There have been a couple hundred news articles the last few days about the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant, including in all of the major U.S. newspapers. Here are a few of the articles that stood out for me:
The New York Times had a good summary article that noted that about 15,000 people from about 30 different Baptist groups came together to figure out how to work together on common causes.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a good piece about how the Celebration worked to help bring racial reconciliation among Baptists.
The Winston-Salem Journal had an article about the attempt to bring unity. In it, Baptist Fellowship coordinator Daniel Vestal explained, "We respect that we have differences, and I think that we're willing to find common cause, even though we have those differences."
The USA Today had a good piece about the calls for unity at the Celebration.
The Dallas Morning News had a good article in which George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, said, "The event itself is momentous. ... The idea that we can bring together such historically diverse Baptists in one place and celebrate our tradition of faith together is quite remarkable. I only wish all Baptists were here."
The Star-Telegram had a good piece in which National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. president William Shaw stated, "It's not a matter of joining one another. ... It's a matter of seizing opportunities to establish relationships that have never existed before."
And the Tuscaloosa News had a good piece about the goals of continuing the work that was begun with the Celebration.
Baptist news outlets with really good coverage include Ethics Daily, Associated Baptist Press, and Baptists Today. Hopefully these and other articles are helping get out the great messages from his historic and important gathering.
The New York Times had a good summary article that noted that about 15,000 people from about 30 different Baptist groups came together to figure out how to work together on common causes.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a good piece about how the Celebration worked to help bring racial reconciliation among Baptists.
The Winston-Salem Journal had an article about the attempt to bring unity. In it, Baptist Fellowship coordinator Daniel Vestal explained, "We respect that we have differences, and I think that we're willing to find common cause, even though we have those differences."
The USA Today had a good piece about the calls for unity at the Celebration.
The Dallas Morning News had a good article in which George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, said, "The event itself is momentous. ... The idea that we can bring together such historically diverse Baptists in one place and celebrate our tradition of faith together is quite remarkable. I only wish all Baptists were here."
The Star-Telegram had a good piece in which National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. president William Shaw stated, "It's not a matter of joining one another. ... It's a matter of seizing opportunities to establish relationships that have never existed before."
And the Tuscaloosa News had a good piece about the goals of continuing the work that was begun with the Celebration.
Baptist news outlets with really good coverage include Ethics Daily, Associated Baptist Press, and Baptists Today. Hopefully these and other articles are helping get out the great messages from his historic and important gathering.
I'm happy that those Baptists apparently needing racial reconciliation experienced it at the Celebration, but is it truly, as George Mason said, "quite remarkable" and momentous" that "such historically diverse Baptists" could be in the same place and celebrate their faith together?
ReplyDeleteI attended the Promise Keepers Clergy gathering in the Georgia Dome in 1996 where 30,000-plus from many denominations celebrated racial and Christian unity.
Rather than remarkable, it sounds like what should be and is the regular, though supernatural, life of Christ's Church.
I'm glad to have experienced, in 20-years of local church ministry, wonderful fellowship with Baptists of diverse ethnicity.
Perhaps I've just been blessed to be a Southern Baptist, where race isn't a divisive issue.
Chuck: You are correct that Promise Keepers was an important step in bringing racial reconciliation. I was fortunate to attend twice and was very moved both times. However, much more progress is still needed. It is not regular but is how it should be. You are fortunate to have been in an place where reconciliation has already occurred so well.
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