As a Baptist by conviction, I hold strongly to Baptist principles, including freedom of conscience and the priesthood of all believers. These principles clearly uphold the freedom of each believer, in the context of his or her local community of faith, to explore scripture, seek God and discern. It is true that Baptists also deeply value associating with others, and have, in the past grouped around unifying confessions of faith by mutual consent. This includes the current BUGB Declaration of Principle, which was originally worded so as to allow space for both General and Particular Baptists within the BUGB fold. This Declaration is something we hold in common, but it leaves space for each congregation to form their own beliefs in community, with prayer, based on the scriptures. Unfortunately, the statement recently released by BU Council goes beyond the Declaration of Principle, effectively imposing limits of doctrine and practice on BUGB churches and ministers without due process or the consent of all concerned.
Considering all this, I am baffled by this statement which seems to prioritise the unity of the Baptist Union above the freedom of conscience that should be granted to all parties without an imposition of restraint for the sake of that unity. I would have been much more at peace with a statement that affirmed the freedom of those in favour of marriage equality to practice their beliefs and those opposed to marriage equality to withdraw their membership from the Union if they could not reconcile their consciences to being in fellowship with those in favour, couched in terms that reminded both that it is at the core of being Baptist to allow others to discern and hold their own understandings of the message and person of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture.
I am grieved by the pain suffered by so many people as this issue continues to burden believers. The pain of those opposed, as they feel the truth is being compromised. The pain of those in favour, as they feel their deeply held convictions are not respected. The pain of those individuals about whom we argue who are caught in the middle and de-humanised by the argument itself.
Unity at the cost of conscience is dearly bought. Too dearly in my opinion.
Robyn Shepherd
https://rsshepherd.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/costly-unity/
Considering all this, I am baffled by this statement which seems to prioritise the unity of the Baptist Union above the freedom of conscience that should be granted to all parties without an imposition of restraint for the sake of that unity. I would have been much more at peace with a statement that affirmed the freedom of those in favour of marriage equality to practice their beliefs and those opposed to marriage equality to withdraw their membership from the Union if they could not reconcile their consciences to being in fellowship with those in favour, couched in terms that reminded both that it is at the core of being Baptist to allow others to discern and hold their own understandings of the message and person of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture.
I am grieved by the pain suffered by so many people as this issue continues to burden believers. The pain of those opposed, as they feel the truth is being compromised. The pain of those in favour, as they feel their deeply held convictions are not respected. The pain of those individuals about whom we argue who are caught in the middle and de-humanised by the argument itself.
Unity at the cost of conscience is dearly bought. Too dearly in my opinion.
Robyn Shepherd
https://rsshepherd.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/costly-unity/
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