ATLANTA – Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton – backed by leaders of 40 Baptist organizations representing 20 million Baptists throughout North America – announced plans Jan. 9 for a meeting meant to bring together all Baptists from throughout North America. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2008 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. “This has been what may turn out to be one of the most historic events, at least in the history of Baptists in this country, and perhaps Christianity,” Carter said. “We believe it will bear fruits.” “Our goal is to have a major demonstration of harmony and a common commitment to personifying and to accomplish the goals that Jesus Christ expressed in His sermon to His own hometown of Nazareth as recorded in Luke quoting the prophet Isaiah, Carter continued. “Those are our goals. They are very simple.” Plans for the celebration, which is expected to draw more than 20,000 Baptist participants, grew out of the North American Baptist Covenant, a document that was signed by Baptist leaders following a meeting last April. Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Director Charles Wade was among the signers. The covenant – endorsed by a racially, geographically and theologically diverse assembly of Baptists – underscores the group’s desire to speak and work together to create an authentic and genuine prophetic Baptist voice in North America. It reaffirms “traditional” Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for public and private morality. The group has specifically committed themselves to their obligations as Christians to fulfill the biblical mandate to promote peace with justice, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity. The 2008 meeting will reflect the group’s commitment to these principles, Clinton said. “This is an attempt to bring people together and say, ‘What would our Christian witness require of us in the 21st century?’ If we were just trying to do what we are told in the New Testament to do, how would we go about alleviating poverty in a way consistent with our faith, how would we go about preserving our natural resources and our environment for our children and our grandchildren, how would we go about eliminating religious and racial conflict, how would we go about dealing with the healthcare challenges of our day.” The celebration will begin on the evening of Jan. 30 with a keynote address by President Carter. The three-day program will feature speakers and presenters who will address these historic Baptist commitments and explore other opportunities to work together as Christian partners. Tentative themes for the four plenary sessions are: “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant,” “Unity in Bringing Good News to the Poor,” “Unity in Respecting Religious Diversity,” “Unity in Seeking Peace with Justice,” and “Unity in Welcoming the Stranger and Healing the Broken-Hearted.” Keynote speakers confirmed to date include President Carter, Bill Moyers and Marian Wright Edelman. In addition to the plenary sessions, the convocation will feature special-interest sessions dealing with topics such as racism, religious liberty, poverty, the AIDS pandemic, faith in public policy, stewardship of the earth, evangelism, financial stewardship and prophetic preaching. Additional program information, including the names of other keynote and special interest session speakers, will be released as details are finalized later this year. |