The Baptist World Congress, meeting in Los Angeles, CA, July 2-7, 1985, declares its belief that racism and the Christian Gospel are incompatible. We ground this conviction biblically in the doctrine of creation whereby every human person is given dignity as made in the image of God (Genesis 1 :27) and in the doctrine of redemption whereby we proclaim salvation in Christ, crucified and risen, for people of all races and colors (Colossians 3:11), and the external purpose of God to unite all creation in him (Ephesians 1 and 2).
Resolution on Race Relations
WHEREAS, The Baptist World Alliance in 1934, 1939 and 1947 condemned racial discrimination;
WHEREAS, The question of race relations is world-wide in scope and is one of the most serious and baffling problems confronting mankind today;
Resolution concerning the Jews
“Aware of the unprecedented suffering through which the people of Israel have passed during recent years, millions of them being exterminated by the most inhuman means; aware also that these sufferings are not yet at an end, but that hundreds of thousands are still in concentration camps or wandering homeless from land to land; aware, further, that the poisonous propaganda and destructive designs of anti- Semitism are still at work in many lands: this Congress puts on record its sense of sorrow and shame that such conditions prevail.
Resolution on Race Relations
Whereas the Baptist World Alliance in 1934, 1939, 1947 and 1950 has already declared itself unalterably opposed to racial discrimination in every form; and
Whereas, in this Congress of the Baptist World Alliance representatives have gathered from more than sixty countries representing many nationalities and races;
Resolution on Race Relations
We urge the nations to dispense with all testing of nuclear weapons and the production of the same; and co-operatively, to agree on satisfactory methods of inspection designed to ensure that all nations shall exercise good faith in this matter.
Reconciliation and Racial Discrimination
At Berlin in 1934, at Atlanta in 1939, at Copenhagen in 1947, at Cleveland in 1950, at London in 1955, at Rio de Janeiro in 1960, and at Miami Beach in 1965 the Baptist World Alliance registered its opposition to racial discrimination and its parent, racism, which is the evil of looking at men in terms of their differences of color or culture rather than their oneness as children of God.
Resolution on Religious Liberty, Human Rights, World Peace and Public Morality
BWA World Congress Resolution 1975.1 Whereas, in the providence of God, religion and life are joined together, andWhereas, the Bible teaches that God is concerned and leads his people to be concerned about both individuals and society, and Whereas, during the past...
Religious Freedom and Human Rights
We understand the family to be an institution ordained of God and therefore of very special importance to the people of God. We reaffirm our conviction that:
Every child is a unique creation of God and deserves to be treated with appropriate dignity.
Every child should be enabled, without hindrance, to receive moral and religious training in his or her home and through the church.
The Fortieth Anniversary of the United Nations
This 15th Baptist World Congress 1985 takes note of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations this year and records with gratitude the many UN activities in addition to seeking peace which are directed to improving the quality of life among the nations of the world.