Russian Baptists and Barack Obama
Baptist statement on the election victory
Commentary
We know that many of our friends in the USA are disappointed that John McCain did not win the presidential election. We Russian Baptists too are concerned that the struggle for Christian values--for the family and against abortion--may have suffered a setback through the Democratic victory.
At the same time, we are very hopeful that the victory of a Democratic president might lead to better relations between the USA and Russia. We hope that the war in Iraq can be ended soon, and that the USA might again become a part of the “concert” of European nations. May the USA see itself as a partner and not as a country apart and aloof from other nations. We do not want another Cold War.
We are happy that Barack Obama is a member of a Protestant (United Church of Christ) denomination and that he has close ties to the Baptist community in Chicago. We congratulate Dr. Obama on his victory, for it shows that even a person with a very modest background can achieve great things. That is a source of hope to all of us. His victory is an example of the great possibilities which democracy can bring.
We wish Barack Obama and our two countries God’s best.
Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko, Department Director for External Church Relations, Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Moscow, 07 November 2008
baptistrelations@yandex.ru, www.baptist.org.ru, Tel/fax: 007-495-954-9231
A release of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. May be published freely. Release #08-52, 211 words.
