February 29, 2004
Members of the Board
The Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec
414-195 The West Mall
Etobicoke, ON M9C 5K1
Dear Members of the Board,
This is written on behalf of, and with the approval of the congregation of MacNeill Baptist Church.
We begin by noting that MacNeill has a history of supporting BCOQ activities, particularly those concerned with mission, and that we remain in full sympathy with those activities. Indeed furthering mission work was one of the Convention’s major founding purposes. In our view, BCOQ is meant to serve the collective purpose of the constituent congregations, not to govern them.
We are therefore deeply concerned with the nature of the recent communications from the Council, which take the form of edicts or directives, and which we believe are entirely in conflict
with the Baptist distinctives of congregational autonomy, soul liberty, and freedom of conscience. We are aware that we are not alone in these concerns; a number of recent letters from Convention churches have made this same point, eloquently and effectively.
It appears to us that the document “New System for a New Century” now implemented and ratified by Assembly, has a strong corporatist tone. We believe that the use of a business model of governance for a “community of Baptist communities” is completely inappropriate, misguided, and counter to Baptist tradition.
We respectfully decline to accept the authority of BCOQ Council (now the Board) or Assembly in matters of conscience, including interpretation of scripture and licensing of pastors. We
understand that it is the Church and Association that examine the suitability of the applicant at the ordination council.
While we acknowledge the right of the BCOQ in Assembly to make decisions on the basis of majority vote, we defend the right of individual churches to dissent.
We therefore state that we will not respond to such directives from the BCOQ. We are open to dialogue, but that dialogue must be rooted in the clear understanding that we are an autonomous congregation, and that our collective understanding of the will of God and the mind of Christ will be out guide in all matters of conscience.
We look forward to your response. It is our hope that the concerns we have expressed will be addressed and resolved, and that the work of the Convention may prosper as we continue to “do that which we believe God calls us to do together”.
(signed) Gary Purdy
Moderator
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