Historically, the ABCUSA descends from the old Triennial Convention formed in 1814, a loosely structured foreign missions organization. Baptists in the south withdrew support from the Triennial Convention and formed the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845, utilizing a more centralized organizational structure for carrying on missionary and benevolent enterprises. The majority of churches in the north continued to work through loosely associated societies for missions and benevolence, until the formation of a new convention in 1907. The Baptist churches in the north have not grown to the extent of those in the south, perhaps being less evangelical, and having greater ecumenical interests. The organization was founded as the Northern Baptist Convention on May 17, 1907 in Washington, D.C. The name was changed in 1950 to American Baptist Convention, and again in 1972 to American Baptist Churches. The ABCUSA is a member of the National Council of Churches and the Baptist World Alliance. In 2000, this group was composed of 1,417,543 members in 5555 churches [source, Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States, 2000, Glenmary Research Center].
Statements by the ABC
"American Baptists believe that the Bible...is the Word of God...the final writtenauthority...The primary purpose, of the Bible, is to point to JesusChrist, the living Lord of the Church."
AmericanBaptistChurchesUSA (ABCUSA) is a group of Baptistchurches within the United States; headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Baptists in the south withdrew support from the Triennial Convention and formed the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in 1845, utilizing a more centralized organizational structure for carrying on missionary and benevolent enterprises.
The Baptistchurches in the north have not grown to the extent of those in the south, perhaps being less evangelical, and having greater ecumenical interests.
The Baptistchurch is engaged in an extraordinary internecine row, incorporating accusations of slander and deceit, after the US Southern Baptists split from the rest of the worldwide church.
Baptistchurches are not under the direct administrative control of any other body, such as a national council or a leader such as a bishop or pope.
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America was organized in 1984 to promote peace, justice, and non-violence, but it does not speak for all Baptists that accept the ideal of pacifism.
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