Who are we? Matthew Giuffrida

What kind of Baptists are we?

During his tenure at Valley Forge, it was easy to mistake Matthew Giuffrida for an ordained clergyman. "No," he'd explain quickly. "I'm a layman. A militant layman."

The son of a prominent ABC clergyman, Matthew was committed to the Baptist idea that all believers have a ministry – a job to do for Jesus.

Matthew's calling was refugee resettlement, a job he started shortly after the chaotic post-World War II period when millions of displaced persons were seeking a permanent home. U.S. immigrations policies required that immigrants be sponsored into the U.S. by a reputable individual or organization that would guarantee a home and a job. Through constant persuasion and cajoling, Matthew enlisted hundreds of American Baptist congregations to offer that sponsorship. At the end of his career, he had helped resettle nearly 90,000 refugees – more than any other Protestant denomination in the U.S.

It wasn't always easy. When Matthew agreed to sponsor refugees of the Cuban Mariél boat lift in 1980, some critics noted that many of the refugees were gays and lesbians. American Baptists who had revered Matthew as a saint began calling for his resignation. But Matthew knew Jesus didn't discriminate against people who came to him with urgent needs. Neither, he said, should American Baptists.

When we think of the kind of Baptists we try to be, we think of him.