BWA World Congress Resolution 1990.4
The Baptist World Congress recognizes and rejoices in the steps towards world peace which have occurred around the world in recent political discussions and national commitments. The Baptist World Alliance is committed to the fostering of movements of peace, justice and the integrity of the Creation and we recognize the inter-relatedness of these.
The history of the use of force has progressively proven that force in today’s world cannot be focused nor selectively used, rather the whole world is involved if any portion of it suffers from the violation of peace and the denial of individual and collective rights.
Present international economic order and debt crises, total international security strategies and environmental concerns of the planet affect all persons and portions of the earth,
THEREFORE BE IN RESOLVED that the Baptist World Congress, meeting in Seoul Korea, August 13- 18, 1990, calls on all the nations, economies, confessions and persons to acknowledge that:
1. Violence against any person, groups of persons or portions of the creation denies the wholeness of the purpose of the Creator and is contrary to the mind and purpose of God;
2. Christians are called to witness against any form of destructive violence towards persons or any part of God’s creation;
3. Baptist constituencies have a special responsibility to foster local movements for peace, justice and the preservation of the creation.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Congress affirm that
• all power is accountable to God,
• both male and female humans are created in the image of God,
• all races and people are of equal value to God and thus are so to one another,
• the poor and hungry of all societies must be of special concern to those who claim to be the people of God,
• truth, and equal access to it, is the foundation of free peoples,
• citizens of every nation deserve protection from political persecution,
• peace is of Jesus Christ and the search for peace is a primary goal of those who give allegiance to Him, and
• all Creation is loved by and is the possession of God and therefore Baptists are called to commit themselves to the preservation of the creation both as an act of devotion and of stewardship.
Citations
Original Source Bibliography: Ryan, Wendy E., editor. Together in Christ: Official Report of the Sixteenth Congress, Seoul, Korea, August 14-19, 1990. McLean, VA: Baptist World Alliance, 1990.
Original Source Footnote/Endnote: Wendy E. Ryan, ed., Together in Christ: Official Report of the Sixteenth Congress, Seoul, Korea, August 14-19, 1990 (McLean, VA: Baptist World Alliance, 1990), p. 160-161.
Online Document Full Citation: BWA World Congress Resolution 1990.4 Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation; https://baptistworld.org/resolutions.
In-text Online Document Citation: (BWA World Congress Resolution 1990.4).