Penn./South Jersey Exec. Board unanimously approves 2000 BF&M

                                                                                                        
by Staff                                                                                                        Vol. XIV, No. 7 August 2001

The Executive Board of the Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey unanimously approved a resolution and recommendation about the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message during a May meeting at East Shore Baptist Church in Harrisburg, PA. Board members recommended the affirmation of Southern Baptists for their "doctrinal heritage and confessions of faith."

Board members also recommended that candidates for Board-elected staff be asked to affirm the current Baptist Faith & Message as a resource for bettering understanding and teaching of Southern Baptist beliefs and practices.

A recommendation was also approved that would require candidates for Board-elected staff to affirm the 2000 BF&M and to explain any points of disagreement.

Following is the Board's recommendation on Doctrinal Heritage and Confessions of Faith:

"Whereas, it is the historic practice of the Southern Baptist Convention to adopt a confession call The Baptist Faith and Message; and
“Whereas, The Baptist Faith and Message was adopted in 1925, revised in 1963, and again in 1998 and 2000; and
“Whereas, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists; and
“Whereas, confessions are to be used as guides for better understanding doctrinal practices of faith; and
“Whereas, The Baptist Faith and Message is a non-binding document that may be used by local churches and associations; and
“Whereas, The Baptist Faith and Message contains statements of religious convictions, drawn fro the Scriptures, and affirms historic Baptist beliefs including the doctrines of soul competency, the priesthood of all believers, and salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, and
“Whereas, The Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania-South Jersey has never written or adopted a confession of faith, and Baptist have consistently honored the Christian faith as a non-creedal people.
“Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania-South Jersey affirm Southern Baptists for their doctrinal heritage and confessions of faith; and
“Be It Further Resolved, The Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania-South Jersey utilize the most current Baptist Faith and Message as a resource for better understanding and teaching of Southern Baptist beliefs and practices; and
“Be It Finally Resolved, that we affirm our historic commitment to the Bible, God's totally true and trustworthy Word, as our sole authority for faith and practice and that we reaffirm our basic belief in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

“Recommendation: We recommend that candidates for Board-elected staff be asked to affirm the current Baptist Faith and Message statement and to explain any points of disagreement, and if elected to work within the parameters of the current Baptist Faith and Message." [BP]