SBCOutpost

Duke University Scholar, Curtis Freeman, has authored a provocative assessment of W.A. Criswell’s “change of heart” in 1968 regarding the issue of racial segregation.

Read the full article here.

(HT: Sam Hodges)

Cough! Cough! [He brushes away the cobwebs around here.]

In February, 2005 Time Magazine named Richard Land one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.  What we here at SBC Outpost would like to know is: who exactly does Richard Land influence?  Does he influence you?  In what way?  If you’re a balding pastor are you wanting to know who did his hair plugs for him?  If you are fashion-challenged are you wanting to know where you can get your own pair of two-tone wing tips?  If you have an eating disorder are you curious about his secrets to a robust figure?

Ok….those last few comments were just silly and can be ignored.  We don’t want a bunch of humorless whiners complaining in the comment section about how mean we are.  But seriously, what was the last thing you heard or read from Richard Land that influenced you and how did it influence you?  Of all the people we would expect to be influenced by Dr. Land we would think it would be involved and informed Southern Baptists.

Evangelicalism in general and the SBC in particular may be at a crossroads.  We can already see the rift in our own convention that the blogosphere has exposed.  People who’s theology is not six inches apart are polarized over a variety of lesser things, mostly politics of either a denominational or governmental sort.

The pages here at SBC Outpost reveal that all too often.  The things that divide us can be seen in posts about global warming and presidential portraits.  In a denomination of [ahem] 16 million - give or take nine or ten million - we can see reflections of evangelicalism as a whole.  The question is: where will the future take us?

There are those who advocate a return to the good old days.  Bring back John Dagg.  Resurrect 18th Century Associational church life.  Let us be what we used to be.  Re-establish the old landmarks [snort, snicker - pun intended].

Opponents of this view warn that it will lead to obscurantism.  First we’ll become like Independent Baptists, railing against cultural evils to ever-shrinking crowds as we develop a “remnant” mentality awaiting the second-coming so that God can rescue us from this great big mess.  Then in twenty years we’ll become like the Amish.  Cute.  Odd.  And irrelevant.  Proponents see it as the only way to be faithful.

There are others who advocate a new day.  Recognize that the SBC/evangelicalism has never been as homogeneous as it is being portrayed and rally around those things which are essential and with which we all can agree.

Opponents of this view warn that it will lead to a slippery slope into the well-worn path already cut out by mainline denominations.  First we’ll talk about cooperation, then poverty and AIDS, then we’ll give up on the Bible and adopt an anything-goes ethic.  Proponents see it as recapturing the main thing - the gospel.

Bill Leonard warned that this sort of rift would lead to a splintering of the SBC.  The New York Times suggests evangelicalism as a whole may be right there with it.

Are these our options?  Does anyone care whether we come together or not?

The trustees of SWBTS have issued a statement of full support for Drs. Dorothy and Paige Patterson. We reproduce that statement here for blogger parsing.

SBCOutpost would like to issue our compliments to the President and First Lady on a well worded statement. We just love how criticism of the First Couple is a threat to the Kingdom of God and jeopardizes the eternal souls of men. SBCOutpost will have a statement of our own, very soon. Until then, we hope no more lost people go to Hell because Paige and Dorothy Patterson have had a rough year.

Jesus calls Southern Baptists, and indeed, all Christians, to reach a lost world with His Gospel. Additionally, we are to model Christ in the way we live our lives and in the way we treat one another. As Trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, we believe that the incessant public attacks on Dr. and Mrs. Paige Patterson and other Baptist leaders of late are harmful to our mission of reaching the world with the Gospel. What the world, both Christians and non-Christians, sees is not Christ-like. Indeed, some of the actions are contrary to what the Bible teaches. Therefore, the Trustees at SWBTS would like to make the following statement of support for Dr. and Mrs. Patterson.

The Trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) take seriously the responsibility given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ and the Southern Baptist Convention to provide oversight and guidance to SWBTS. Therefore, we want Southern Baptists to know the following:

1. The financial records of the seminary are examined (audited) annually by an independent auditor. To date, no audit has indicated any financial mismanagement or impropriety. Indeed, the administration of the seminary works diligently to assure that financial integrity is always maintained, and that is what the audits reveal. Southern Baptists can have assurance that contributions given to the seminary are spent wisely according to the leadership of the Lord and according to the donors’ requests. A contribution given to SWBTS is a wise investment in God’s kingdom work!
2. The work of the administration, faculty, and staff is evaluated at least annually according to policies that are designed and/or approved by the trustees. The president is included in the evaluation process, and all trustees have the opportunity to contribute to the evaluation process of the president. The president has welcomed these opportunities of evaluation, and he hears and respects the counsel of the trustees.
3. The president has always been open with the trustees and answers their questions fully. We cannot conceive how anyone can be any more open and honest than is Dr. Patterson! Dr. Patterson understands the trustee process and recognizes that he provides leadership to the seminary under the Lordship of Christ by the authority granted to the trustees by the convention. The trustees likewise recognize that they serve the Southern Baptist Convention under the Lordship of Christ. Just as Dr. Patterson is accountable to the Lord and to the trustees, so the trustees are accountable to the Lord and the Southern Baptist Convention.
4. Our Baptist forbearers were wise to set up the trustee system that Southern Baptists have in place. It works extremely well! The relentless attacks on Dr. Patterson are also a subtle attack on the trustee system of oversight that the convention employs.
5. We join with other Southern Baptists in urging that public attacks against Dr. Patterson and other leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention that hurt the spread of the gospel to an unbelieving world cease for the sake of those who are headed to utter destruction. There is a place for constructive criticism of the leadership of our agencies, and Southern Baptists have set up a trustee system to primarily allow for that need. Scripture does tell us to speak the truth, but it also says it is to be done in love and gentleness, with the goal of redeeming a brother in Christ. Above all, there is a watching world that needs to see Christ’s love in all of our words and deeds.
6. The trustees of SWBTS have found no reason to question the integrity of Dr. Patterson. Indeed, we find him to be a man of exemplary integrity. We are thankful for the leadership of Dr. Patterson and heartily commend him for the work that he has done as president of SWBTS. We also look forward to many years of his continued leadership.

In an interview on the PBS program Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, Mike Huckabee said that some religious leaders are not supporting his campaign because they are more “more intoxicated with power than principle.”

Many prominent evangelical religious leaders, including Tony Perkins, Gary Bauer, Richard Land and Al Mohler appear to be supporting Mormon Mitt Romney.  Others, such as James Dobson and John Hagee are being accused of staying quiet on the Mormon issue because they don’t want to offend the many Mormons who buy their books.

Huckabee “expressed frustration that some conservative Christian leaders say they agree with his principles, but don’t believe he can win. He responds that he could win more easily with their support, and that standing for principle should matter more than even winning the presidency.”

Is this a matter of politics over faith and principle?  It sure looks like it.