselves from the Baptist General Association of Virginia, which represents most of the state's Baptist churches and is considered theologically moderate.
The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia split from the association and formed a separate convention on Sept. 16. The break came after years of controversy over interpretation of the Bible and stands on social issues. From staff and wire reports by CNB