The president of the American Baptist Churches USA has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists demanding AWAB remove the ABCUSA logo from its website as well as any “partnership” language related to the denomination.
BNG made repeated attempts to get comment from Gina Jacobs-Strain, new general secretary of ABCUSA, and those emails never were acknowledged. No response was given.
The relation of AWAB to the ABCUSA has been a matter of contention since AWAB’s founding 30 years ago. The LGBTQ-inclusive group was founded by individual members and churches within ABCUSA. More conservative pastors and leaders within the denomination have wanted to distance themselves from AWAB.
BNG made repeated attempts to get comment from Gina Jacobs-Strain, new general secretary of ABCUSA, and those emails never were acknowledged.
That appears to be the driving force behind the cease-and-desist letter, which reportedly was instigated by a small group of ministers within ABCUSA. BNG was not able to obtain a copy of the letter, although its contents were summarized in AWAB’s August newsletter by Bob Sittig, chairman of the AWAB board of directors.
“If you had visited the partner area of our website last month, you would have also seen the logo and link for ABCUSA,” he wrote. “It’s no longer there because of a formal letter we received from American Baptist Churches USA, to ‘cease and desist’ from using its logo and listing the denomination as a partner.
“We have learned that this action on the part of ABCUSA was prompted by a letter of concern that was sent to the Board of General Ministries. Our understanding is that the decision to send the ‘cease and desist’ letter was made only by the Executive Committee of the General Board without discussion with the whole board.”
Bob Sittig
Sittig said he finds this puzzling because of the Baptist principle of autonomy.
“I question how the decision of a local church to be welcoming and affirming to all of God’s children should be challenged by a regional or denominational decree,” he wrote. “An action such as that flies in the face of the principles of church liberty, soul liberty and scriptural liberty, all of which create the foundation of what it means to be Baptist.”
The second puzzlement, he said, is that ABCUSA has not formally addressed LGBTQ inclusion since 1992.
“The hypocrisy of ‘incompatible with Christian teaching’ is overwhelming,” he wrote. “Not only are there LGBTQ members in most ABCUSA churches, but several are also teaching Sunday school. There are church staff members, regional staff members and ABCUSA staff, and national board members who are members of the LGBTQ community.”
Brian Henderson
Brian Henderson, an ABCUSA minister who leads AWAB, did respond to BNG’s request for explanation. He confirmed receipt of the cease-and-desist letter.
Henderson said he is “appreciative” of subsequent conversations with both Jacobs-Strain and President Nikita McCalister.
“As AWAB understands it, the Executive Committee of the Board of General Ministries was responding to a letter of complaint written by executive ministers who have not been pleased with AWAB’s presence in ABCUSA life,” he said. “The Executive Committee very judiciously reviewed its policies and procedures around the use of its logo so as to not single out AWAB alone. AWAB was told a number of organizations received the same request.”
Although ABC’s leadership has been silent on this sequence of events, BNG has learned that the effort to distance the denomination from AWAB resulted in distancing from other “partner” organizations as well. Who those are has not been publicly stated.
Henderson added: “AWAB hopes for the day when Baptists, recognizing our Baptist freedoms, can do more work and ministry together than any of us can do on our own, even while holding different theological convictions.
“Because of religious trauma experienced by marginalized individuals, including LGBTQ people such as myself, whenever there is a hint of discrimination suggested by the actions of those with privilege, the hurt that is felt is deeply painful. The Executive Committee of the ABCUSA Board of General Ministries made a decision based on policy that is to be respected and honored. I only hope those who made a complaint about AWAB will learn to respect and honor our Baptist freedoms.”
This summer, the Affirming Network of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship merged with AWAB, with a celebration event held during CBF’s June General Assembly. Although CBF has not taken a formal position on LGBTQ inclusion, both CBF and the Alliance of Baptists are listed on AWAB’s “affiliates” page where ABCUSA used to be listed.
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