Southern Baptist leaders reiterate: No intention to compete with BWA

WASHINGTON (BP) - A statement by Richard Land, that he and fellow Southern Baptist leaders will attend a meeting in Europe "to form a new alternative to the Baptist World Alliance," prompted the BWA general secretary to say he was "shocked."

The BWA general secretary, Denton Lotz, told a reporter that "the creation of a competitive organization to the Baptist World Alliance ... goes against everything they've told us in meetings that we've had ..."

No such organization, Land noted, is in the offing.

An "alternative to the Baptist World Alliance," Land said, "does not mean another formal organization."

Land said he and fellow SBC leaders have not changed their intention "to construct, in dialogue [with other Baptist leaders around the world] alternative ways of relating to each other and maintain mutual support, ministry and dialogue."