Alabama Baptist Convention
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| Abbreviation | ABSC |
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| Formation | 1823 |
| Type | Religious organization |
| Location |
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| Website | http://www.alsbom.org/ |
The Alabama Baptist Convention (ABC or ABSC) is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the state of Alabama. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Formed in 1823, members of ABC churches became strongly attached to supporting the institution of slavery during increased sectional tensions of the mid-nineteenth century. It supported withdrawing financial support and participation from the national organization, and was one of the original nine state conventions to send delegates to the first Southern Baptist Convention, organized in 1845. In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to adopt a resolution renouncing its racist roots and apologizing for its past defense of slavery. ABC churches and denominational leadership were supportive of this apology.
The Alabama State Convention was formed in 1823 at the Salem Church just outside Greensboro, Alabama, primarily through the instigation of James A. Ranaldson, a Baptist from Louisiana. For the first few years, its members were primarily delegations from Baptist missionary societies, reflecting the frontier nature of the Alabama territory at the time. Later the delegates came from individual Baptist churches and regional associations as well. Prominent members of the convention in the early years included Hosea Holcombe, Alexander Travis, James McLemore, Dempsey Winborne, Sion Blythe, Charles Crow, A. G. McCrow, and Joseph Ryan.
The Convention made financial contributions to the Baptist General Convention of the United States, as well as providing financial support for Adoniram Judson's translation of the Bible into Burmese, to support the Baptist mission in Burma. At the ABSC's tenth annual session, in 1833, which was held at Grant's Creek Church in Tuscaloosa County, the convention resolved to found an educational institution, to be called the Manual Labor Seminary. But, this project foundered after five years. In Alabama, local Baptists founded Judson College for women in 1838; and Howard College for men in 1841. Wealthy members donated funds to create a statewide newspaper, the Alabama Baptist, in 1843. The Board of Domestic Missions (later called the Home Mission Board) was established in 1845; all were signs of the denomination's growth and maturing in the state.
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