Lotz to receive Human Rights Award

From the Baptist World Alliance in Washington, D.C.

Denton Lotz, former general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), will receive the BWA Human Rights Award during the Baptist World Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii, from July 28 to August 1.

Lotz, who was BWA general secretary from 1988-2007, led the international Baptist organization in some of its groundbreaking actions and decisions on racism, religious freedom, and other issues of human rights.

In 1992, Lotz helped to form a Special Commission on Baptists against Racism and Ethnic Conflict, in response to race-related riots in Los Angeles in the United States and racial and ethnic conflicts in other countries. The commission produced the Harare Declaration (adopted by the BWA General Council during its meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe) in 1993, where Baptists pledged to "expose and challenge the sin of racism."

Under Lotz's leadership the BWA planned an International Summit of Baptists against Racism in January 1999 in Atlanta, Georgia. Delegates from approximately 30 countries drafted and affirmed a statement declaring a "decade to promote racial justice," beginning in 2000, and urged BWA member bodies to promote efforts to eradicate racism and fight against ethnic conflict worldwide. The "Atlanta Covenant" called on Baptists to become "agents of reconciliation" and work for integrated worship, holistic evangelism, the elimination of unfair trade and protection of the rights of aboriginal and tribal peoples.

The former BWA leader also initiated or led human rights visits to several countries, and has met a number of world leaders to discuss issues of human rights in their respective nation, such as with former presidents Fidel Castro of Cuba, Daniel arap Moi of Kenya, and Lech Kaczynski of Poland.
Lotz often protested human rights abuses to the ambassadors of countries where such human rights were undermined, and made representations to the United Nations and various government officials on the behalf of oppressed peoples.

It was under Lotz's leadership that the BWA emphasized its observation of Human Rights Day in December of each year, as well as the inauguration of an annual Human Rights Award to a Baptist who has made significant contribution in advancing human rights in his or her life, work and ministry.