March 29, 2004
We Are American Baptists
I thought it might be helpful to the readers on our web site as well as those who get this message by e-mail to define a few things we stand for as American Baptists. This summary was revised in the summer of 1998. It always helps me to ponder the implications of statements like this. This is not a creed but a generally recognized statement of beliefs. As you read it you will understand that there is still much room for individual application of these basic positions. This freedom is the American Baptist way, as I understand it.
"American Baptists worship the triune God of the Bible, who is eternally one God in three persons. This one, true God is most clearly revealed to us in the incarnate Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
American Baptists proclaim the Good News of the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, knowing that salvation (forgiveness of sins, release from guilt and condemnation, reconciliation with God) and eternal life are granted in grace to all who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This Gospel is the central message of the Bible.
American Baptists believe that the Bible, composed of the Old and New testaments, is the divinely inspired Word of God, the final written authority and trustworthy for faith and practice. It is to be interpreted responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit within the community of faith. The primary purpose of the Bible is to point to Jesus Christ, the living Lord of the Church.
Although Baptists have produced many confessions to express our common understandings of Christian faith, we hold the scriptures, the Old and New Testaments as our final authority. We accept no humanly devised confession or creed as binding.
You can see from the above the wide variations possible as individual experience speaks to an individuals understanding. This freedom is the glory (and some say the curse) of our position. (more next week)
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