My mentor, Dr. Rick Davis, recently suggested the need to check out information posted on blogs for “verification and authentication.” In my previous post I noted Nathan Finn calling attention to the new dynamics the Internet creates for SBC politics. In today’s edition of The Daily Oklahoman religion reporter Carla Hinton wrote a piece titled, “Blogging boosts dialogue.” (The online version of the article is titled, “Southern Baptists’ access to information a click away.”)

Wade Burleson, Wes Kenney and Debbie Kaufman receive press for their participation in blogging. Burleson noted his interest began while serving on the Board of Trustees of the IMB. Most, if not all, Outpost readers would be familiar with Burleson. Hopeful blogging would bring more information, transparency and accountability Burleson began blogging chiefly regarding policy changes at the IMB. Since that time Wade has posted on a variety of subject.

Kenney is one of the four founders of SBCToday according to the article. He too considers the goal of of SBCToday to provide information and a place to dialogue primarily about Baptist identity issues. Comments are moderated and when the moderators consider a comment unhelpful will delete it informing its author.

Kenney took the occasion to point up the difference between the aims of SBCToday and another blog SBCTooDazed. On the one hand those at SBCToday contend for a focus on issues rather than personalities. Kenney suggested SBCTooDazed makes personality the issue. I checked out SBCTooDazed and find it not too dissimilar from early parody sites of SBCOutpost. Anyone remember “Marty binDuren?” In fact, those parody attempts used satire just the same to draw attention to the authors differing perspectives. The parody sites of SBCOutpost were also offered by anonymous authors. We too, the Outpost Team, may eschew the method but I did find the content of SBCTooDazed to, more often than not, address an issue raised by SBCToday once getting past the name changes.

I, like Kenney, may prefer a different forum for discussion. But, I do recall reading those early parody sites to hone my own understanding and hope to get an idea of the author’s particular nuance of an argument or difference of opinion. If someone takes the time to write, it may even be a compliment, though I may not think so.

Debbie Kaufman finds blogs helpful to her understanding of issues in the SBC. She notes a regular regimen of research she hopes will continue to make her a more informed voter.
Doubtless one could spend inordinate time perusing the innumerable SBC blogs. Some write blogs with a narrow focus on SBC issues/politics. Others write with their local church in mind. Still others write for a combination of audiences. Careful reading may indeed offer information worthy of consideration. Conversation, as noted in the previous post, would be a great outcome.

There is little doubt each of these bloggers intend to shape opinion. Any change that comes will be a result of any number of factors - thoughtful content, welcome diversity in conversation, and the receptivity to other ideas by the reader among a host of others.

Elizabeth Ulrich with the Nashville Scene, an independent news magazine headquartered down the street from our own Southern Baptist Convention offices, has hit the presses with a feature story entitled What Would Jesus Say?

In her lengthy treatment of sexual predators and the Southern Baptist Convention, Ulrich provides extensive coverage and analysis of the way SBC leaders are seeking to balance ecclesial autonomy and moral responsibility when it comes to protecting God’s children from victimization.

The story covers the sad saga of Debbie Vasquez, who was repeatedly molested by her pastor more than thirty years ago. The narrative is gripping and graphic. The consequence of our bureaucratic inability to stop this sort of thing is troubling. As with all news stories, we can presume a certain embellishment for readability and interest. Numerous SBC leaders figure prominently in the story, many of whom are surely as grieved as we at SBCOutpost are about this terrible tragedy.

Of particular interest to readers of SBCOutpost, however, will be the correspondence Debbie Vasquez had with Defendant Paige Patterson. When asked by Vasquez about his involvement in the Darrell Gilyard case, Defendant Patterson replied:

“Debbie, what more did you want me to do? Would you feel better if I shot [Darrell Gilyard]? I am not a detective, a judge, a jury, or an executioner.”

Read the whole story here.

The Tennessean printed an AP piece by Rosie French. It seems some observers of things SBC muse about the implications of the Jeffress nomination of Al Mohler,

“It (Mohler’s possible nomination) may mean some people are worried about a perceived softening that may have been represented about the current president … worried that conservatives may be letting their guard down.

“My suspicion is there are people who have forged battles the last 20 years who believe it’s important to keep the battle alive, keep their guard up. There’s one wing of that conservative movement that’s been characterized as combative.”

Fear does energize we who come under the banner, “Southern Baptist.” If our culture warriors convince us of fear we will jettison critical thinking and give way to the underlying agdenda … mabye “exiting public schools.” We reprint the article in its entirety for your benefit and musing in the comment thread.

Thursday, 01/10/08

Southern Baptists ponder conservative

Ky. seminary head may be nominated to lead the church

By ROSE FRENCH
Associated Press

A controversial Kentucky Southern Baptist seminary president who has advocated a Christian “exit strategy” from public schools is in the running for Southern Baptist Convention president.

The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., one of the country’s pre-eminent conservative Christian leaders, also has speculated about potential medical treatment to switch an unborn baby’s sexual orientation from gay to heterosexual.

Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, an nounced last week that he plans to nominate Mohler at the denomination’s annual meet ing in Indianapolis in June.

Current SBC President Frank Page of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., concludes his second term in June and is ineligible for re-election.

Mohler’s possible nomination reflects a desire by some Baptists to return to the leadership associated with a 1980s conservative takeover of convention leadership from moderates, scholars say.

Page came from outside the conservative leadership that tightly controlled the denomination for more than a decade. He promised to stand up for the denomination’s conservative beliefs but also seek a broadening of voices and opinions in the convention.

Nancy Ammerman, a professor of sociology of religion at Boston University School of Theology who’s written extensively about Southern Baptists, said Mohler would probably be seen as a more “hard-line candidate.”

“It (Mohler’s possible nomination) may mean some people are worried about a perceived softening that may have been represented about the current president … worried that conservatives may be letting their guard down.

“My suspicion is there are people who have forged battles the last 20 years who believe it’s important to keep the battle alive, keep their guard up. There’s one wing of that conservative movement that’s been characterized as combative.”

Mohler says he’s open

Mohler said Wednesday that he may be identified with the conservative resurgence with in the SBC in the 1980s, but that he’s open to hearing views different from his own.

“I want to bring more people into the conversation,” he said. “I certainly want to involve more people … representing many different places and ages and churches.

“I represent a known quantity to the SBC. They know who I am and what I believe.”

President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Mohler hosts a daily, nationwide program on the Salem Radio Network. He also writes a blog commenting on moral, cultural and theological issues.

If elected convention president, Mohler, 47, said he would focus on reaching out to young Southern Baptists and improving missions and evangelism.

Mohler wrote last year on his Web site that scientific research could prove a biological basis for homosexuality and explored the idea that if sexual orientation could be detected before birth, whether parents should consider potential techniques that would reverse homosexuality in the womb.

Mohler said Wednesday that he was speaking hypothetically about the issue.

On today’s edition of “Calling For Truth,” SBCOutpost.com regular contributor, Paul Littleton, was the guest. In the hour-long radio broadcast, Littleton addresses issues facing the Southern Baptist Convention and the nature of discussion in denominational conflict. The topic, “Biblical Discourse and the Blogosphere,” grew out of the recent retraction of SBC President Frank Page’s endorsement of this blog.

Listen to the archived broadcast here.