Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America

Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America
TheologyProgressive Baptist
Region3 countries
HeadquartersCharlotte, North Carolina, United States
Origin1984
Congregations77
Official websitebpfna.org

The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America-Bautistas por la Paz (BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz) is an international progressive Baptist association of churches. The headquarters is in Charlotte, North Carolina.

History

The founding of the association was influenced by the publication of the magazine Baptist Peacemaker by students and faculty at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in December 1980. [1]It was founded by Baptist leaders from the United States and Canada at the Deer Park Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky in 1984. [2]In 1998, it organized the Global Baptist Peace Conference in Sweden, which has since been held in other countries approximately every four years. [3] According to an association census released in 2025, it claimed 77 member churches in 3 countries.[4]

Most members of BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz are located in one of the four member nations of the organization (Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States) however anyone around the world committed to the work of peace and justice can join. The BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz membership is composed of individuals and organizations with the latter being mostly churches. Some churches choose to get involved at a deeper level and are considered to be partner congregations of the organization.[5]

BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz is a faith-based partner of Equal Exchange through the Baptist Fair Trade Project.[6]

Beliefs

It seeks to gather, equip and mobilize peacemakers of faith across North America and beyond to engage in the work of peace rooted in justice. BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz provides resources and tools on a variety of social justice issues such as racial justice, justice for migrants and refugees, climate/environmental justice, justice for indigenous and native peoples and LGBTQ+ liberation to name a few.[7] The organization also has several small grant programs to help fund local and global peacemaking initiatives.

On May 20, 1995, the association adopted the "Statement on Justice and Sexual Orientation" in New York affirming its openness to LGBTQ members. [8]

The association supports blessings of same-sex marriage. [9]

Baptist Peacemaker

Baptist Peacemaker is a quarterly publication by BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz focusing on the work of peacemakers in the BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz network.[10]

Annual Summer Conference

BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz holds a Summer Conference (also known affectionately as "Peace Camp") each year. Each gathering focuses on a different theme and changes location within the BPFNA-Bautistas por la Paz member nations, usually held on a university campus.[11]

References

  1. ↑ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 73
  2. ↑ C. Douglas Weaver, In Search of the New Testament Church: The Baptist Story, Mercer University Press, USA, 2008, p. 141
  3. ↑ Bob Allen, Global Baptist Peace Conference set for 2018, baptistnews.com, USA, March 3, 2016
  4. ↑ BPFNA, Partners, bpfna.org, USA, accessed August 16, 2025
  5. ↑ "Partner Congregations | BPFNA". Archived from the original on 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  6. ↑ "Baptist Fair Trade Project | Equal Exchange".
  7. ↑ "Resources | BPFNA". Archived from the original on 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  8. ↑ ABPnews, Baptist Peace Fellowship marks 15th anniversary of statement on sexuality, baptistnews.com, USA, April 26, 2010
  9. ↑ Bob Allen, Pro-gay Baptists welcome same-sex marriage in N.C., baptistnews.com, USA, October 13, 2014
  10. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2019-11-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ "Annual Themes | BPFNA". Archived from the original on 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
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