The separation of church and state is less important to the Missouri Baptist Convention now than the separation of Baptists and Baptists. The Missouri Baptist Convention has gone to court to keep five breakaway Baptist groups from breaking away. The convention has filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Matt Blunt and the five breakaway groups. The Convention says the Secretary of State should not have issued new corporate charters to the five groups. It wants the charters revoked, and wants a court order saying the five groups cannot take any actions without approval of the Missouri Baptist Convention. The lawsuit is seen as another step in the ongoing conflict between conservative and moderate elements within the denomination.
