American Baptists Face Possible Schism

It is great to see Churches taking a stand.

Break looms in American Baptist Church
Christina Almeida, Associated Press
published Monday, May 1, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- Delegates from the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest voted overwhelmingly Saturday to recommend severing ties with the national denomination in a dispute over homosexuality.

Members from the region's 300 churches in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii are upset that American Baptist Churches, USA, has not disciplined congregations with liberal gay policies -- even though the denomination has a strict definition that says "homosexuality is incompatible with biblical teaching."

The matter now goes to the region's board of directors, which meets May 11 and has already recommended withdrawal from the denomination over "deep differences of theological convictions and values."

There has been a growing split within the 1.4 million-member Protestant denomination over homosexuality.

Last year, the West Virginia association, the largest regional group with 465 congregations, narrowly rejected a proposal to break with the national denomination.