CLUJ, Romania (ABP)—In a move signaling a renewed interest in partnering with the European Baptist Federation, Romanian Baptists have elected Otniel Bunaciu as their president.
The May 18 decision of the 34th congress of the Baptist Union of Romania was significant because Bunaciu, vice president of Bucharest Baptist Theological Seminary, decisively out-polled Onisim Mladin, who was the choice of the last president, Paul Negrut.
Negrut's presidency was seen by many as a divisive force among Romanian Baptists, the third-largest Baptist body in Europe. He led the union to quit participating in the European Baptist body in the 1990s and is an apologist for the Southern Baptist Convention's campaign against the Baptist World Alliance. Mladin had been general secretary of the union.
Negrut is president of the conservative Emanuel Baptist University and Seminary in Oradea, which receives funding from Southern Baptist sources. He recently was investigated on charges of plagiarism of an American book for use in a seminary class on Christian ethics.
As outgoing president, Negrut will become vice president responsible for educational programs. Ionel Tutac was elected as general secretary of the 100,000-member union.
As president, Bunaciu will serve one four-year term and is eligible for a second term as well.
Tony Peck, general secretary for the European Baptist Federation, lamented the distance between Romanian Baptists and his organization and welcomed the shift.
“We have regretted very much that over these past 10 years we have not had the close ties with the Romanian Baptist Union which we once enjoyed,” Peck said. “We look forward to a renewing and deepening of our relationship in the days to come.”
In a press statement, Bunaciu said his election signals a new unity for Baptists in the formerly communist country.
“Despite some differences, the Baptist Union of Romania is more united than ever before,” he said, calling Romanian Baptists “Bible-believing people who are committed disciples of Jesus Christ and have the goal of bringing the gospel to a needy world.”
Also during the 34th congress, the Romanian delegates invited representatives of the Baptist World Alliance and European Baptist Federation to meet with them in order to explain the theological foundations of their organizations.
The Baptist Union of Romania is the third largest Baptist body in Europe. Under Negrut, the union ended its longtime participation in the European Baptist Federation in the 1990s, although Negrut was never able to convince Romanian Baptists to formally withdraw. Negrut endorsed the SBC's withdrawal from the Baptist World Alliance.
Bunaciu said he would “welcome and encourage” closer relationships with other Baptist organizations in “Europe, America and the rest of the world,” including the Baptist World Alliance.
“The experience which the Romanian Baptists have had through the communist years can be offered as a source of encouragement for other Christians while we need to be encouraged by learning how the Spirit of God moves in other parts of our family of believers,” he said. “Now that we enjoy freedom, Romanian Baptists would like to bring their contribution to the wider family of Baptists.”
Bunaciu said the union appreciates the assistance received from Southern Baptists and “looks forward to finding further ways to enhance our cooperation in the joint task of winning our world for Christ.”
After Southern Baptists left the Baptist World Alliance, Negrut and some other Romanian Baptists supported the SBC-led effort to establish a more conservative alternative.
Bunaciu said he is “not officially aware” of the initiative and therefore can't comment on it. But he added: “The Romanian Baptist Union is part of the Baptist World Alliance from its beginnings and also part of the European Baptist Federation. We have seen through the years how brothers and sisters in the Baptist family have come to our help in our time of need, politically and charitably.”
As for his relationship with Negrut, who remains a union officer, the new president said, “Our relationship has always been cordial, and I am sure that it will continue like this.”
In other business, the Romanian union said Baptist pastors should not be active in political parties. And delegates called on the country's Ministry of Culture to permit the teaching of creation as an alternative to the theory of evolution.
Bunaciu also called for increased Baptist work for social causes, saying a church that doesn't help the poor is poor itself.