welton gaddy
October 10, 1941- June 7, 2023
Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, age 81, of Monroe, Louisiana, passed peacefully from this life to the next on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe following several months of significant health issues. Rev. Gaddy was the Pastor Emeritus of Northminster Church, a progressive Baptist congregation in Monroe, having served as Senior Pastor for 25 years from 1991 to his retirement in 2016. He was also the President Emeritus of Interfaith Alliance in Washington, D.C., having served as its President for 17 years from 1997 to his retirement in 2014.
For 52 years he was married to his best friend and encourager Julia Mae (Judy) Grabiel Gaddy. During Dr. Gaddy’s 17 years with Interfaith Alliance he and Judy maintained homes in Monroe and Washington, and he commuted weekly to carry out his responsibilities in both places. Welton said having one foot in church life and another in the advocacy space gave him a perspective that strengthened his work in both spheres.
Among Interfaith Alliance’s many accomplishments under Dr. Gaddy’s leadership were his incisive paper making a case for marriage equality from a faith perspective; his passionate advocacy challenging antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and other forms of hate targeting religious minorities; and the protection of the vital boundaries between religion and government as he pushed successive administrations from both parties to avoid unnecessary entanglements.
Beginning in 2006 until last year Dr. Gaddy was also the host of Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program State of Belief where he explored the role of religion in the life of the nation. There, he illustrated the vast diversity of beliefs in America while exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion for partisan purposes and religious manipulation of government for sectarian purposes.
As Senior Pastor at Northminster Church Rev. Gaddy preached on a weekly basis, and he loved preaching. His sermons were Biblical, thoughtful, thought provoking, intelligent, and at times challenging and prophetic. All 25 years of his sermons at Northminster have been archived by the church. In his pastoral ministry and his life, he always sought to follow the words of the prophet Micah “to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with God”. Over the course of his ministry, he also provided helpful counsel to countless individuals. In 1994, he helped lead Northminster to form a partnership relationship with Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel in Ciego de Avila, Cuba, and he was passionate about that relationship.
His favorite word was “grace” which he offered to everyone he met. He graced us all with his charm, his intelligence, his integrity, his wit, his courage. Whether on the national stage or from his local pulpit, there are so many political, social, and theological positions where he influenced so many of us: on salvation, freedom, justice, inclusion, love, peace to name but a few. He challenged us out of our comfort zones in search of truth, beyond the norm, beyond tradition, beyond prejudices, beyond oppressive structures.
Curtis Welton Gaddy was born in Paris, Tennessee, to loving parents George D. and Jenola Gaddy. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, before attending the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he received his master’s in theology in 1968 and his Ph.D. in 1970. Before becoming Northminster’s Senior Pastor, Dr. Gaddy pastored churches in several southern states and he served as campus minister at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, from 1984 to 1988. He was active in the Southern Baptist Convention, serving as Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the Christian Life Commission from 1973-77 and on the denomination’s Executive Committee from 1980-1984 before leaving the denomination when fundamentalists took over leadership later in the decade.
While ministering with a message of inclusion of all people in church and society, Dr. Gaddy emerged as a leader among progressive Baptists. Among his many leadership roles, he was a founder of the progressive Alliance of Baptists, serving as its President on one occasion and was a 20-year member of the Commission of Christian Ethics of the Baptist World Alliance. His past leadership roles include serving as President of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Chair of the Pastoral Leadership Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, and member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100.
Dr. Gaddy was the author of more than 25 books, including his last one I Give You My WORD: Sharing the Language of Life, A Love Affair with God and, with the late Rev. Donald W. Nixon, then Northminster’s Minister of the Arts, a three-volume series entitled Worship: Symphony for the Senses. He also edited and authored a book on the history of Northminster’s early years entitled Coming Home: For All Who Dream of a New Church. As President of Interfaith Alliance, he appeared regularly on national news programs providing commentary on issues relating to religion and politics.
Dr. Gaddy was preceded in death by his parents and his and Judy’s son, John Paul Gaddy. He is survived by his wife Judy, his son and daughter-in-law, James Welton and Amanda Reynolds Gaddy and two grandsons of whom he was exceedingly proud, Reynolds Welton Gaddy and Jameson Taylor Gaddy, as well as a great host of friends and colleagues who became a part of his larger family through his love and devotion to justice and peace.
A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at Northminster Church, 2701 Lamy Lane, Monroe, Louisiana, on Friday, July 7 at 11:00 a.m. with Northminster’s Senior Pastor, Rev. Jillian Hankamer, as the officiant. The service will also be live-streamed and archived on the church’s YouTube channel. In lieu of flowers the family requests that any memorial gifts be made to the John Paul Gaddy Scholarship Fund at the Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia, Northminster Church, or Interfaith Alliance. The family especially wishes to thank Welton’s dear friends Patti Pate, Beth Ingram, Mark Windham, and David Culp and the many other Northminster members and friends who visited and attended to him during his final months.
For 52 years he was married to his best friend and encourager Julia Mae (Judy) Grabiel Gaddy. During Dr. Gaddy’s 17 years with Interfaith Alliance he and Judy maintained homes in Monroe and Washington, and he commuted weekly to carry out his responsibilities in both places. Welton said having one foot in church life and another in the advocacy space gave him a perspective that strengthened his work in both spheres.
Among Interfaith Alliance’s many accomplishments under Dr. Gaddy’s leadership were his incisive paper making a case for marriage equality from a faith perspective; his passionate advocacy challenging antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and other forms of hate targeting religious minorities; and the protection of the vital boundaries between religion and government as he pushed successive administrations from both parties to avoid unnecessary entanglements.
Beginning in 2006 until last year Dr. Gaddy was also the host of Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program State of Belief where he explored the role of religion in the life of the nation. There, he illustrated the vast diversity of beliefs in America while exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion for partisan purposes and religious manipulation of government for sectarian purposes.
As Senior Pastor at Northminster Church Rev. Gaddy preached on a weekly basis, and he loved preaching. His sermons were Biblical, thoughtful, thought provoking, intelligent, and at times challenging and prophetic. All 25 years of his sermons at Northminster have been archived by the church. In his pastoral ministry and his life, he always sought to follow the words of the prophet Micah “to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with God”. Over the course of his ministry, he also provided helpful counsel to countless individuals. In 1994, he helped lead Northminster to form a partnership relationship with Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel in Ciego de Avila, Cuba, and he was passionate about that relationship.
His favorite word was “grace” which he offered to everyone he met. He graced us all with his charm, his intelligence, his integrity, his wit, his courage. Whether on the national stage or from his local pulpit, there are so many political, social, and theological positions where he influenced so many of us: on salvation, freedom, justice, inclusion, love, peace to name but a few. He challenged us out of our comfort zones in search of truth, beyond the norm, beyond tradition, beyond prejudices, beyond oppressive structures.
Curtis Welton Gaddy was born in Paris, Tennessee, to loving parents George D. and Jenola Gaddy. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, before attending the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he received his master’s in theology in 1968 and his Ph.D. in 1970. Before becoming Northminster’s Senior Pastor, Dr. Gaddy pastored churches in several southern states and he served as campus minister at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, from 1984 to 1988. He was active in the Southern Baptist Convention, serving as Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the Christian Life Commission from 1973-77 and on the denomination’s Executive Committee from 1980-1984 before leaving the denomination when fundamentalists took over leadership later in the decade.
While ministering with a message of inclusion of all people in church and society, Dr. Gaddy emerged as a leader among progressive Baptists. Among his many leadership roles, he was a founder of the progressive Alliance of Baptists, serving as its President on one occasion and was a 20-year member of the Commission of Christian Ethics of the Baptist World Alliance. His past leadership roles include serving as President of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Chair of the Pastoral Leadership Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, and member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100.
Dr. Gaddy was the author of more than 25 books, including his last one I Give You My WORD: Sharing the Language of Life, A Love Affair with God and, with the late Rev. Donald W. Nixon, then Northminster’s Minister of the Arts, a three-volume series entitled Worship: Symphony for the Senses. He also edited and authored a book on the history of Northminster’s early years entitled Coming Home: For All Who Dream of a New Church. As President of Interfaith Alliance, he appeared regularly on national news programs providing commentary on issues relating to religion and politics.
Dr. Gaddy was preceded in death by his parents and his and Judy’s son, John Paul Gaddy. He is survived by his wife Judy, his son and daughter-in-law, James Welton and Amanda Reynolds Gaddy and two grandsons of whom he was exceedingly proud, Reynolds Welton Gaddy and Jameson Taylor Gaddy, as well as a great host of friends and colleagues who became a part of his larger family through his love and devotion to justice and peace.
A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at Northminster Church, 2701 Lamy Lane, Monroe, Louisiana, on Friday, July 7 at 11:00 a.m. with Northminster’s Senior Pastor, Rev. Jillian Hankamer, as the officiant. The service will also be live-streamed and archived on the church’s YouTube channel. In lieu of flowers the family requests that any memorial gifts be made to the John Paul Gaddy Scholarship Fund at the Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia, Northminster Church, or Interfaith Alliance. The family especially wishes to thank Welton’s dear friends Patti Pate, Beth Ingram, Mark Windham, and David Culp and the many other Northminster members and friends who visited and attended to him during his final months.
Interfaith Alliance Mourns the Passing of Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
With great sadness, I write to share the news that Interfaith Alliance’s former longtime-president, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, has died at home in Monroe, LA, at the age of 81. Welton was a beloved leader, and his life should serve as an inspiration to everyone who cherishes both religious freedom and democracy. In addition to my own note, I have asked my predecessor, Rabbi Jack Moline, to share his words of condolences, which are included below. Welton’s journey took him from being a rising leader in the Southern Baptist Convention to one of the most respected voices seeking to ensure the first amendment’s promise extends to all Americans regardless of faith or belief. (Interfaith Alliance 6/7/23) READMORE>>>>>
With great sadness, I write to share the news that Interfaith Alliance’s former longtime-president, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, has died at home in Monroe, LA, at the age of 81. Welton was a beloved leader, and his life should serve as an inspiration to everyone who cherishes both religious freedom and democracy. In addition to my own note, I have asked my predecessor, Rabbi Jack Moline, to share his words of condolences, which are included below. Welton’s journey took him from being a rising leader in the Southern Baptist Convention to one of the most respected voices seeking to ensure the first amendment’s promise extends to all Americans regardless of faith or belief. (Interfaith Alliance 6/7/23) READMORE>>>>>
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July 27, 2022: Mother Jones: “Alito Was Using Phrases We Had Invented as Bumper-Sticker Slogans in a Supreme Court Decision”
I knew the organization well, having served on the board for many years, including a stint as chair, before succeeding The Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy following his retirement in 2014. Feb 27, 2015: Interfaith Alliance: First Same-Sex Couple Married in Texas: Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend on State of Belief Radio This Week
This week on State of Belief, the weekly radio show of Interfaith Alliance, host Reverend Welton Gaddy welcomes Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend. Jan 10, 2015: State of Belief: “Fix society, please” – responding to a transgender suicide This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, our host, Rev. Welton Gaddy, examines how families and congregations can best support transgender youth; explores how Louisiana politics impact national politics (viz. Rep. Steve Scalise, Gov. Bobby Jindal); and with the Feast of the Three Kings just behind us, a book that presents ancient writings to argue the Epiphany story has a message far beyond the Christian faith. Aug 24, 2016: Baptist Global News: New Baptist Covenant links white, black churches in ministry
“I honestly think silence of the church in this era is not dissimilar from the silence of the church in the Civil Rights Movement,” Trey Lyon, pastor of communication and engagement at Park Avenue Baptist Church in Atlanta, said Aug. 20 on State of Belief Radio with former Interfaith Alliance head Welton Gaddy. Jan 16, 2016: State of Belief: January 16, 2016 – Celebrating our Ten Year Anniversary by remembering our past and looking ahead to the future We’ll begin the show with a clip from our first episode- an interview with the iconic newsman and tireless religious freedom advocate Walter Cronkite. Our host, Rev. Welton Gaddy, will then sit down with the key players who helped us get on the air in 2006- Thaler Pekar, who today is with the Thaler Pekar & Partners communication firm, and Isaac-Davy Aronson, now producer of the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. And, finally, Rabbi Jack Moline, Interfaith Alliance’s executive director, will look forward to the challenges religious freedom faces in 2016 and how, together, we can overcome them. |
The Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy is president of Interfaith Alliance, a national, non-partisan grassroots organization that celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Dr. Gaddy also serves as the Pastor for Preaching and Worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, Louisiana, and he is the author of over 20 books addressing religion in American life.
State of Belief is a weekly radio program on seven U.S. radio stations and the Internet, hosted by Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of Interfaith Alliance. The show discusses religion from a progressive perspective, where the emphasis is on compassion for the poor and needy. The show also emphasizes tolerance towards all religions and looks for the commonality among them. The one-hour program was launched on January 15, 2006, and was broadcast on the now-defunct Air America Radio network. Interfaith Alliance is an interfaith organization in the United States founded in 1994. Its stated goal is to protect faith and freedom by respecting individual rights, protecting the boundaries between religion and government, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism and build common ground. 
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Sept 13, 2014: Star Advertiser: Group to honor social justice reformers
Set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, the event will feature the theme "Transformation to a Better World" and the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Washington, D.C.-based national Interfaith Alliance organization.
May 9, 2014: Associated Baptist Press: Gaddy retiring as head of Interfaith Alliance
Welton Gaddy, a Baptist pastor and past president of the Alliance of Baptists, is stepping down after 16 years at the helm of the Interfaith Alliance
Set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, the event will feature the theme "Transformation to a Better World" and the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Washington, D.C.-based national Interfaith Alliance organization.
May 9, 2014: Associated Baptist Press: Gaddy retiring as head of Interfaith Alliance
Welton Gaddy, a Baptist pastor and past president of the Alliance of Baptists, is stepping down after 16 years at the helm of the Interfaith Alliance