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Press Releases |
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A Cooperative Effort of:
Associated Baptist Press |
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| BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — First Freedoms Project, a
new cooperative effort by Associated Baptist Press, the Baptist Joint
Committee on Public Affairs, Baptists Today news journal and
participating Baptist congregations, will focus on celebrating and
supporting the valued freedoms guaranteed to all Americans — with an
emphasis on religious liberty and freedom of the press. “Free to Worship, Free to Know,” is the theme of the new project aimed at enlisting Baptist churches across the nation to emphasize the founding freedoms which early Baptist leaders advocated for the American experiment, and to provide support for three national ministries specifically focused on these historic freedoms. “The First Freedoms Project is an idea whose time has come,” said Gary
Burton, pastor of Pintlala Baptist Church in Hope Hull, Ala. “Because
religious liberty and freedom of the press are symbiotic twins, it is
scary to contemplate the domino effect when one or the other is
compromised.” “Baptists are committed to building a world where freedom is embraced,
cherished, celebrated and promoted,” said Robert F. Browning, pastor of
Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Ga. “Religious liberty and
freedom of the press are essential to accomplishing these goals, and the
First Freedoms Project will give Baptists a way to protect these hallowed
principles.” Implementation of the First Freedoms Project will include: 1. Enlisting Baptist churches across the nation to participate as partner congregations. Church leaders will customize the ways their congregations will participate in the project beginning in 2005. 2. A national conference will be held April 14-15, 2005 in Washington, D.C., addressing the importance of religious liberty and freedom of the press among other founding freedoms. “The urgency for rescuing soul freedom for our nation and our denomination has never been more intense,” said longtime Baptist leader Jimmy R. Allen of Big Canoe, Ga. “The First Freedoms Project should get priority from every thinking believer.” The Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs advocates for religious
liberty from offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Associated
Baptist Press is an independent news service based in Jacksonville, Fla.
Baptists Today is an autonomous, national news journal based in
Macon, Ga. |
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