Description
The Christian Life Commission is active in the Texas legislature on matters of public policy as designated by CLC Commission members. The Commission is a diverse body made up of both pastors and lay members of Texas Baptist churches throughout the state. Commission members prayerfully consider scripture, Christian ethics, biblical values of justice and care for the “least of these” as well as practical realities of modern life when formulating positions. CLC staff in Austin then advocates for these policies and facilitates and encourages active participation in the process by Texas Baptists.
The CLC is committed to ensuring that Texas Baptist churches, pastors and lay people have access to accurate, non-partisan information and are well informed about the legislative process in Austin.
History
Since 1950, the Christian Life Commission has served as the ethics agency of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The CLC has the assignment of speaking to and with churches and individuals about important ethical issues. Christian ethicist and seminary professor T.B. Maston, and other Texas Baptists who were instrumental in establishing the CLC, determined that helping Baptists deal with critical modern issues was an inherently prophetic assignment.
Because of that historic role, the CLC has been given the mandate of speaking to critical issues on the basis of the gospel. Some of these issue areas include: citizenship and public policy, family life, religious liberty, ethnic reconciliation, faith in the workplace, hunger and poverty, substance abuse, environmental justice and creation care, war and peace, gambling, bioethics — and many more.