Baptist World Alliance

Baptist theological conference to focus on the Holy Spirit

Created on Thursday, 06 June 2013

Baptist understanding of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit will be the focal point of the 8th Baptist International Conference on Theological Education (BICTE) to be held in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, from June 28-30.

The conference theme is In Step with the Spirit: Perspectives on Pneumatology within the Worldwide Baptist Family.

Presentations include "Baptist Contribution to Theological Reflection on the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit" by William Brackney of Canada; "The Holy Spirit and Social Justice" By Burchell Taylor of Jamaica; "Baptists and Pneumatology: Atonement and Healing" by Graham Hill of Australia; "Baptists and Pneumatology: Atonement and Material Prosperity" by Deji Isaac Ayegboyin from Nigeria; and "The Holy Spirit and Corporate Worship" by Doug Weaver of the United Sates.

Respondents include Solomon Ishola of Nigeria, Honorina Dela Paz-Lacquian from the Philippines, Otniel Bunaciu from Romania and Phyllis Rodgerson Pleasants Tessieri from the US.

"Baptist theologians and biblical scholars have not produced an extensive literary corpus dealing with the nature and ministry of the Holy Spirit," said Baptist World Alliance® (BWA) General Secretary Neville Callam. "A fine array of thinkers at the conference on theological education will contribute to our understanding the relation of the Holy Spirit and the life of faith in the triune God."

Callam will make a special presentation on "BWA in Bilateral Dialogues," a reference to theological dialogues that the BWA has had with other Christian traditions, including the Mennonites, Anglicans and Catholics.

Theological educators from the BWA regions of Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and North America will lead panel discussions on "Emerging Issues in the Theological Formation of Ministerial Students."

BICTE is planned and sponsored by the BWA and is normally held every five years. The 7th edition was held in Prague, Czech Republic, in 2008.

BICTE immediately precedes the BWA Annual Gathering that is to be held July 1-6. Both are to be held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort, Spa & Conference Center in Ocho Rios.

Registration and other information for BICTE are available on the BWA website.

Baptist World Alliance®
© June 6, 2013

Theology to hold center stage at Baptist Annual Gathering

Created on Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Theological issues will form an integral part of the Baptist World Alliance® (BWA) Annual Gathering in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, from July 1-6.

One forum will examine relationships within the Baptist family, drawing on a document prepared by the Special Commission on Intra-Baptist Relations. The document was unanimously endorsed by the BWA Executive Committee in March and is to be presented to the General Council for ratification at its meeting in Ocho Rios. It aims to provide a framework for BWA response to the diversity of language, culture, opinions and perspectives in meetings and in the various operations of the international body.

Another forum invites responses to the report coming out of the second round of the Baptist-Catholic dialogue that took place between the BWA and the Vatican from 2006-2010. The second round report will appear in the American Baptist Quarterly and will be available at the Gathering. The report of the first round of Baptist-Catholic dialogue from 1984-1988 may be downloaded and read on the BWA website.

A number of sessions will examine relationships between Baptists and Muslims, including a report on a December 2012 BWA human rights visit to Nigeria; a follow up discussion on the Common Word process, which stems from an October 2007 open letter from leaders of Islam to various Christian traditions, including the BWA, which called for peace between Muslims and Christians; and the general state of Christian-Muslim relationships globally.

The life, work and contribution of five outstanding Baptists will be honored through the presentation of papers, discussions, and theological discourses. George Liele, an African American who founded Baptist work in Jamaica in 1783, referred to by some as the first Baptist missionary. A roundtable will be held on the legacy of Sam Sharpe, a Jamaican Baptist deacon who led a slave revolt that is believed to have hastened the end of slavery in the English speaking Caribbean in the 1830s.

Papers will also be presented in honor of  J. Deotis Roberts, a seminary school professor and a pioneer of Black Theology and Duke McCall, seminary president and BWA president from 1980-1985. McCall died on April 2 of this year. An entire session will be devoted to Glen Stassen, who will receive the 2013 Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award for his longtime role as a theologian, ethicist, and peace activist.

Other issues to be explored at the Annual Gathering include evangelism, mission, human rights, gender-based violence and environmental justice. Participants and presenters include Timothy George and Karen Bullock of the US, Paul Fiddes and Nicholas Wood of the United Kingdom, Devon Dick and Elsa Leo-Rhynie of Jamaica, Supo Ayokunle and B. Uche Enyioha of Nigeria, Ross Clifford and Alan Marr of Australia, Gary Nelson and Sam Chaise of Canada, Joel Sierra of Mexico, Nabil Costa of Lebanon and many others.

Registration and further information on the BWA Annual Gathering is available at www.bwanet.org.

Baptist World Alliance®
© May 29, 2013

Baptists offer assistance to Oklahoma tornado victims

Created on Tuesday, 04 June 2013

A number of Baptist groups in the United States have offered assistance to persons and communities affected by tornadoes in the state of Oklahoma in that country.

On the afternoon of May 20, a tornado with peak winds estimated at 210 miles per hour (340 km/h), struck Moore, Oklahoma, and adjacent areas, killing more than 20 persons and injuring 377 others. More than 140 patients, including at least 70 children, were treated at hospitals. Damage was estimated at between US$1.5 billion and US$2 billion.

The tornado was part of a larger weather system that had produced several other tornadoes over the previous two days in Moore and other towns such as Shawnee. Other tornadoes affected Oklahoma and other states in the US between May 26 and 31, causing further damage.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), Texas Baptist Men (TBM), North Carolina Baptist Men (NCBM), the District of Columbia Baptist Convention, American Baptist Churches USA and other Baptist groups have sent personnel and supplies and offered prayerful support to the town of Moore and other communities.

Assistance offered included the removal of debris, provision of food and water and emotional and spiritual support for families and responders. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has established a centralized plan to assist area CBF churches and partners respond in the Moore and Shawnee areas," said Tommy Deal, US Disaster Response Coordinator for the CBF.

NCBM indicated that they had 50 volunteers available to go to the disaster area.  TBM did some work in the Shawnee area and was working toward offering long term recovery help.

Employees at Baylor Health Care System (BHCS), a Baptist-affiliated institution in the state of Texas, donated hygiene kits in areas where fewer resources were available, according to Don Sewell, director of Faith in Action Initiatives with BHCS.

Assistance by Baptists is expected to be extended throughout the summer months as groups stagger the sending of teams into the area.

"Pray for the people impacted by the disaster as they go through various stages of grief and then seek to come out the other end as stronger people," said George Bullard, Baptist World Alliance® regional secretary for North America and general secretary for the North American Baptist Fellowship, which is helping to coordinate the Baptist response through its Disaster Response Network.

"Pray for the first responders who go in when the situation may still be dangerous. Pray for the people with authority and power that they will make wise decisions about the deployment of resources. Pray for people who want to help that they will discover ways to help that actually benefit," Bullard urged.

Baptist World Alliance®
© June 4, 2013

International performers for Baptist Youth World Conference

Created on Thursday, 23 May 2013

A cast of performers from around the world will participate in the 16th Baptist Youth World Conference that takes place in Singapore from July 17-21. Musical presentations, singing and other forms of performance arts have, historically, been an important feature of each youth conference and have enriched the event.

Among the groups expected in Singapore are the Baptist Church of Mizoram and Lairam Baptist Church choirs from Mizoram state in Northeast India; Nagapellas, an acappella choir from the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland; the Okinawa Power drummers and dancers from Japan; and a traditional dance group from the Tedim Baptist Convention Youth Department in Myanmar.

In addition to groups from Singapore, other performers include Timoty Tipoe, a flautist from Hong Kong, Joey Woch, a classical guitarist from Nagaland, New American Singers, an Australian/American group, and youth choirs from Indonesia and Argentina.

Music, dance and dramatic presentations will be made by the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, in the United States, while the Tallowood Players of the Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, in the US, will make dramatic presentations.

Performers have the opportunity to participate in main plenary sessions, at sessions set aside specially for artistic performances, as well as at fringe events at various points around the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, the venue for the conference.

Baptist Youth World Conferences, normally held every five years, draw thousands of youth from some 100 countries.

Discounted registration fees for the youth conference expire on May 31. Registration may be done at www.bwanet.org.

Groups and individuals that wish to join the international cast of performers may still register.

The youth conference theme song, REACH! may also be downloaded at  the Baptist World Alliance® website.

Baptist World Alliance®
© May 23, 2013