Seeking Christian unity, respect in Chicago The Interview, a regular feature of The Catholic New World, is an in-depth conversation with a person whose words, actions or ideas affect today’s Catholic. It may be affirming of faith or confrontational. But it will always be stimulating. This week, at the start of Christian Unity Week, Catholic New World staff writer Michael D. Wamble talks with Southern Baptist leader the Rev. James Queen.. The Rev. James Queen saw his share of fights between kids in Chicago, though, he said, seldom did he have to throw or duck punches. “I grew up on the North Side right between the Jewish community and the Catholic community,” said the Southern Baptist, “so I was the only guy who didn’t get beaten up in the neighborhood.” That experience taught him the difference between inter-religious dialogue for the sake of understanding, and inter-religious reconciliation where something tangible is at stake. As executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Baptist Association, Queen learned last year that one of his longstanding goals--to bring his denomination’s convention to the city--would come to fruition. Controversy soon followed. In his Sept. 5 Catholic New World column, Cardinal George wrote about the differences and similarities shared by Baptists and Catholics. The cardinal also called on Catholics to “welcome Baptists.” By November, that public welcome dimmed following a letter sent to national Southern Baptist leadership by the Chicago Council of Religious Leaders, a group that includes Catholic representation. News reports had indicated that as many as 100,000 Southern Baptists would come to Chicago bent on converting Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Hispanic Catholics. The religious leaders’ letter questioned the value to the city of such conversion efforts, citing the growing inter-religious cooperation in the city. Yet, a Chicago Tribune editorial (Jan. 4), said the possibility of 100,000 Baptist missionaries coming to the city this summer “certainly shouldn’t be cause for alarm or fear.” The editorial continued: “Nevertheless, a group of local Christian and Jewish clergy, including...Cardinal Francis George, has appealed to the Southern Baptists not to come. Among other things, they express fear the missionary campaign could ‘contribute to a climate conducive to hate crimes.’” Queen displayed a copy of a response to the Tribune from Cardinal George. (The letter was published Jan. 12.) “I did not sign it, even though I think it an important letter, because I do not believe it compatible with Christian faith for a Christian to tell another Christian not to preach the Gospel,” the cardinal wrote. “The editorial...seemed to me to strike a true note,” the cardinal wrote, and further stated, “the [council’s] letter paints a picture of inter-religious respect and cooperation in Chicago built up over many years but still fragile.” The cardinal also said he was glad Southern Baptist leadership “made it clear that they have no intention of targeting any group...” and hoped for a “dialogue of service...” As Chicago denominations prepare to celebrate Christian Unity Week (Jan. 18 - Jan. 25), a joint endeavor of the Vatican and the World Council of Churches, Queen was invited to talk about reconciliation, communication and the effort by local religious groups--especially by Southern Baptists and Catholics--to form lasting bonds of unity. Catholic New World: Has communication between the Office of the Archbishop and the Chicago Metropolitan Baptist Association improved over the past several months? Rev. James Queen: The problem with this controversy is that there’s nobody in controversy here. We are all dialoguing here in Chicago, but it looks like, from articles that have been printed, that there are big problems in Chicago. CNW: Do you feel that you’ve been misquoted in the media? RJQ: Some of the quotes that have been printed that I’ve said have made assumptions, which is what I think the cardinal’s point is--that he didn’t sign the letter. But they [newspapers] keep using his name because without the cardinal’s name being attached to it by innuendo, they [reports] don’t make The New York Times or AP wires. CNW: When you extended an invitation for the convention to come to Chicago, did you expect it might be controversial? RJQ: No. Our churches in the association are continually inviting sister churches to come and partner with them for the summer or a special event. I think what helped fuel the controversy was the number of Baptists reported to be coming, which was 100,000. CNW: Is that an accurate number? RJQ: Those are numbers that are like a carrot on the stick. If you want 10 people at a reception you invite 20. It’s not a goal that couldn’t be reached, but it was a stretch goal that wasn’t intended to be publicized. And I don’t know what was behind creating that media blitz and controversy but the way to do that is to do two things: 1) to use inflammatory language such as “hate crimes,” “blitz,” and “targeting” and 2) to use names like Cardinal George. But that doesn’t mean the cardinal and [Auxiliary] Bishop [Timothy] Lyne didn’t have their concerns. CNW: Was it correct to say [Baptist] groups intended to head to mosques and synagogues? RJQ: Reports had a ring to them that we would bring 100,000 people in and hit the local mosque or synagogue and browbeat people until they are responsive. Some of our efforts will involve evangelization in the sense of appropriate conversation within programs that already exist in our churches. CNW: It was reported that you’ve distanced yourself from any efforts to evangelize non-Christians as part of the convention? RJQ: I haven’t distanced myself in the sense of evangelizing... CNW: But you’ve distanced yourself from remarks made by other Southern Baptists nationally? RJQ: I have distanced myself from some remarks. In Baptist polity, there is no hierarchical structure. We come together to accomplish certain goals and enjoy each other in fellowship. So when people [nationally] make remarks about Chicago or about us that I don’t agree with, I distance myself, just as the Rev. Billy Graham has done. But when you look you’ll notice that he [Graham] said everyone should have an opportunity to respond to the Gospel. The problem is the inflammatory language used that causes the breaches in relationships. CNW: Where did that language come from? RJQ: That’s a good question. Certainly, it appeared in the [Chicago] Tribune. Who the architect of that language was and how it was used, I have no idea. [Some news media articles quoted the Rev. Paige Patterson, president of the 15-million member Southern Baptist Convention.] CNW: It wasn’t from the [Southern Baptist] Convention? RJQ: What they did was take our prayer letters ... inside information into the public arena to make a point. It would be like if you were talking around the dinner table and the family’s talking about the relatives, but somebody’s listening and goes over and tells them [what was said]. First of all it takes it out of the context of love and respect and makes it gossip. And by taking it over to the other person you cause some rifts. CNW: Where does ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue rank in this association’s work? Is it a priority? RJQ: We have excellent relationships [with other denominations], but as a priority meaning we seek after it, I don’t think so. Until this [controversy] appeared, I didn’t know anything about this religious group [Council of Religious Leaders]. Before their letter came out, they invited my opinions, as the local Southern Baptist director. That meeting went well. In fact, I have recently been invited by Bishop Lyne to the next four meetings of the group. Reconciliation is a top priority and concern of this association. CNW: How do you define that term “reconciliation?” RJQ: Reconciliation between groups that have been offended either by Christians in general or between any groups where there is a strained relationship, whether that’s between Baptists and African-Americans dating back to slavery or South Africa... Within the Christian context, there has been a breach with the Catholic Church, so reconciliation is needed there. If that’s what you mean about being of importance, then yes. If it’s just seeking out dialogue for dialogue’s sake ... that’s something we’re willing to do, but it’s not what I would call a priority. The forum created by the Chicago Council of Religious Leaders is just for understanding and to build relationships. I haven’t been to [other] meetings so I may be wrong, and [building relationships] is good. I’d be more concerned about reconciliation. CNW: Looking at our national holiday in honor of a Baptist minister, in the context of reconciliation, how have we faired as a society since his death? RJQ: Certainly, we have improved, but it took us 150 years to get to that place, which is a whole lot slower than most of us wish it would take. It’s something that we must continually work at to make it better. We got a great thrust from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think when you look at King from the “Reverend” point of view, we realize what he was doing was working out the Gospel: socially, politically and economically. He is an inspiration to everyone, particularly to us, although while he wasn’t Southern Baptist, he was Baptist, so he gives us a sense of pride. CNW: Why is Christian unity a priority for you? RJQ: ...In the Epistle of John, he says love all men as your fellow man. ...That is the great qualifying statement in the Bible about faith...your relationship to your fellow man. One way to check out if you’re in proper relationship with God is to look at how you’re treating others. Is it with respect and dignity and kindness? That is what the Gospel is all about.
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