Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

History

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has its origins in a meeting in Atlanta in 1990 of a group of theologically moderate churches within the Southern Baptist Convention disagreeing about the control of the direction of the convention by fundamentalists, as well as the opposition to the ordination of women. The denomination was officially founded in 1991.

By 1996, the fellowship had 1,400 churches and was still affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1998, it began ordaining chaplains.

In 2002, it officially left the Southern Baptist Convention and became a member of the Baptist World Alliance.

Since the first quarter of the 21st century, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship officially partnered with the National Baptist Convention of America, similar to the American Baptist Churches USA and Progressive National Baptists fellowship agreement of 1970.

Organization

There are CBF-affiliated churches in 43 out of the 50 states. Alongside the national CBF, there are 19 state and regional organizations that are affiliated with CBF and help provide churches with local resources. The CBF has a missionary organization, Global Missions.

It has 1 affiliated theological institute, the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky; it is also the official seminary partner of the National Baptist Convention of America. The CBF also has a humanitarian organization.

Beliefs

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, like the Southern Baptist Convention from which it split, does not enforce particular beliefs upon congregations, as is congruent with traditional Baptist theology; however, the denomination has a Baptist confession of faith.

The CBF also ascribes to the "Four Fragile Freedoms" as developed in The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter Shurden. CBF leadership interprets these freedoms as: soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom.

Affirmation of women in ministry was one of the founding principles of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Most CBF members agree that both men and women may be ordained as ministers or deacons and serve as pastors of churches.

On social issues, the CBF does not issue position statements. CBF members agree that as it is a fellowship of autonomous churches, issuing statements would be beyond its purpose. However, CBF policies are not binding on individual congregations which make their own decisions regarding any issue; neither can a congregation be excluded from the CBF for disagreeing with core values or policies.

Marriage

In October 2000, the Coordinating Council voted to adopt a statement of values prohibiting financial support for gay-affirming organizations and the hiring of non-celibate gays as CBF staff or missionaries.

In June 2016, the CBF co-sponsored a conference on sexuality and initiated the "'Illumination Project' approved by the Governing Board (formerly the Coordinating Council) to develop models for the Fellowship community to air differences not only about the hiring ban but also other hot-button issues dividing churches, denominations and society".

In February 2018, the association removed a statement from its hiring policy prohibiting the hiring of LGBT staff members or sending LGBT missionaries, mentioning that leadership positions were reserved for those living in faithful celibacy or in marriage between a woman and a man.

In June 2018, the Affirming Network for full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation was founded.

In November 2018, due to these decisions, the Kentucky Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention) proceeded with the disaffiliation of churches having a dual affiliation with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

In 2024, the Affirming Network for full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation merged with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.

References

References

1. "CBF Staff Directory – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship".
2. Baptist World Alliance, [https://www.baptistworld.org/member-unions/ Members], Baptist world, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023
3. William H. Brackney, ''Historical Dictionary of the Baptists'', Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021, p. 169
4. Richard Leigh Walker, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1991/june-24/southern-baptists-moderates-form-alternative-fellowship.html Southern Baptists: Moderates Form Alternative Fellowship], Christianity today, USA, June 24, 1991
5. Greg Garrison, [https://www.al.com/news/2019/06/cooperative-baptists-different-kind-of-baptist-meet-at-bjcc.html Cooperative Baptists, ‘different kind of Baptist,’ meet at BJCC], AL, USA, June 22, 2019
6. Randy Frame, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1996/august12/6t9059.html Cooperative Baptists Reject Formal Break with SBC], Christianity today, USA, August 12, 1996
7. Aaron Weaver, [https://baptistnews.com/article/at-25-cbf-still-building-something-new/#.YJSNZGZKjL_ At 25, CBF still building something new], Baptist news, USA, June 23, 2016
8. Deborah G Leste, [https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/2003/07/19/cooperative-baptist-fellowship-joins-world-alliance/29676170007/ Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joins World Alliance], Goupstate, USA, July 19, 2003
9. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship – NBCA".
10. (1970). "PNBC 1970 Minutes".
11. "Churches – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship".
12. "States and Regions – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship".
13. "State/Regional Organizations - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship".
14. CBF, [https://cbf.net/global-missions Global Missions], cbf.net, USA, accessed July 24, 2024
15. Bob Allen, [https://baptistnews.com/article/kentucky-seminary-celebrates-commencement-accreditation/ Kentucky seminary celebrates commencement, accreditation], baptistnews.com, USA, August 11, 2015
16. CBF, [https://cbf.net/dr-volunteer Disaster Response], cbf.net, USA, accessed July 24, 2024
17. "Who We Are". Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
18. 2 Jan 2010 [http://www.thefellowship.info/About-Us/FAQ About Us], CBF {{Webarchive. link. (2010-11-30)
19. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Southern Baptist Convention Differences: A Conversation with CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal". Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
20. Bob Allen, [https://baptistnews.com/article/analysis-a-timeline-of-cbfs-lgbtq-debate/ Analysis: A timeline of CBF’s LGBTQ debate], baptistnews.com, USA, July 7, 2016
21. Ken Camp, [https://baptiststandard.com/news/baptists/cbf-seeks-to-model-deliberative-dialogue-and-unity-through-cooperation/ CBF seeks to model deliberative dialogue and unity through cooperation], baptiststandard.com, USA, July 7, 2016
22. Bob Allen, [https://baptistnews.com/article/cbf-relaxes-policy-hiring-lgbtq-staff-maintains-restrictions/ CBF relaxes policy on hiring LGBTQ staff, but maintains some restrictions], baptistnews.com, February 9, 2018
23. Bojangles Blanchard, [https://goodfaithmedia.org/breakfast-at-cbf-launches-network-for-lgbtq-inclusion-cms-24945/ Breakfast at CBF Launches Network for LGBTQ Inclusion], goodfaithmedia.org, USA, June 21, 2018
24. Bob Allen, [https://baptistnews.com/article/kentucky-baptist-convention-formally-excludes-churches-dually-aligned-with-cbf/ Kentucky Baptist Convention formally excludes churches dually aligned with CBF], baptistnews.com, USA, November 14, 2018
25. Jeff Brumley, [https://baptistnews.com/article/awab-and-cbfs-affirming-network-merge/ AWAB and CBF’s Affirming Network merge], baptistnews.com, June 17, 2024