American Baptist Churches

Leaders representing 300 American Baptist churches in Southern California and parts of other Western states announced Wednesday that they have taken the first steps to break with their national denomination because they said it had failed to declare homosexual practice incompatible with Christian Scripture.

In a new move toward a break with their national denomination over homosexuality, conservative leaders of 300 American Baptist congregations in Southern California and elsewhere in the Pacific Southwest called Friday for an advisory vote by local churches next May on whether to leave American Baptist Churches USA. The regional board said it was calling for a vote because it wanted the "guidance and input" of local congregations.

By a vote of 160 to 5 with one abstention, members of the General Board of American Baptist Churches have voted to continue membership in the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. The board, meeting in Philadelphia, also voted to become an "official observer" in the National Assn. of Evangelicals. The evangelical body does not permit full membership of denominations belonging to other ecumenical organizations.

Leaders representing 300 American Baptist churches in Southern California and parts of other Western states announced Wednesday that they have taken the first steps to break with their national denomination because they said it had failed to declare homosexual practice incompatible with Christian Scripture.

The chief executive of American Baptist Churches says mainline Protestantism is suffering from an "ecclesiastical malaise" that "touches almost every point in our denominational and ecumenical life." The Rev. Daniel Weis, in in a sermon at New York's Riverside Church, compared mainline Protestantism to the Prophet Ezekiel's vision of a "valley of dead, dry bones." However, he said "these bones can live" through "our transformation as a people revitalized by the spirit."

In actions underscoring deep divisions within mainline Protestantism, United Methodist, Presbyterian and American Baptist church organizations each made conflicting decisions this week on the issue of church dealings with homosexuals.

The American Baptist Churches, generally considered the most liberal of the country's many Baptist denominations, has pulled back from its 7-year-old stance that abortion is a matter of personal decision. Meeting in Green Lake, Wis.

In a new move toward a break with their national denomination over homosexuality, conservative leaders of 300 American Baptist congregations in Southern California and elsewhere in the Pacific Southwest called Friday for an advisory vote by local churches next May on whether to leave American Baptist Churches USA. The regional board said it was calling for a vote because it wanted the "guidance and input" of local congregations.

In the aftermath of last spring's Los Angeles riots, more than 20 American Baptist churches will join in a "Festival of Reconciliation and Praise" at 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at Trinity Baptist Church, 2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. The Rev. Emory C. Campbell, Los Angeles executive minister of the denomination, said the celebration will include multicultural choirs drawn from Baptist churches, prayers for peace in the city, Communion, fellowship and refreshments.

Four Bay Area American Baptist churches have been expelled from their regional jurisdiction because of their outreach to homosexuals. Delegates at a special meeting of American Baptist Churches of the West--one of 34 regional jurisdictions of the 1.5-million-member mainline Protestant American Baptist Churches, representing 221 congregations in Northern California and Nevada--voted overwhelmingly to sever their ties with the four congregations at a meeting in Sacramento last week.

In actions underscoring deep divisions within mainline Protestantism, United Methodist, Presbyterian and American Baptist church organizations each made conflicting decisions this week on the issue of church dealings with homosexuals.

Four Bay Area American Baptist churches have been expelled from their regional jurisdiction because of their outreach to homosexuals. Delegates at a special meeting of American Baptist Churches of the West--one of 34 regional jurisdictions of the 1.5-million-member mainline Protestant American Baptist Churches, representing 221 congregations in Northern California and Nevada--voted overwhelmingly to sever their ties with the four congregations at a meeting in Sacramento last week.

The American Baptist Church is divided on whether to accept gay and lesbian members, and four churches in the San Francisco Bay area may be at risk of being pushed out of the fold for doing so. At least 16 churches have asked the board of managers of the American Baptist Churches of the West to expel congregations in Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley and San Leandro from the organization.

In the aftermath of last spring's Los Angeles riots, more than 20 American Baptist churches will join in a "Festival of Reconciliation and Praise" at 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at Trinity Baptist Church, 2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. The Rev. Emory C. Campbell, Los Angeles executive minister of the denomination, said the celebration will include multicultural choirs drawn from Baptist churches, prayers for peace in the city, Communion, fellowship and refreshments.

The American Baptist Churches has rejected a call to condemn homosexuality as outside the Christian lifestyle. Voting Monday in Green Lake, Wis., the church's top policy-making body, the General Board, narrowly rejected the resolution condemning gays with 88 yes votes, 91 no and two abstentions.

The American Baptist Churches has rejected a call to condemn homosexuality as outside the Christian lifestyle. Voting Monday in Green Lake, Wis., the church's top policy-making body, the General Board, narrowly rejected the resolution condemning gays with 88 yes votes, 91 no and two abstentions.

In an unusual show of cooperation, representatives of more than 25 evangelical and mainline Protestant bodies have agreed to form a network to share plans and ideas on evangelism and "church-planting." "We have no burning desire to start a new organization or to go to a lot of meetings. We're interested in being in touch with one another," said the Rev. Billy A. Melvin, executive director of the National Assn.