Stances of Faiths on GLBT Issues: American Baptist Church USA
The American Baptist Church USA is the fifth-largest Christian denomination in the United States, with approximately 1.5 million members and 5,800 congregations worldwide. Although ABC-USA shares many traditions, beliefs and values with other Baptists, ABC-USA is a distinct entity from its relatives, the American Baptist Association, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
Following more moderate ideals than the ABA and SBC, ABC-USA is considered one of the most inclusive and radical Protestant bodies. At its core, ABC-USA believes in and advocates for autonomy in religious organization and function, religious freedom through expression and cultural/ethnic inclusion within the church. Of its more traditional values, the denomination believes that the Bible is the divinely authoritative guide for serving God, that believers of Christ need to partake of Holy Communion and full-immersion baptism and that all members have the responsibility to inform others of Christ through evangelism and missionary work.
Marriage
ABC-USA embraces diversity within the family structure. As policy, the church supports the right of all people to build mutually satisfying human relationships. Regarding marriage for same-sex couples, however, the church’s policy is specific in its support of marriage only as a "monogamous, lifelong, one-flesh union of a woman and a man."
Sexual Orientation
A 1992 vote determined "the practice of homosexuality" to be "incompatible with Christian teaching" within the denomination. Noting that individual members of the denomination may not agree with all resolutions which are approved, the church does acknowledge that issues such as sexual orientation require full and continuous engagement in dialogue.
HIV/AIDS
In 1988, the ABC-USA adopted a resolution to address HIV/AIDS. Most recently updated in September 1998, the resolution is based on two components of the church’s policy on human rights:
- "The right to the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing and health care;" and
- "The right to human dignity, to be respected and treated as a person and to be protected against discrimination without regard to age, sex, race, class, marital status, income, national origin, legal status, culture or condition in society."
Overall, the church declares that HIV/AIDS should be viewed as an illness and not a punishment inflicted by God. Furthermore, the church supports increased funding, the insurance of protection of human and civil rights and the elimination of discrimination for people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.
The church does not offer a specific position on HIV/AIDS within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
Resources
- American Baptist Churches USA
- ABC USA Documents and Resources
- The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists
Contact the American Baptist Church USA
If you would like to communicate with the American Baptist Church USA, the mailing address is:
American Baptist Church USA
P.O. Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
