This is Part 4 of a Gloriscope news summary about New Baptist Covenant, an unprecedented gathering of 14,500 Baptists from 30 Baptist denominations in Atlanta, Georgia, in late January 2008. We give details about the importance, purpose, participants, activities, achievements, and planned follow-up of this historical event.

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Published 10:45pm, Feb 02, 2008 in Minneapolis - London 4:45am 3/2
Buenos Aires 2:45am 3/2 - Jerusalem / Johannesburg 6:45am 3/2
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“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit –
just as you were called to one hope when you were called –
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all”
(Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV)

By Gloriscope staff

Basic facts about New Baptist Covenant

New Baptist Covenant was a meeting of U.S. Baptists from 30 Baptist denominations from all over the United States. Some 14,500 people attended at least part of the gathering. The gathering took place in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 30 through February 1, 2008. The co-chairs of the gathering were former President Jimmy Carter and William D. Underwood, president of Mercer University in Atlanta.

What were the main achievements of the gathering?

One of the most important and visible achievements was racial reconciliation between the black and white Baptist denominations. Black and white Baptists were not only sitting together, preaching and worshipping together, and mingling together, they also organized this huge gathering together over the past two years.

Another important and visible achievement was that so many people (14,500) from so many denominations (thirty) and so many different church cultures, different Baptist theologies, and different parts of the country were gathered at the same place at all, for the first time in the Baptist history of the United States.

A third important achievement was that many interpersonal and institutional contacts were made during the gathering, especially across the denominational boundaries. There was much joy, friendliness, goodwill and gentle spirit among the participants.

What did the gathering not achieve?

Most importantly, it was not a gathering of all major Baptist denominations, because the Southern Baptist Convention, the country’s largest Baptist denomination with 16.3 million members, did not participate.

Secondly, although there was much joy and satisfaction that this huge and diverse gathering took place at all, there was no agreement on the basis and action focus of Baptist unity, nor was there any agreement on what should be the common Baptist strategy for building Baptist unity in the future.

How much unity was expressed at the gathering?

At the end of the gathering, it became clear that there was unity among the participants to meet across the denominational boundaries, but there was no agreement regarding which topics or activities should be of common concern in future, let alone which practical causes or issues. Unity of action, beyond meeting together, remained elusive to participating Baptist denominations. The meeting in March 2008 will consider various ideas for common action, but only future will tell whether various Baptist denominations will actually work together in specific areas and on specific issues.

On the other hand, there was a clear sense among many individual participants that there was considerable unity of spirit, friendship and goodwill. But, as it often happens at interdenominational meetings, there was an underlying question how far could the will for unity could be pushed before it started to threaten diversity. In other words, the question of the limits of unity and diversity was implicit in the discussions and deliberations of the gathering, although it was not one of the official topics on the agenda.

How did the participants see the significance of the gathering?

The participants did not agree whether the gathering was just a common moment in the Baptist history or whether it was the beginning of a movement. “We don’t want this to be a wasted moment, we want this to be the beginning of a movement,” President Carter said that people told him. “I think that where we go from here will be very important,” he said.

Only the future will tell what was the deeper significance of this gathering in Atlanta in late January 2008.

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This story is part of a series of news stories on New Baptist Covenant published by Gloriscope February 2, 2008.

• Overview: New Baptist Covenant: A turning point in Baptist unity?
• Part 1 — New Baptist Covenant 2008: Why it was a historical event
• Part 2 — New Baptist Covenant 2008: Its promise and purpose
• Part 3 — New Baptist Covenant 2008: Its topics and activities
• Part 4 — New Baptist Covenant 2008: What did it achieve?
• Part 5 — New Baptist Covenant 2008: What is next?

NOTE: The official website of New Baptist Covenant is at http://www.newbaptistcelebration.org

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TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!

Published in the U.S.A. Copyright © 4T4C News Corp. 2008. All rights reserved.