The church has accepted 27 members who were previously baptized into Methodist, Lutheran or other Christian denominations
• Christian Fundamentalism
An Upstate church says it has been ousted from the Spartanburg County Baptist Network for "breach of fellowship" after it accepted new members from other faiths who had not been baptized by immersion.
Many Christian faiths baptize by sprinkling or pouring water on the heads of children and adults.
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Fernwood deacon chairman Robert Hendrix said he was shocked because the church has been accepting members from other denominations for 12 years without requiring subsequent immersion.
Baptist congregation dropped in immersion squabble
Three other Upstate churches -- First Churches of Greenwood and Clemson and Boulevard Baptist in Anderson -- were dismissed for the same thing by the Abbeville and Saluda Baptist associations in 1970, 1975, and 2000, respectively. In every case in the state thus far, Goodroe said, the issue has resulted in a split between church and association.
The churches contend membership is an issue for the autonomous church, and that baptism is an outward symbol that does not reflect a Christian's faith. The associations respond that while believer's baptism is not a requirement for salvation, it is one of only two ordinances observed by Southern Baptists, and is a non-negotiable doctrine.
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Posted by: Dan | August 20, 2005 7:51 AM