[APD] Baptists, Adventists meet to underscore common Christian values
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From Christian B. Schäffler<mailto:APD%40stanet.ch>
Date Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:07:43 +0100
[APD] Baptists, Adventists meet to underscore common Christian values
Silver Spring, Maryland/USA, 13.03.2009/ANN/APD
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From Christian B. Schäffler<mailto:APD%40stanet.ch>
Date Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:07:43 +0100
[APD] Baptists, Adventists meet to underscore common Christian values
Silver Spring, Maryland/USA, 13.03.2009/ANN/APD
Delegates from the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) met with Seventh-day Adventist world church President Jan Paulsen March 11 to affirm their denominations' common values and recommit to their shared goals of religious freedom.
The meeting, which included other church leaders, took place at Adventist world church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland/USA.
"[Adventists and Baptists] share a Christ-centric faith and many of the same values," said John Graz, director of public affairs and religious liberty for the Adventist church. "We also share a passion for religious freedom, and in many countries around the world we cooperate closely to promote and defend this freedom."
The Jamaican pastor and theologian Neville Callam (58), general secretary of
the Baptist World Alliance since 2007, echoed the common need to work for
religious liberty.
"Part of the genetic makeup of the Baptist community is [the affirmation] of
human dignity," Callam said. He also expressed interest in pursuing "mutual
sharing and collaboration in common causes" in the future. The BWA general
secretary serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alliance. For
15 years, Callam served as a member of the Standing and Plenary Commissions
of the Faith and Order Movement of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and
chaired a number of its study groups.
The Baptist delegation also included Fausto Vasconcelos, director of
evangelism and education for the Baptist World Alliance.
Adventist world church President Jan Paulsen (74) also commended the group
on past collaborations in the area of religious liberty.
"The strength of affirming and protecting religious freedom depends on
participation of many. [Let us] explore opportunities to work together in
the name of Christ and to strengthen our witness for him," Paulsen said.
Paulsen added that the partnership has provided "a fertile spiritual soil to
our faith family." Paulsen is serving as world church president since 1999.
He was re-elected in 2000 and 2005 for two more terms. Paulsen is recognized
as an eminent Adventist scholar in the field of theology.
The Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1905 in London, is a fellowship of
214 Baptist conventions and unions comprising a membership of more than 37
million baptized believers and a community of 105 million, in 119 countries.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with
approximately 16 million adult members worshipping in more than 121,500
congregations in 202 countries.
>*********************
This article is also available on the Internet at:
>http://www.stanet.ch/APD/news/2110.html
>*********************
>Publisher/Editor:
>Adventist Press Service APD, P.O. Box 136,
>CH-4003 Basel/Switzerland
Fax 0041-61-261 61 18; E-Mail:APD@stanet.ch
Web Site:
.
Source: http://www.wfn.org/2009/03/msg00112.html
The meeting, which included other church leaders, took place at Adventist world church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland/USA.
"[Adventists and Baptists] share a Christ-centric faith and many of the same values," said John Graz, director of public affairs and religious liberty for the Adventist church. "We also share a passion for religious freedom, and in many countries around the world we cooperate closely to promote and defend this freedom."
The Jamaican pastor and theologian Neville Callam (58), general secretary of
the Baptist World Alliance since 2007, echoed the common need to work for
religious liberty.
"Part of the genetic makeup of the Baptist community is [the affirmation] of
human dignity," Callam said. He also expressed interest in pursuing "mutual
sharing and collaboration in common causes" in the future. The BWA general
secretary serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alliance. For
15 years, Callam served as a member of the Standing and Plenary Commissions
of the Faith and Order Movement of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and
chaired a number of its study groups.
The Baptist delegation also included Fausto Vasconcelos, director of
evangelism and education for the Baptist World Alliance.
Adventist world church President Jan Paulsen (74) also commended the group
on past collaborations in the area of religious liberty.
"The strength of affirming and protecting religious freedom depends on
participation of many. [Let us] explore opportunities to work together in
the name of Christ and to strengthen our witness for him," Paulsen said.
Paulsen added that the partnership has provided "a fertile spiritual soil to
our faith family." Paulsen is serving as world church president since 1999.
He was re-elected in 2000 and 2005 for two more terms. Paulsen is recognized
as an eminent Adventist scholar in the field of theology.
The Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1905 in London, is a fellowship of
214 Baptist conventions and unions comprising a membership of more than 37
million baptized believers and a community of 105 million, in 119 countries.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with
approximately 16 million adult members worshipping in more than 121,500
congregations in 202 countries.
>*********************
This article is also available on the Internet at:
>http://www.stanet.ch/APD/news/2110.html
>*********************
>Publisher/Editor:
>Adventist Press Service APD, P.O. Box 136,
>CH-4003 Basel/Switzerland
Fax 0041-61-261 61 18; E-Mail:
Web Site:
.
Source: http://www.wfn.org/2009/03/msg00112.html