Reporternews.com, of Abilene, Texas, reports on how a Baptist congregation has separated itself from their state’s Baptist conference because the local church welcomes gay and lesbians contrary to the policy of their denomination.
For years churches have been divided on the issue of homosexuality, especially on how to deal with it within the church.
Disagreement on the issue has resulted in a split in the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church.
Now, the issue is being highlighted in Baptist circles.
This week, Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth stepped out of its partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas because of what was described as “denominational politics and distractions.”
In a letter to the BGCT, the church defined one of its commitments as “welcoming all persons into our church, including the outcast, those on the margins of society, and those who have not found that welcome in many other places, including, unfortunately, many churches….”
…The separation comes a year after the Southern Baptist Convention cut ties with Broadway Baptist for putting portraits of homosexual couples in the church’s directory.
The debate takes a different turn in the Baptist context in Texas. For example, the church still teaches a traditional view of family and marriage and says that no gay persons are in leadership positions in the church.