Historic church in Florida, United States
United States historic place
Riverside Church at Park and King
, formerly known as Riverside Baptist Church, is a predominantly
Baptist
ecumenical congregation located in
Jacksonville, Florida
, at 2650 Park Street in the
Riverside
neighborhood. It is affiliated with the
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
,
Alliance of Baptists
and the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
.
History
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Designed by architect
Addison Mizner
and completed in 1926, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
on September 22, 1972. On April 18, 2012, the
American Institute of Architects
's Florida Chapter placed the building on its list of
Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places
.
[2]
Theology
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Riverside Church at Park and King is a progressive ecumenical Church in the Baptist tradition, serving a small but diverse congregation. According to the church website, the congregation is "
an inclusive, open and affirming community of believers without regard for race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, gender, or disability, all with a diversity of gifts and experiences united under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
"
[3]
It is associated with the
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
. As a progressive Baptist church, Riverside welcomes women and LGBTQIA+ people to serve as pastors and deacons, appointing its first openly transgender deacon in November of 2022. The church is fully welcoming to LGBTQIA+ members. Riverside Baptist Church is a partner church with the
Alliance of Baptists
and the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
.
Conflict with the Florida Baptist Convention
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In 2009, Dr. John Sullivan, executive director of the
Florida Baptist Convention
, requested a meeting with Riverside's pastor at that time, Rev. David Holladay. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss Riverside's acceptance of LGBTQ people. Riverside accepts homosexuality as a legitimate God-given identity, while the Florida Baptist Convention defines it as sinful. The meeting ended with the two parties agreeing to disagree. Riverside Baptist Church no longer identifies itself as a Southern Baptist-affiliated church.
[4]
The Building
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The sanctuary combines Romanesque, Byzantine, and Spanish elements, and is a splendid example of what is colloquially called the "Florida Spanish" style. It is one and a half stories, limestone with gabled and hipped tile roof sections, a double-door entrance beneath compound round arch, and sculptured tympanum. The design is believed to be Mizner's only religious structure. The radical nature of the design caused the loss of some members after its completion.
[5]
References
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External links
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