BWA World Congress Resolution 1980.8 Appreciation Realizing that the 75th Anniversary is a peak experience for our growing and dynamic Baptist World Alliance, we offer our sincere appreciation To the Baptist Federation of Canada and its leaders for their outstanding...
Recognizing the grave world shortages of oil and many other sources of energy,
We urge on all governments and all members of our churches the need for careful and responsible husbanding of such resources, having in mind the effects of these shortages on the economies, especially of developing countries, and the requirements of succeeding generations.
Feeling the deepest disquiet over the plight of the homeless peoples of the world,
We plead with all governments to give care and human rights to the dispossessed peoples within their jurisdiction so they may live with hope and security within their own country.
Recognizing that the world is far from achieving peace and justice and that vast sums are spent on armaments while much of the world goes hungry or suffers from lack of education and medical care,
We affirm that we stand for peace and reconciliation among all nations.
Realizing that many of the world’s peoples are threatened by starvation caused by famine, war, and natural disaster, we recognize the gospel mandate for Christian people to be involved in meeting this urgent human need, and, therefore,
We encourage mission agencies and related church bodies to assist peoples to increase food production and to engage in teaching good nutrition, particularly where people are undernourished.
We understand the family to be an institution ordained of God and therefore of very special importance to the people of God. We reaffirm our conviction that:
Every child is a unique creation of God and deserves to be treated with appropriate dignity.
Every child should be enabled, without hindrance, to receive moral and religious training in his or her home and through the church.
We believe that the declaration and application of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the nurturing of those who accept him as Lord and Savior are fundamental to our existence. We recognize that major responsibility rests with the local church, and we are dedicated to strengthening the church and our people in this task. Within our local, national, and world communities, our fellowship carries a responsibility to extend the kingdom of God on earth.
With praise to God who provides “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17), we express deep appreciation for the generous response to the Africa Hunger Response Fund Appeal and for gifts is support of other Baptist World Aid projects,
Gathered in Los Angeles for the 15th Baptist World Congress in July 1985, we who represent Baptists from about 100 countries, wish to reaffirm our adherence to the cherished principle of religious liberty.
We see it being threatened today by religious persecution in many parts of the world.
This Congress receives with sadness the news of the appeal from the Board of Directors of the Baptist Convention of Nicaragua in a pastoral letter dated May 10, 1985 (and addressed to the American Baptist Churches of the USA, the Southern Baptist Convention of the USA, the World Council of Churches, the Latin American Council of Churches and Christian brothers and sisters of Nicaragua and the rest of the world).