More than 200 Baptists gathered at the capitol to celebrate religious freedom. Rod Reilly photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In keeping with the 2007 General Assembly theme of religious freedom, Fellowship Baptists celebrated religious liberty and the separation of church and state with a number of events sponsored by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Freedom (BJC).

On Friday morning, approximately 200 people attended the Baptist Unity Rally in Senate Park, adjacent to the U.S. Capitol. Baptist leaders recited portions of George Truett’s famous 1920 "Capitol Steps Speech" and heard two U.S. congressmen encourage advocacy for religious liberty principles.

U.S. Rep. Robert Scott, (D-Va.) said the gathering of both Fellowship Baptists and American Baptist Churches USA in Washington this week represented a "historic coming together of two groups for one united purpose – the support of religious liberty."

Scott reminded the crowd that today, religious liberty is in great danger from a religious majority that is trying to impose its views on others.

"One of the most egregious examples is the idea of faith-based initiatives," Scott said. "It’s not much of an initiative because it allows discrimination by the federal government. How can you justify that an entity that is objectively qualified to receive funding does not receive it because it is not the preferred religious organization."

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, (D-Texas) told the gathering, "How blessed we are that our founding fathers, prodded by Baptist leaders, decided that religion should be placed upon pedestals untouched by politicians. How blessed we are that a Texas Baptist, George W. Truett, relit the torch of religious freedom by reminding us that ‘God wants free worshippers and no other kind.’"

Edwards concluded his remarks by asking, "One year from today, if we were accused of making personal sacrifices for religious freedom, would there be enough evidence to convict us?"

In May 1920, Truett, pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas, gave a historic speech on the steps of the Capitol, which rallied about 10,000 onlookers in support of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. Friday, following a reading of excerpts from that speech, BJC general counsel K. Hollyn Hollman said, "The mark of religious freedom is Baptist, not for ourselves, but for all people of faith."

At the Religious Liberty Council luncheon sponsored by the BJC Friday, Randall Balmer, religion professor at Columbia University, was the keynote speaker. He said the quintessential Baptist belief is religious liberty and called on Baptists to reaffirm their heritage.

"Our form of government has proven itself remarkably durable," Balmer said in his keynote address. "It benefits from the calisthenics of being stretched and pulled in various ways. My concern is I worry that integrity of the faith is diminished by entanglement with the state."

Also at the luncheon, the BJC presented the family of the late John F. Baugh with the J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award. Baugh, who passed away earlier this year, and his family have been committed supporters for religious liberty.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.