Northern and Southern Baptists Meet in the Middle

1922

TWO CHURCH GROUPS ALMOST IN ACCORD

No Substantial Theological Differences of Opinion Between the Northern and Southern Baptist Denominations.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., June 16. — No substantial theological differences of opinion exist between northern Baptist and southern Baptists, F. W. Freeman of Denver, Colo., chairman of the Laymen's council of the northern Baptist convention, declared today before the fifteenth annual convention of that denomination.

"There are far more points of agreement and accord between the two groups of Baptists than has recently been assumed to exist," Mr. Freeman states in his report on the recent Columbia conference, at which representative Baptists of northern and southern groups, deliberated on denominational issues.

"The differences are in the realm of ecclesiology rather than theology, and from this point can be traced all things that differentiate between the two groups, so far as there can be said to be a basis of differentiation between them.

"The difference is that, broadly speaking, the southern group holds the stricter view as to the new testament 'church,' believing that in the new testament terminology and teaching the word 'church' holds reference to a local particular body, meeting at a particular time and place, organized around the ordinances, as indicated in the new testament and rejecting the idea of a universal, invisible and spiritual church, in which all believers are members at this time. They believe that a universal and spiritual church, which will include in its members all believers of all ages and all communions, is an institution in the making, and can only find its completion after judgments and not before. Northern Baptists have been less particular in their view on this matter, and, in general the idea of a present general or universal church has a more common acceptance."

The gathering of northern and southern Baptists at the Columbia conference came to certain personal and unofficial conclusions, Mr. Freeman reported, among which were: The importance of stewardship and tithing campaigns; the necessity of solving the educational problems of the denomination; the danger of turning to inter-denominational and non-denominational institutions for pastoral leadership; the importance of encouraging Baptist publications.

The conference placed itself on record, he stated, "as heartily approving the spirit and doctrine of co-operation set out in the new testament, and as opposed to what is known as organic church union." It also went on record as believing that a statement of Baptist doctrine and polity setting forth the fundamentals of the faith that the presidents of the northern and southern Baptist conventions place the matter before their respective conventions, with the suggestion that a combined committee of twenty prepare a statement of faith, embodying the basic and fundamental principles of the faith and practice of Baptists.

—The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, Nebraska, June 17, 1922, page 2.