The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a group of Baptist churches within the United States; the denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization's general secretary is A. Roy Medley. The ABCUSA should not be confused with the conservative American Baptist Association. The organization is usually considered a "mainline" denomination, although varying theological and mission emphases may be found among its congregations.

History

The ABCUSA descends from the old Triennial Convention formed in 1814, a loosely structured foreign missions organization. Baptists in the South withdrew support from the Triennial Convention, largely over issues surrounding the slavery controversy, and formed the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in 1845. The SBC opted for a more centralized organizational structure for carrying on missionary and benevolent enterprises, whereas most churches in the North continued to work through loosely associated societies for missions and benevolence, until the formation of a unified convention in 1907.

Baptist churches in the North have not grown to the extent of those in the SBC, perhaps because they are located in areas of the country where population is declining, and because of a focus on ecumenical interests rather than denominational identity. Some have also tended to focus more on social justice issues and less on evangelism than those in most other U.S. Baptist traditions; however, conservative evangelicalism has a significant presence among many ABCUSA churches. A substantial portion of the ABCUSA consists of African-American churches that may have joint affiliations with the ABCUSA and historic bodies such as the National Baptist Convention or the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

The organization was founded as the Northern Baptist Convention on May 17, 1907 in Washington, D.C.. One of its most famous members was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader and minister. The name was changed in 1950 to American Baptist Convention, and again in 1972 to American Baptist Churches, USA.

The ABCUSA is a member of the National Council of Churches and the Baptist World Alliance and the World Council of Churches. In 2006, the denomination had approximately 1.4 million members^[1] in 5,780 churches.

Autonomy

Traditionally, the ABCUSA has committed itself to the autonomy of the local church. A statement from the ABCUSA webpage reads: "As early Baptists overcame oppression by establishing a congregational church system emphasizing local church autonomy and separation from state influence, so contemporary American Baptists continue to emphasize both the importance and the responsibility of every church and the individual believer before God."

ABCUSA Mission Statement

"American Baptists are a Christ-centered, biblically grounded, ethnically diverse people called to radical personal discipleship in Christ Jesus. Our commitment to Jesus propels us to nurture authentic relationships with one another; build healthy churches; transform our communities, our nations, and our world; engage every member in hands-on ministry; and speak the prophetic word in love."

"As a people of prayer, purpose, and passion, we are in the forefront of creating a community of faith where people of every race, nationality, and culture gather as one in worship, service, and work."

"The heart of the gospel is God's redemptive love. In our life together, the world will see the power of forgiveness to overcome alienation, the strength of love to transform hate, the power of grace to break the bonds of guilt, the triumph of hope over despair, and the victory of faith over doubt."

"Through the cross of Christ we embrace the world as neighbor. Our vision for mission energizes a multitude of servant ministries of evangelism, discipleship, leadership, new church development, social justice, healing, peacemaking, economic development, and education. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we work together in mutual trust, humility, love, and giving that the gospel might be preached and lived in all the world."

Affiliated seminaries

There are ten seminaries affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA:

• American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California http://www.absw.edu
• Andover Newton Theological School, Newton, Massachusetts http://www.ants.edu
• Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Shawnee, Kansas http://www.cbts.edu
• Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester, New York http://www.crcds.edu
• Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico http://www.seminarioevangelicopr.org
• Morehouse School of Religion, Atlanta, Georgia http://www.itc.edu
• Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard, Illinois http://www.seminary.edu
• Palmer Theological Seminary, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania http://www.palmerseminary.edu
• Shaw University Divinity School, Raleigh, North Carolina http://www.shawuniversity.edu/SUDS
• The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia http://www.vuu.edu/theology/home.htm

See also

• Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA

• Seminaries affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA

References

External links

• ABC-USA.org
• Roger Williams Fellowship a grassroots group advocating Baptist principles since 1935.
• American Baptist National Hispanic Caucus - The advocacy organization to the denomination in regard to Hispanic/Latino and Latin American affairs
• American Baptist Women in Pastoral Ministry: A Contemporary Survey

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