‘A global statesman of the Baptist family’ 

Tributes have been paid to the Revd Dr Neville Callam, General Secretary Emeritus of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA)

Dr Callam, a Jamaican, led the BWA from 2007-2017, the eighth person to do so. He was the first Black General Secretary, and the first leader from outside Europe or North America to hold the BWA’s highest ministerial and executive office.

During his decade of service with the BWA, Dr Callam guided the global fellowship through ‘one of the most challenging periods in its history’, stated the BWA, which shared news of his death on 15 August. 
 
‘Assuming office just before the 2008 global financial crisis, he led the organisation with steady resolve, working to secure its financial foundation while expanding its worldwide witness. 
 
‘He welcomed 24 new member organisations into the global Baptist family, expanding the BWA’s presence into new countries and territories. Committed to fostering Baptist unity, he led the collaborative development and publication of the Covenant on Intra-Baptist Relationships, now translated into 25 languages.’
 
General Secretary Lynn Green, who is currently BWA Vice-President, said, ‘I give thanks for the life and ministry of Dr Callam. He was a pioneer who made a tremendous impact, particularly within the global Baptist family and he leaves a lasting legacy. 

‘We join together in praying for his family as they grieve their loss.’

Current BWA General Secretary and CEO the Revd Dr Elijah M. Brown, who succeeded Dr Callam in 2018, credits him with calling Baptists into ‘greater relationship with one another and most importantly, with Jesus Christ.’ He noted the Covenant on Intra-Baptist Relationships will ‘continue to shape the global Baptist family for years to come.’

‘Dr Callam was a global statesman whose consistent call to ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ remains a powerful witness. His legacy of love and leadership will endure for generations through the countless lives and communities shaped by his faithful ministry.’

The Revd Dr David Coffey OBE served as BWA President from 2005-2010, and was part of the interview panel that appointed him in 2007. In this tribute he shared insights into Dr Callam’s work ethic, diligent preparation and theological clarity, and celebrated his gifts as ‘a pastor, preacher, theologian, ecumenical pilgrim, and global statesman for the Baptist family.’ 

‘It was my privilege to serve with Neville Callam for the first three years of his tenure with the BWA,’ Dr Coffey said. 

‘The BWA family worldwide owes an immense debt to our brother Neville for his faithful devotion to duty, and I express the same appreciation to his wife, Dulcie. When he announced his retirement from the BWA, he paid her a warm tribute, saying he had benefited from Dulcie's unwavering faithfulness and selfless support.’

Read Dr Coffey's tribute here./Articles/744868/Dr_Neville_Callam.aspx
 
Dr Callam championed new initiatives in mission and justice. He established the BWA's Division on Freedom and Justice – later incorporated into the Division on Mission, Evangelism and Justice – and the formation of commissions focused on Interfaith Relations, Racial and Gender Justice, Social and Economic Justice, Peace and Reconciliation, Religious Liberty, Human Rights Advocacy, and Creation Care.
 
Wale Hudson Roberts, the Baptists Together Justice Enabler, knew Dr Callam well, working with him on a number of initiatives, and was invited to serve on the BWA’s Racial and Gender Justice commission. He was part of the team that invited Dr Callam to deliver the second ever Sam Sharpe Lecture, which he duly did so in Manchester and Birmingham in 2013. Called Deconstructing the Notion of Race, the text of Dr Callam's lecture can be accessed here. 

‘Having someone of his standing and status patronise the lectures brought immense gravitas and established a quality template,’ said Mr Hudson-Roberts.

‘His preparation for lectures was second to none, characterised by forensic, extensive, detailed, and thorough research where every single word was chosen carefully for meaning and purpose. Whether speaking in Manchester or Birmingham, he masterfully rooted his content in its specific context. In Birmingham, his message addressed the local history and the ways it oppressed Black bodies.

‘But he was incredibly humble, gracious, amenable, and congenial. He carried his title and status lightly, simply wanting to serve and be with people.

‘As the first Black General Secretary of the BWA, he was a massive role model and exemplar to many Black people. He opened the gates for others to aspire to and enter such positions of global leadership.

‘He was a father figure to many, and will be much missed.’

Fellow Jamaican and current BWA Chair the Revd Dr Karl Johnson said, 'As a Jamaican Baptist, Neville Callam’s passing hits in a deep, personal and profound way because my relationship with him pre-dates the BWA years. I had a ‘front-row’ seat as Callam brought his enormous experience as an ecumenist to bear on the General Secretaryship.

‘Yes, his appointment was historic, but he was no novice and God graced him with resources that were indispensable for that season. A towering intellectual, he took his spirituality seriously and both were unmistakably demonstrable as he stewarded the worldwide Baptist family and navigated many of the challenges seen and unseen.

‘One of Callam’s most enduring imperatives was to make the BWA a truly global family. He was committed to doing all within his power to make this more than a fleeting illusion and a politically correct objective, but a true expression of God’s heart and mind. May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration.’

The Revd Tony Peck was General Secretary of the European Baptist Federation during Dr Callam's BWA tenure. 

He said, ‘I was shocked to learn of the death of Neville Callam. My heart goes out to Dulcie and his family and my prayers are with them at this very sad time.

‘During my time as European Baptist Federation General Secretary Neville and I did not always agree with one another, though I also experienced moments of great kindness from him.  

‘But I recognised and supported his overwhelming desire - and sometimes struggle - to make the BWA a more truly global Baptist family. And during those years it meant a lot to have someone at the helm of the BWA who was so widely respected in the ecumenical world. 

‘May he rest in peace.’