Alliance of Baptists
| Alliance of Baptists | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Mainline |
| Polity | Congregationalist |
| Associations | National Council of Churches |
| Region | United States |
| Origin | 1987 Charlotte, NC |
| Congregations | 130 |
| Members | 65,000 |
| Official website | www.allianceofbaptists.org |
| Statistics for 2010 | |
The Alliance of Baptists is a fellowship of Baptist churches and individuals in the United States.
The Alliance of Baptists was formed in 1987 as the Southern Baptist Alliance by liberal individuals and congregations who were considering separating from the Southern Baptist Convention as a result of the conservative resurgence/fundamentalist takeover controversy. Since 1995, many Alliance congregations and people have also aligned with several other free church traditions including the American Baptist Churches (USA), the United Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The Covenant of the Alliance of Baptists lays out seven principles the churches are committed to: the freedom of individuals to interpret Scripture for themselves; the autonomy of the local church including its ability to ordain both men and women; cooperation with other Christians and the wider Church; servant leadership and inclusion for all people in mission and ministry; emphasizing theological education by the support of colleges and seminaries; proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and calling people to repentance, faith, reconciliation, social and economic justice; and the separation of church and state.
In contrast to the SBC and other conservative Baptists, the Alliance has emphasized women's ministry, encouraging women to seek ordination and senior pastorates, and encourages its congregations toward inclusiveness with respect to homosexuality. In 2014, the Alliance joined a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s ban on same-sex marriage, which is America’s first faith-based challenge to same-sex marriage bans.
The Alliance has also worked to uphold the separation of church and state through its membership and support of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.
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