August 27, 2001
Austin church ousted from BGCT in '98
now leaves CBF over homosexual issue
___By Bob Allen
___Associated Baptist Press
___AUSTIN (ABP)--A former Southern Baptist church has left the moderate breakaway group Cooperative Baptist Fellowship over what congregation leaders called discrimination against gays and lesbians.
___Members of University Baptist Church in Austin voted Aug. 15 to withdraw from the Atlanta-based CBF over a new policy against hiring gays or funding organizations that "condone, advocate or affirm homosexual practice."
___University Baptist is thought to be the first congregation to leave the CBF because of the funding policy.
___The policy, adopted originally by the Fellowship's governing board, survived a challenge at this summer's general assembly when delegates voted 701-502 against rescinding it for a yearlong study of where CBF churches stand on the issue.
___The policy doesn't exclude homosexuals from membership but disallows budgeting funds for pro-homosexual causes. CBF leaders describe it as "welcoming but not affirming" of gays.
___But a letter to CBF officials, signed by University Baptist leaders on behalf of the congregation, said the policy doesn't speak for Fellowship-friendly churches that both welcome and affirm homosexuals.
___"We most deeply regret the condemning message you have sent in the name of Christ to all gay and lesbian persons," said the letter signed by Senior Pastor Larry Bethune, Moderator Ellen Bell and Anthony Chapple, deacon chairman.
___"We cannot in good conscience support an organization which discriminates against our brothers and sisters in Christ on the basis of their orientation any more than we could do so if the CBF discriminated on the basis of race or gender," the letter continued.
___CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal, a former Texas pastor, expressed sadness over the Austin church's decision.
___"CBF remains steadfastly committed to the bedrock Baptist principle of the autonomy of every local church," he said. "I'm saddened that University Baptist Church, or any other church, would choose to use this administrative policy as a litmus test for cooperating with other congregations in global missions and ministries through the Fellowship."
___The 400-member church, one of a small number of traditionally Southern Baptist congregations to come out in support of full inclusion of gays and lesbians, in the past defended itself against challenges from its association and state convention for its stance.
___Austin Baptist Association voted to oust the church in 1995 after University Baptist ordained a gay deacon. The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board withdrew fellowship in 1998.
___Members of the church were present when the CBF was founded in 1991. It also belongs to American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. and the Alliance of Baptists, a smaller and more liberal SBC splinter group that formed in 1986.
___Stan Hastey, executive director of the Washington-based Alliance of Baptists, said he hasn't heard of any other churches discussing cutting ties with the CBF over its anti-gay funding policy, but some congregations are said to be thinking about reducing their level of support.
___Dispute over the issue also has energized voices on the other side who contend the relatively close vote against a study is being misused by political opponents to cast the CBF as soft on homosexuality.
___They say only a handful of 1,800 Fellowship-friendly churches have taken action to ordain homosexuals or perform a same-sex union. Most of the 500-plus individuals voting for a study, they say, weren't necessarily pro-gay but merely sympathized with those calling for dialogue on the subject.
___The full text of University Baptist Church's letter to CBF may be read here along with a response from Daniel Vestal here.
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