The BWA’s Historical Commitment to Religious Liberty By Raimundo Barreto T


here is much biblical evidence that points to a mandate of responsibility to the world and for people in their social


and environmental context. The Hebrew prophets are clear examples that we are called to be the divine voice of indignation when injustice and oppression are prevalent. The church has the gift of divine prophecy, and therefore should reflect divine indignation against all types of injustice. There was a time when some Baptists


used the principle of separation of church and state to promote a separation of church and society. This confusion is not justified at the present time. As Baptists, we passionately defend the separation of church and state and religious freedom. But we realize that we can only be salt and light in the world if we actively participate in social life, and if we get involved in peoples’ struggles and problems, as we get immersed in the world. As the Lord Jesus said in his priestly prayer, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (John 17:15). The struggle for religious freedom in the work of people like Thomas Helwys, Roger Williams and many others was an important element in shaping the Baptist vision. As Thorwald Lorenzen, a Baptist theologian and former chair of the BWA Commission on Human Rights, said, “Given the importance of freedom and justice, primarily in the form of struggle for religious liberty at the genesis and in the trajectory of the Baptist movement…the struggle for freedom and justice has been an important part in the shaping of the Baptist World Alliance.” Since its inception in 1905, the BWA has been a prophetic voice in the world, expressing concerns and making statements on important and critical situations. During the Baptist World Congress in Berlin, Germany, in 1934, the BWA strongly condemned racism “as a violation of the law of God,” specifically highlighting, “oppression and unfair discrimination towards Jews [and] to people of color.” Moreover, the BWA also condemned governments’ interference in the church.


In 1947 in Copenhagen in Denmark, the conference Responsibility


with


theme was “The World of Baptists,”


several


sessions discussing the world situation and the consequences of war. Support was


also provided to the United Nations (UN), supporting its struggle “to win the peace.” In 1950 in Cleveland in the United States,


an additional religious freedom manifesto was proclaimed. support


for Human Rights


the Universal Declaration and


against Jews,


The BWA expressed of


the UN Convention


on Genocide. A further resolution against racism was adopted, with special reference to “discrimination


African


Americans and the situation of apartheid in South Africa.”


Over the years, the BWA has spoken on issues of religious freedom and human rights, world peace and nuclear disarmament, world hunger, refugees, and ecology, among others. These statements have also been followed by actions such as relief and development, and international initiatives in defending the rights of the persecuted and oppressed. In 1974, the BWA received


special consultative status with ECOSOC, the


Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, an instrument that offers more room for prophetic participation in the international context.


In 2008, the BWA created a division to specifically address issues of justice and freedom. Through the Division of Freedom and Justice, the BWA promotes respect for human rights, especially religious freedom, and due regard for justice in human relations and values rooted in the Bible and therefore the faith of the church. We work with a five-year emphasis, following the theme of the 2010 Baptist World Congress, In Step with the Spirit. Each year there is a secondary issue with a particular emphasis. In 2011-2012, our emphasis is on proclamation, and the F&J division has interpreted this focus through the lens of religious freedom.


2012 is the 400th anniversary of the


publication of Baptist pioneer and founder Thomas Helwys’ book, A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity, one of the first defenses of religious freedom in the Western world. Religious freedom, therefore, has been the central focus of our program throughout the year.


Raimundo Barreto is the director of the


BWA Division of Freedom and Justice. This article contains excerpts from a presentation made in Asuncion, Paraguay, in April.


1905 1934 1947 1950 1974 2008 2012


Since its inception in 1905, the BWA has been a


prophetic voice in the world


In Berlin, Germany, the BWA strongly condemned racism as a violation of God’s law


In Copenhagen, Denmark, support was provided to the UN’s struggle for peace


In Cleveland, USA, the


BWA proclaimed a religious freedom manifesto & a resolution against racism


BWA received special consultative status with ECOSOC of the UN


BWA created Division of Freedom and Justice


400th anniversary of the publication of Thomas Helwys’ book; Religious freedom a central focus throughout the year.


JULY/SEPTEMBER 2012 15


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