C l u j – Romanian Baptists have elected new leadership and thereby vouched for a greater closeness to the other Baptist unions of Europe. At the 34^th Baptist congress in Cluj, Dr. Otniel Bunaciu, Dean of the Baptist faculty at the state University of Bucharest, was elected president. In introductory statements he called for increased Baptist effort in the social realm: “A church without aid for the poor, is itself poor. It also suffers when there are no programmes for the suffering.” 238 delegates voted for him; another 172 for the candidate Onisim Mladin (Bucharest), the church’s last General-Secretary. Mladin was seen as the choice of the last President, Paul Negrut (Oradea), who did not candidate. Negrut remains Vice President responsible for educational programmes. The new General-Secretary is Ionel Tutac (Lugoj).

In the past, Negrut had repeatedly distanced himself from the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and spoken out in favor of close cooperation with the USA’s theologically-conservative Southern Baptists. On the other hand, Bunaciu was a major speaker at EBF-Council sessions in Lyon last year.

Otniel Bunaciu reported to the European Baptist Press Service (EBPS) that the congress in Cluj has sent out a clear signal of unity: “Despite some differences, the Baptist Union of Romania is more united than ever before.” Romanian Baptists are Bible-believing people, “who are committed disciples of Jesus Christ and have the goal of bringing the Gospel to a needy world”. Bunaciu recalled the times of Communist persecution - Baptists were strengthened through the trials of that period. He hopes and prays that these mutual experiences might not only strengthen the church’s unity, but also be used to meet the challenges of mission in cooperation with Baptists and other evangelicals: “We want to be happy not only about that which God has done in our midst, but also about that which God is doing through other brothers and sisters throughout the world.” Bunaciu sees it as a primary calling for him as President to visit congregations within the Union in hopes of discovering how the Union can better help congregations to fulfil their tasks.

At the conference, the Union, which consists of roughly 100.000 members in 1.700 congregations, gave itself a new legal structure. Conference President Vasile Talos (Bucharest) labeled approval of the proposal a “victory of the Holy Spirit and an indication for the maturity of pastors and delegates”. Both he and Bunaciu spoke in this context of a “strong indication for the unity of the brotherhood”.

Numerous resolutions were passed at the conference. The delegates decreed that Baptist pastors should not be active in political parties. Those who had once cooperated with the secret police should not be allowed to serve as pastors. The delegates also called on the Ministry of Culture to permit the teaching of creation as an alternative to the theory of evolution. Not least of all they invited representatives of the Baptist World Alliance and EBF to pay them a visit with the intent of having them explain to Romanians the theological foundations of these Baptist umbrella organisations.

EBF-General-Secretary Dr. Tony Peck (Prague) welcomed these personnel decisions. In Lyon Bunaciu had proven himself as a gifted spiritual leader: “We have regretted very much that over these past ten years we have not had the close ties with the Romanian Baptist Union which we once enjoyed. We look forward to a renewing and deepening of our relationship in the days to come.” Peck assured the new President and General-Secretary of the support and prayers of all European Baptists.