Pullen Memorial Baptist Church

Pullen Memorial Baptist Church is an 850-member [http://www.pullen.org/home/faq.php "Frequently Asked Questions"] , Pullen Memorial Baptist Church.] Baptist church located in Raleigh, North Carolina, US, that has a decades-long tradition of progressive stands on social issues. These have encompassed civil rights for African Americans and other minorities. In 1958, for instance, unlike most predominantly white Baptist congregations, the church stated it welcomed African Americans.

In the last two decades, social issues have included Pullen Memorial's stance on sexual issues. In 1992 the Southern Baptist Convention expelled the church for its blessing a same-sex union. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE0DD1039F932A25755C0A964958260 2 Churches Ousted by Baptists' Vote] , "New York Times", 11 June 1992.] In 2002, lesbian minister Nancy Petty was selected to be co-pastor with Jack McKinney, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_June_25/ai_88583359 A lesbian is my copastor - Religion - Nancy Petty named co-pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church] , "The Advocate" 25 June 2002.] PDF| [http://www.pullen.org/aboutus/shorthistory.pdf A Short History of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church] ] making Pullen the first Baptist church in the South known to have chosen an openly homosexual person as lead clergy. In addition, the church now performs three or four "holy union ceremonies" a year, which are blessings for same-sex couples. [http://www.newsobserver.com/264/story/633368.html "Same-sex unions might earn blessing"] , Carolina Astigarraga, "The News & Observer" 11 July 2007.]

Pullen's Sunday service was named "The Best Sermon to Hear on a Sunday Morning" by the "Independent Weekly", a local progressive newspaper based in Durham. [http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A33028 Best of the Triangle 2006] , "Independent Weekly" 14 June 2006.]

It is a member of the Community of the Cross of Nails, Alliance of Baptists, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, North Carolina Council of Churches, [http://www.pullen.org/home/partners.php "Pullen's Partners"] ] and Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, [ [http://www.wabaptists.org/wachurches.htm Welcoming & Affirming Churches:AWAB Member Congregations] ] an organization of Baptist churches that welcome members regardless of sexual orientation. [ [http://www.wabaptists.org/whoweare.htm AWAB: Who we are] ]

History

The church began in 1884 as a mission of First Baptist Church and was organized on December 28, 1884 as Fayetteville Street Baptist Church. It renamed itself in 1913 after the death of John T. Pullen, who had been a lay leader of the church. J.A. Ellis, who became the pastor in 1919, was the first of many Pullen preachers known for applying the Bible to justify controversial social issues. In 1921 the church's Fayetteville Street building was destroyed by a fire and the began holding services in Pullen Hall on the campus of North Carolina State College (now known as North Carolina State University). The church moved to its current location on Hillsborough Street in 1923.

William Wallace Finlator (1913-2006) [http://www.abpnews.com/1307.article Legendary liberal W.W. Finlator fought segregation, poverty, war] , Robert Marus, "Associated Baptist Press News", 15 August 2006] became pastor in 1956 and served until 1982. He was known for taking challenging stands on social issues, helping cement the church's reputation as liberal. Rev. Jack McKinney described Finlator as "one of the most loved--and most despised--North Carolinians of his day". [according to Rev. Jack McKinney, as quoted in [http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A34049 "In memoriam, from a member of the Rev. W.W. Finlator's team"] , by Patrick O'Neill, "Independent Weekly", 12 July 2006.] In 1958 under Finlator's leadership, Pullen Memorial "declared itself open to all people regardless of race." Finlator promoted integration of North Carolina schools. During the volatile years of the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans considered Pullen Memorial a "safe haven," one of the few predominantly white churches where people could have an open discussion about the movement and not risk backlash. [http://wral.com/news/local/story/138401/ "Raleigh Men Live the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement"] , Rick Armstrong, wral.com 11 February 1999.] Finlator spoke strongly against segregation and, during the 1970s, against the Vietnam War. [http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/457577.html "Outspoken pastor Finlator dies at 93"] , by Matthew Eisley and Yonat Shimron, "The News & Observer", 05 July 2006.]

The 1958 church constitution "affirmed the acceptance into full membership of Christians who transferred membership from other denominations". Baptist practice generally only accepts those who have accepted Christ and been baptized in the Baptist Church. In the early 1970s, some members of the State Baptist Convention attempted to oust Pullen Memorial, along with twelve other churches, for that position, but they were unsuccessful.

During the 1980s under President Reagan's build-up of the Defense Department, the church was active in opposing the nuclear arms race. [http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A159604 "Social justice defines Pullen Baptist's progressive legacy: Remembering the human toll and living reconciliation"] , by Patrick O'Neill, "Independent Weekly", 29 August 2007]

In 1986, Pullen Church began a sister-church relationship with Martin Street Baptist Church, an African-American congregation in Raleigh. Two years later Pullen also became a sister-church with the First Baptist Church of Matanzas, Cuba. Pullen members have since gone on several trips to Cuba, helping the First Baptist Church with building and community projects. [http://www.carynews.com/front/story/8443.html "Apex woman hears ‘voices of change’ in Cuba"] , by Beth Hatcher, "The Cary News", 12 March 2008.]

In 1992, the congregation of Pullen Memorial "endorsed unqualified acceptance of homosexual Christians and their full participation in the life and work of the church". This endorsement and the church's blessing of a same-sex union led to its expulsion from the Raleigh Baptist Association, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The SBC also expelled Binkley Memorial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for allowing a gay person to preach. Reverend Jack McKinney serves on the steering committee of the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality, which continues to sponsor speakers on this issue. [ [http://www.thedurhamnews.com/viewpoints/johnston/2005/story/915.html Unitarian Universalist fellowship to install minister] , Flo Johnston, "The Durham News", 3 December 2005.] In 2006, Raleigh native James A. Forbes, senior pastor of the historic Riverside Church in New York City, spoke at an interfaith service at Pullen Memorial and addressed issues of sexuality and rights in the United States. [http://www.newsobserver.com/news/wake/story/498359.html "Minister to speak about gay rights"] , "The News & Observer" 14 October 2006.]

In 2002, McKinney wrote an op-ed in "The News & Observer" expressing his concerns about sex education in the Wake County Public School System. He stated,

"The most trusted medical and scientific institutions in our nation recommend sexuality education that includes age-appropriate and medically accurate information about abstinence and contraception. But we don't have that in Wake County. We have a strict abstinence-based curriculum that is driven by conservative religious values, has no track record of success and ignores the complicated and frightening realities in which our children live." [http://www.plannedparenthood.org/issues-action/take-political-action/pro-choice-clergy/fall-2002.htm "Minister Makes The Case For Comprehensive Sexuality Education", Clergy Voices: Volume 7, Issue 1] , Planned Parenthood, Fall 2002.]

McKinney endorsed the Planned Parenthood Clergy Advisory Board statement on sexuality education. [http://www.plannedparenthood.org/issues-action/take-political-action/pro-choice-clergy/fall-2002.htm "Minister Makes The Case For Comprehensive Sexuality Education", Clergy Voices: Volume 7, Issue 1] , Planned Parenthood, Fall 2002.]

During the time leading up to the Iraq War, McKinney spoke out against the invasion saying, "If the church feels the government is over-reaching, we have to stand up and say we don't think this is wise." [http://wral.com/news/local/story/104345 "Churches Have Mixed Opinions About Potential War With Iraq"] , Stephanie Hawco, wral.com 27 February 2003.]

People of Faith Against the Death Penalty awarded Pullen Memorial its 2005 Faith in Action Award for its stance and work against the death penalty. [ [http://www.pfadp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=62 Raleigh's Pullen Memorial Baptist Church to Receive Honor for Work Against Death Penalty] , PFADP press release.] Jack McKinney has called for a moratorium on executions in North Carolina. [PDF| [http://death.live.radicaldesigns.org//downloads/BibleandtheMoratorium.pdf The Bible and the Moratorium] |15.8 KB, by Rev. Jack McKinney]

The church complex is undergoing a building expansion that will add an additional 9,600 sq ft (836.1 sq m) to the current facility. The congregation made sustainability an integral part of the plan. The building plan was recognized by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for its design and use of solar energy, green roofs, and water recycling. [http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/0316/0316d_component.cfm "2006 Award Winners Showcase North Carolina’s Architectural Best"] , AIArchitects.] The expansion will be heated and cooled by a geothermal (ground-coupled) heat pump.

References

Further reading

*"Our Heritage and Our Hope, a History of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church (1884-1984)", by Roger H. Crook, The History Committee - Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, 1985, ISBN 978-0961448509
*"Dissenter in the Baptist Southland: Fifty Years in the Career of William Wallace Finlator", by G. McLeod Bryan, Mercer University Press, 1985, ISBN 978-0865541764

External links

* [http://www.pullen.org/ Pullen Memorial Baptist Church]