The NSW/ACT Baptist Association faces forcibly removing three “Open Baptist” churches from membership at the state Baptist Assembly meeting in May.
Hamilton Baptist Church, Canberra Baptist Church and Seaforth Baptist church have not accepted a “ position statement” on marriage adopted by the Assemblt after lengthy debate.
The position statement reads: Marriage is a covenant relationship ordained by God as a lifelong faithful union of one man and one woman. Sexual intimacy outside such a marriage relationship is incompatible with God’s intention for us as his people.
”Motions regarding Hamilton Baptist Church and Canberra Baptist Church will be brought to the Baptist Assembly in May, pursuant to the process resolved by our Association of Churches at its 2024 Annual Assembly,” according to an official statement released to The Other Cheek. “This process requires our Assembly Council to bring to Assembly for removal of affiliation churches which, in its view, do not support the Association’s position statement on marriage.
“After significant, prayerful engagement and mutual discussion with both churches, Assembly Council has formed the view that Hamilton Baptist Church and Canberra Baptist Church do not support the Association’s position on marriage.
“These motions have been brought with great sadness and compassion for the churches involved. Any further decisions regarding their affiliation will now be made by members at the upcoming Assembly.”
UPDATE Readers will have noticed a discrepancy: only two churches have been listed for removal in the Baptist Association’s statement. Seaforth’s process is taking longer than the others and they face removal at a later assembly.
The three churches belong to a new grouping – The Open Baptists – formed by progressive NSW Baptist Churches opposed to the marriage statement and joined by Victorian Churches who opposed what is seen as creeping centralisation in the Baptist Union of Victoria
The Other Cheek understands discussions at a Open Baptist Gathering last month included that three other NSW ACT churches have joined the new group and others ask why they have not been targeted by the Association, as they also take a progressive stance.
The Open Baptists take up a protest position. The refusnik churches have chosen not to quietly resign from the NSW/ACT Baptist Association, but to challenge the Assembly to vote them out.
Some Baptists point to a second position statement on the NSW/ACT Association site – “Each local Baptist church is autonomous and subject to no external authority to determine its doctrine, worship, objects, and values as it has understood the scriptures to determine these matters. Nevertheless, Baptist churches usually choose to associate together to mutually discern the mind of Christ so that in a partnership of support and care based on shared convictions, objects and values, together we might more effectively engage in mission and represent Christ to the world in which we live and serve.” – and ask if allowing divergence on same sex marriage might be true to that tradition. Some member churches of the Open Baptists do not advocate same sex marriage, but simply support church autonomy.
But at a special NSW/ACT Assembly meeting in November 2022, where the new anti-same-sex marriage position statement received overwhelming support, the disaffiliation proposal got a lower vote – but still a majority.
Correction/update – specifying the number of NSW/ACT churches joining the Open Baptists. Plus a comment about church autonomy. Replaced “kick out” with “remove” in headline.
Remember Benjamin! “And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel” Jdg 20:12 -13
For the Lord says, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Lev 20:13
Our nation is under God’s curse because of its wickedness. Why do these apostate churches want to make things worse.
Apostare churches ? How so?? Dio they deny the central work of Christ? Do they deny believers baptism? Do they deny any traditional baptist tenet? The association has not said they are apostate ? Merely they do not subscribe to the recently voted on statement of marriage. Who made you judge Neil? Why are you able to decide who is apostate? Me thinks you need to remove your plank .
Does any denomination live up to its label(s) when considered overall?
Whichever way this issue goes I hope the positions taken truly reflect the views of informed congregants meeting in genuine open discussion.
Democratic procedures? There’s the rub. How often is true unanimity achieved? That means there is minority view(s) not reflected in the decision.
A lot of concern would vanish away if churches ceased to act for the Commonwealth in marriage contract making. Yes, let them all cease to be Authorised Celebrants under the Marriage Act 1961.
I do not think any denomination has taken that step, if it has been considered.