We are pleased to share with you the entire set of Resolutions, Manifestos, Messages and Proclamations approved by delegates attending the Baptist World Alliance World Congresses from 1905 through 2015 (the 2020 Congress was postponed to 2021 due to the global pandemic).
Additionally, we are offering the Resolutions and Manifestos approved by the BWA General Council, which meets yearly. The online collection includes the years 1976-2019. The BWA Executive Committee Resolutions are currently being compiled, and a limited number are already accessible. The collection will be expanded over time.
Each Resolution document is in PDF format and seeks to reproduce the original text as closely as possible. This means that language and punctuation may be archaic and not in accordance with contemporary standards of discourse. Spellings of words sometimes are in British English and have been preserved as they were originally published. I am solely responsible for any typographical errors in reproduction, and I would deeply appreciate it if you would share with me any that you may discover.
It is the BWA’s hope that this collection will be useful to scholars, historians, denominational leaders, and clergy. Each document now contains a unique identification number, topical keywords, and four types of citations for academic purposes.
The range of issues covered by the collection is comprehensive, and many of the Resolutions speak to contemporary concerns (such as racism, antisemitism, poverty and war) with multi-cultural wisdom, spiritual integrity, and intellectual depth. Readers seeking to learn how Baptists on a global scale and across time have addressed the human condition in all of its variations (moral, social, economic, political, etc.) will be rewarded as well as challenged.
In Baptist polity, Resolutions and other collective statements are not binding on Baptist individuals or churches. They intend to share wisdom and raise consciousness rather than to demand or coerce conformity or hinder the soul freedom and responsibility of people to follow God according to the dictates of their own Christ-led conscience. In the foreword to the 1955 Golden Jubilee World Congress Official Report (p. 6), BWA General Secretary Arnold T. Ohrn stated this principle well:
If you should need any further assistance in utilizing this online historical archive, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer,
BWA Historian (Click here to contact)
For ease of reference, click one of the buttons below to see resolutions in that category.
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Peace in the Middle East
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance, meeting in Vancouver Canada, July 3-9, 1997,
EXPRESSES concern that the Middle East peace process has only partially been implemented and that this threatens the stability of all the states in the region;
Landmines
BWA General Council Resolution 1997.3 The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Vancouver, Canada, July 3-9, 1997, NOTES with horror that currently in excess of 100 million anti-personnel land mines are deployed in more than 70 countries, with a...
Appreciation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance in Vancouver, Canada, July 3-9, 1997,
ACKNOWLEDGES the gracious efforts of Bruce Milne, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Vancouver, who chaired the Local Arrangements Committee, and Bob Pearmain, assistant chair;
Conflict Resolution in Nagaland
RECALLS that In November 1997 the Naga people celebrated the 125th anniversary of the introduction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their country by Baptist missionaries;
MOURNS more than fifty years of conflict and civil war In Nagaland, which in the last decade has resulted in the division of the Nagas into multiple factions, with insurgent armies that have engaged In violent conflict with the Indian army and, on occasion, with each other;
Reconciliation
APPLAUDS the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that Is playing an active role in helping to bring healing following the end of apartheid and the establishment of democratic rule in South Africa;
COMMENDS the efforts of South African Baptists led by Desmond Hoffmeister, General Secretary of the Baptist Convention of South Africa, and Terry Rae, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Southern Africa, and encourages their continuing resolve to work under God’s inspiration and guidance toward a Just reconciliation between these two communities;
Nuclear Proliferation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Durban. July 5-11,1998
REGRETS the recent nuclear testing by India and Pakistan that has led to renewed global concern
about nuclear proliferation;
DEPLORES the failure of the world’s other nuclear powers to effectively discourage the spread of
nuclear weapons;
Jubilee 2000
BWA General Council Resolution 1998.4 The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting In Durban, July 5-11,1998 ANTICIPATES a special celebration of the anniversary of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the year 2000; AFFIRMS that "there is no other...
Appreciation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting In Durban July 5-11,1998
OFFERS sincere thanks to the Baptist Convention of South Africa, the Baptist Union of Southern Africa, and the local congregations in Durban and vicinity for their warm welcome and generous hospitality;
Jubilee 2000 Developments
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Dresden July 11-17, 1999 RECALLS the 1998 General Council resolution endorsing the Jubilee 2000 initiative;
REJOICES in the developing success of this campaign, which seeks to encourage the forgiveness of debts by banks and government agencies to ensure a debt-free start to the next millennium for the poorest nations in the world;
Balkans Reconciliation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Dresden July 11-17, 1999
ACKNOWLEDGES with gratitude the speedy and continuing response by Baptist World Aid, other Baptist agencies, and various non-governmental organizations in providing relief to the victims of this conflict in the spirit of biblical teaching including Romans 12:14-21;
Appreciation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Dresden July 11-17, 1999
OFFERS sincere thanks to the Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany and the local congregations of Dresden and vicinity for their warm welcome and generous hospitality;
ACKNOWLEDGES the gracious welcome to the State of Saxony given by Herr Gunther Portune, state secretary in the ministry of culture;
Global Mission
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Havana July 5-8 2000
REAFFIRMS the priority given by the Baptist World Alliance to mission and evangelism;
RECALLS the special evangelistic programmes developed by many Unions and Conventions organised for the end of the 1990’s, including the BWA programme of a special month of evangelism and its call to renew our evangelistic commitment at the beginning of a new era;
Theological Education
AFFIRMS the role of theological education as essential for the development of pastors and church leaders who will bring servant leadership to the task of developing growing and vital churches to carry out the mission of the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
The Sexual Exploitation of Children
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Havana July 5-8 2000,
RECALLS that Jesus Christ” took little children in his arms and blessed them” as an expression of his love and concern;
RECOGNISES that children all over the world are subjected to abusive relationships perpetrated by adults and tolerated by communities and governments;
Racism
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting Havana Cuba July 5-8 2000
COMMITTED to the Decade of Racial Justice and affirming that in the Atlanta Covenant we condemn racism and ethnic conflict;
RESOLVES to encourage member bodies to promote programmes to combat racism and ethnic violence around the world;
Sanctions
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Havana July 5-8, 2000
NOTES the pain and suffering endured by innocent persons as a result of the imposition of international economic sanctions;
RECALLS that at its meeting in Montego Bay in 1992 the Council took note of the “heavy burdens placed on the poor of … Cuba by the present trade embargo” and called for the “speedy removal of economic sanctions which impact leaders, while devastating the population at large”:
Appreciation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Havana July 5-8, 2000
OFFERS sincere thanks to the Baptists of Cuba and the local congregations in Havana for their warm welcome and generous hospitality;
Resolution on Appreciation
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 2-7, 2001
OFFERS sincere thanks to the Baptists of Canada and the local congregations on Prince Edward Island for their warm welcome and generous hospitality;
Resolution on Forgiveness of National Debts
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 2-7, 2001
NOTES the imminent G8 summit meeting to be held in Genoa, Italy;
RECALLS the 1999 General Council resolution on Jubilee 2000 congratulating the G8 nations for adopting a US $100 billion debt forgiveness package;
Resolution on Conversations between Christian Communions
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 2-7, 2001
RECALLS with appreciation the interchurch conversations between the BWA and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (1969-1973), the Lutheran World Federation 1986-1989), the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity (1984-1988), and the Mennonite World Conference (1989-1992);
Resolution on HIV/AIDS
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 2-7, 2001
ACKNOWLEDGES previous General Council resolutions concerning the continuing AIDS crisis;
LAMENTS the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS crisis, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, the devastating impact of this disease on families and communities, and the lack of sufficient economic and medical resources to address its causes, prevention and treatment;
BWA Centenary and Funding
THANKS God for the Baptist World Alliance, consisting of more than 44 million baptized believers in an extended community of some 100 million people;
ACKNOWLEDGES with appreciation its strategic ministry of calling persons to personal faith in Jesus Christ, defending human rights, advocating social justice, meeting human needs and training Baptist leaders and churches to deepen their impact for Christ in their communities;
Children
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Seville, July 8 – 13, 2002:
AFFIRMS that every child, from the time of conception, is of inestimable worth, having been created in the image of God, and possessing at an appropriate age the capacity to experience fellowship with God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;
Children
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Seville, Spain, July 8-13 2002: AFFIRMS that Jesus Christ calls the church to proclaim the gospel to all nations (Matt. 28:18- 20);
COMMENDS our Division of Evangelism and Education for its leadership in promoting global evangelism;
The Middle East
The General Council of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Seville, Spain, July 8-13, 2002:
DEPLORES the continuing violence in the Middle East;
LAMENTS the absence of peace for all the people of the Middle East;
NOTES that the absence of peace for the Middle East contributes to suffering throughout the world;
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