Baptists nationwide, called by a former president, gathered this week to break their racial, geographical and theological walls, while discussing ways to combat problems like poverty, equity and the rising prison population.
Jimmy Carter led a three-day meeting of his New Baptist Covenant, under a theme derived from Luke IV, which brings good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed.
From Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Buckhead, New Baptist Covenant II was streamed live to churches in eight major cities. The event wrapped up Saturday with community service projects. In Atlanta, about 175 Baptist volunteers were scheduled to do light construction and painting at two local churches.
“We are looking for unity, despite diversity,” said Carter, 87. “No two Baptists are alike, but we serve the same Christ.”
Carter, who had become increasingly uncomfortable with the Southern Baptist Convention, left in 2000 after the roles of women had been diminished and helped form the New Baptist Covenant in 2007 as a way to unite Baptist organizations.
Stressing the diversity of the Covenant, he noted seven of the nine churches are predominately black congregations.
“We want to minimize the differences,” said Carter, adding that while issues like the role of women, homosexuality, abortion, the death penalty and the separation of church and state are important, they should not be allowed to divide churches and faiths.
Jimmy Allen, chaplain emeritus of Big Canoe Chapel and the co-chair of the event, said leaders will gather again in February to determine how to implement ideas and plans that came up.
One issue was the rising prison population.
“The excessive buildup of prisons in American is basically comprised of African-Americans, other minorities and the mentally ill,” Carter said. “We now have the highest percentage of citizens in prison than any other country in the world. ... We need to address the inequities in our society.”
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