Coalition for Baptist Principles Assembly
Saturday, July 2^nd, Denver
Featured Speaker - Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President
Interfaith Alliance

A report on the state of Baptist principles throughout the ABCUSA and support the on-going efforts of this Coalition

2005 BIENNIAL Featured Speaker
DR. C. WELTON GADDY

The featured speaker of our July 2nd gathering at Biennial is the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy. Dr.Gaddy leads the national nonpartisan grassroots and educational organizations, The Interfaith Alliance and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation and serves as the Pastor for Preaching and Worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, Louisiana. You may have heard him on the radio or seen him on network TV, PBS, CNN or C-SPAN as for years he has provided insightful commentary on issues related to religion and politics.

While ministering to churches with a message of inclusion, Dr. Gaddy emerged as a leader among progressive and moderate Baptists. Among his many leadership roles, he is the immediate past President of the Alliance of Baptists and is a twenty-year member of the Commission of Christian Ethics of the Baptist World Alliance. His also has served as a member of the General Council of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, President of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Chair of the Pastoral Leadership Commission of the Baptist World Alliance.

Author of over 20 books, including Faith and Politics, Dr. Gaddy is also one of 20 international religious leaders on the Council of 100 Leaders, a group created by the World Economic Forum to improve dialogue and understanding between the Western and Islamic worlds. Prior to the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Gaddy served in many leadership roles in the SBC including membership on the convention's Executive Committee from 1980-1984 and Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the Christian Life Commission from 1973-1977.

Founded in 1994, The Interfaith Alliance has grown into a national grassroots organization of 150,000+ individuals of faith and goodwill drawn from more than 75 different religious traditions or beliefs and a network of 47 local alliances in 38 states. Dedicated to encouraging mutual respect, cooperation and civility, The Interfaith Alliance strives to promote religion as a positive and healing force in the life of the nation. As The Coalition for Baptist Principles hopes to engender these same values in the life of the ABC(USA), we particularly are delighted that Dr. Gaddy can be with us this year in Denver.