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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The Power of Last Words
Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar laments the cruelty of COVID-19 but also sees it as a unique opportunity to focus on what matters most.
The Mission of the Church
Deiser Campos responds to the question: “Do we have a Church in the middle of a crisis or a crisis in the middle of a Church?”
La Misión de la Iglesia
Deiser Campos responde a la pregunta: “¿Tenemos una Iglesia en medio de una crisis o una crisis en medio de una Iglesia?”
Justice and Compassion: Mission in Post-COVID Society
Jonathan Ingleby shows how Jesus’s compassion was more than a powerful emotion. It ushered in a program of action.
Ser Igreja fora do templo
Lília Dias Marianno compartilha como a Igreja Batista de Água Branca respondeu à pandemia global.
A Time for Redeeming Human Sanity
Villo Naleo draws lesson from Noah, a righteous man who faced a global crisis, and details how churches in Nagaland responded positively to the pandemic.
A Christian-Buddhist Dialogue on Suffering
Rory Mackenzie discusses the concept of karma in the context of COVID-19 and the impact on how suffering is perceived.
God Is Not in Crisis
Inspired by Psalm 23, Devora Stefanny Barreto Hurtado shares that in spite of the entire world going through a time of integral crisis, God is not in crisis.
Discovering Joy in Burma
Ministry leaders celebrate over 200 years of Baptist partnership in Myanmar/Burma and discuss victories and challenges to ministry during this climate of social unrest.
The Church Is Sharing Our Burden: The Response of the Lebanese Baptist Church to Syrian Refugees
Joe Bridi and Sophie Nasrallah examine the changing sense of mission in Lebanese Baptist churches and the impact in their ministry with Syrian refugees.
Equipping Youth and Children to Be Worshippers
By including youth and children in the creation of internet worship services, Ai Akers reflects on positive outcomes of the project.
Freedom of Religion or Belief and COVID-19: What Makes for a Legitimate Limitation?
Kieryn Wurts discusses the complex social and political aspects of COVID-19 restrictions and the church’s response to limitations on freedom of religion or belief.
From Relapse to Hope
Cristina Arcidiacono reflects on a year in Italy during the lockdown and issues a call to hope from Psalm 31.
Pandemic-Born Creativity
Allison Benfield explains how God’s creative Spirit worked through the disruption of normality and led to innovative ways to celebrate Advent and Christmas.
Paradigm Shift: Thinking About the Future of the Church in a Post-Pandemic World
Rev. Xavier L. Johnson urges pastoral and ministry leaders to embrace change and discern God’s “preferred future” for their church.
Care Project Connects Church to Community
Lécio Dornas describes Projecto Cuidar (Care Project) as a practical response to a spiritual question: “How can we help Brazilians living in our community during the pandemic?”
Reimagining Ritual: Compassion During a Time of Crisis
Jamie Eaddy observes that people of faith gather in community but charges the church to find creative ways to engage in ritual and meaning-making.
Theology in Times of Crisis
Luiz Sayão examines the prophesy of Nahum in the context of a pagan world and expounds on God’s mercy.
The Church’s Response to the World in the New Normal
Samson Aderinto Adedokun gives practical responses to 7 challenges caused by COVID-19.
Teaching Children to Persevere During the Pandemic
A mother with young children, Seketuno chase Punyu urges parents to see the beauty of God and the opportunity to pour into our children in the midst of the pandemic.
The Daily Office in a Contemporary Setting
Alex Pugh describes the spiritual growth experienced in her church by implementing daily devotional videos on YouTube.
The Priesthood of All Believers
In response to the global pandemic’s impact on the Church, Rev. Lisa Weaver examines the priesthood of believers and the participation of all Christians in the ministry of Jesus.
Victorian Baptist Churches on a Mission for Innovation
Despite strictly enforced limitations due to COVID-19, Daniel Bullock tells how one church led the way in “missiological ecclesiology.”
The Impact of COVID-19 on Churches in Nigeria
Oladeji Adebayo reports on the impact of COVID-19 in Nigeria and relates practical guidance to reduce infection in places of worship.
Dios no está en Crisis
Inspirada en el Salmo 23, Devora Stefanny Barreto Hurtado comparte cómo Dios no está en crisis incluso cuando el mundo lo está.
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