American Baptists and the Environment

[Big Daddy Weaver]

I'm doing some research for my dissertation which deals in part with American Baptists and the Environment.

Right now, I have two questions.

I know how ABC-USA is currently structured with different regions. However, what was the organizational structure like prior to this current structure. The reason I ask is that I've come across minutes from the proceedings of what appears to be state conventions affiliated with ABC. I guess this was during the Convention rather than Churches USA era.

So, if anyone can offer any resource suggestions or info to help me understand the changes that have occurred in the organization's structure over the last 40-50 years, I would appreciate it.

Also, ABC-USA has passed numerous environment/ecology related resolutions and policy statements in the last 30 years or so.

Can anyone give me the name or names of individual(s) who would be knowledgeable these resolutions and active in environmental politics as it pertains to American Baptists. I'm trying to identify the individuals who were deeply concerned with environmental issues and helped lead American Baptists to adopt these statements. I'm already familiar with Aidsand Wright-Riggins.

Another thing, if you're aware of any recent surveys on social issues relating to the views of mainline Protestants, drop a link.

Over the last couple of years, I remember seeing a few surveys that broke down the views of clergy on various social issues such as the environment denomination-by-denomination. I'm now trying to track those down.

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Thanks, Timothy.

Also, I would appreciate any help in identifying American Baptist authors who have written on the environment.

So, if anyone knows of American Baptist theologians/ethicists/historians/sociologists/etc. please list them and I'll check to see if they've written anything environment-related. Here's my list (and its short)

1. Tony Campolo
2. James William McClendon

[Mark]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

As for true American Baptists, Flick probably deserves a mention in this discussion. I suspect there is not a single American Baptist out there - Tony Campolo included - who has written more for others to read about the environment. I should describe Flick as a "loud and aggressive public theologian in the online Baptist community"

[David Flick]

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed However if Aaron has not seen the ABC-USA resolution at http://www.webofcreation.org/Denominati ... aptist.htm he may want to take a look. written in 1988

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Thanks for that, Ed. I've requested the minutes from ABC Yearbook (not sure if it's still called that today) from the 80s and 90s. Hopefully, some college will be nice enough to lend those to Baylor.

I am still trying to put together a list of American Baptist theologians and ethicists to see who has said what about the environment.

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Timothy,

I came across this book yesterday by Tony Campolo titled A Denomination Looks At Itself (published in 1971). It is Campolo's analysis of a sociological study known as the Roper Study (1969) which examined the American Baptist Convention. It has stats on American Baptists pertaining to level of education, social class, gender, age, etc.

Are you aware of a more recent study on ABC? If not, who could I contact that might know?

Also, if you know of any American Baptist authors/academics who write on theological topics (not necessarily the environment), please share those names. I did remember today that Harvey Cox is an American Baptist. So, I'm going to see if he's written anything environment-related. I'm sure there are others as I suspect that most of the ABC policy statements were written by or with the assistance of a theologian/ethicist.

[Haruo]

Of ocurse there's .

[Ed Pettibone]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

From an old book by Tony Campolo on mainline churches, I came across the name of Jitsuo Morikawa who Campolo credits with helping the American Baptist Convention better understand the social implications of the Gospel. Morikawa wrote several articles in Foundations (predecessor of American Baptists Quarterly) on the topic of Eco-Justice. I made copies and am reading those now.

Thanks Haruo for the Gomes suggestion. I discovered today that Gomes wrote a short article on eco-justice in the Foundations publication in the mid-70s.