peterlumpkins.com

The Barbarians, the Bolsheviks, and the Baptists by Sam Houston

The guest essay below is written by a conservative Southern Baptist in the Southwest. The insight is stunning, reflecting a deep understanding of what’s happening in the Southern Baptist Convention. Read and absorb it with care.

With that, I am…

Peter

Mark Driscoll on Politics: An Interesting Take by Peter Lumpkins

 Wintery Knight (WK), a site which integrates Christian faith and the public square, posted an interesting commentary on Mark Driscoll's view of Christian involvment in the voting process. I found it a little alarming, but the substance accurate and the conclusion worthy.  WK concludes,

Southern Baptists Handling the Truth by Peter Lumpkins

 

with that, I am...

Peter

Calvinism: Necessary, Sufficient, or Neither? by Peter Lumpkins

I was recently in dialog with a very learned Southern Baptist. I cherish those moments when I may ask brilliant men questions, informally chatting along and even saying, "Hold it for a moment; What do you mean by...?" Indeed I'm telling you, a theological chat, a cup of San Fransisco Coffee Company's Old Whaler's Blend, a half sesame-seed bagel, toasted with peanut butter, and it just doesn't get any better. I wish I could have something like that more often...>>>

Denny Burk on Objectivity: A Subjectivist Substitute? by Peter Lumpkins

Last week, New Mexico pastor, Howell Scott, wrote a social commentary bemoaning what many of us in conservativism view a senseless act of leftist obsession with controlling free speech. The occasion was the firing of media analyst and self-described Liberal commentator, Juan Williams, for his “insensitive remarks” about Muslims and airlines.  Scott sums it up well:

With the firing of Juan Williams…we are witnessing the continued assault on our First Amendment freedoms by radical Islamists and their liberal elite friends in the media and government.  I knew that any direct or overt criticism of Islam (even the radical kind) would eventually be considered offensive and off-limits..Who knew that not just our words, but even our feelings would be considered offensive to Islam?

Williams’ release from his NPR contract seemed a fairly straight-forward abuse of what Thomas Sowell dubs “verbal virtuosity,” one form of which is verbal cleansing. And, while others—especially leftist apologists for the Liberal intelligentsia—agreed with and defended Williams’ dismissal, I hardly expected a different response >>>

Quiet Revolution or Open Celebration? Calvinizing the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

In his book, A Quiet Revolution, Earnest Reisinger (along with co-author, D. Matthew Allen) notes what he feels is the forsaking of historic Christianity in the Southern Baptist Convention and the recovery of the gospel...

Al Mohler and Moral Reasoning as Applied to Yoga & Perhaps Another Thing or Two by Peter Lumpkins

The Associated Baptist Press reports an interesting panel discussion between several panelists, including two Texas Baptists. The subject?  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President, Al Mohler's recently expressed opposition to yoga practice. According to Dallas Morning News reporter, Sam Hodges:

Time to Quit Blogging? by Peter Lumpkins

The last few days have been, shall we just keep it simple and say, a little rough.  To not only have your heart trashed, your faith questioned and your character smeared, but also have impostors being allowed (and even encouraged) to post comments in your name* is not the cup of soup I'd prefer to sip. 

Nevertheless, I'll sip on bitter soup a good long spell if my leftover options are limited to either a) silence; or b) acquiescence. Biblical commitment and Baptist conviction wed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ drive me to this conclusion.

Hence, I dedicate this video** to my loving critics who have wondered the future of SBC Tomorrow, and whether it should be considered "worthy" or "influential" in any sense of the word.

With that, I am...

Peter

Danny Akin, SEBTS, SBC Voices, and my Take on Acceptable Engagement by Peter Lumpkins

Warning:  THIS PIECE IS VERY LENGTHY

I initially prepared the piece below (below the double under-lined section) as a comment for this thread. I do think. however, it needs wider exposure. It is a longer comment exposing I think a fundamental divide between what I find as acceptable, honorable exchange and what other bloggers—specifically some Southern Baptist bloggers—judge as the “best” and “worst” in blogging. I think it beneficial if one is interested in knowing what drives me to write as I do. More importantly now, please read at least the first portion of this piece...

Peter Lumpkins: The Worst Kind of Baptist Blogging: A Rejoinder by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE:  I have to be honest here. Though I still recommend your reading the Miller post and my subsequent response to what I would still characterize as Miller's non-sensical critique of my last post, it's difficult for me to recommend the SBC Voices' site (only on this particular post is this applicable). The problem is, the comment thread lost all rational toward the subject at hand, so much so, that not even Danny Akin logging on could salvage it.  If you do read, expect to gain little so far as understanding is concerned.

From my standpoint, feeding frenzies on people rather than honest attempts in critiquing ideas surely cannot be ruled out a priori by those who set themselves up as official judges determining what constitutes either the best or worst in Baptist blogging, or any blogging for that matter. If SBC Tomorrow ever, ever becomes a site which exploits other people, perpetually calling into question a person's heart and/or motives, bypassing the hard thinking it takes to critique another's reasoning, another's structural argument by accurately pinpointing his or her thesis and demonstrating, through sound reason and Scripture, if necessary, another's point is not well-taken...if SBC Tomorrow would forfeit an ideal like that and instead move to the easy, slick popular approach of assigning deviancy, questioning sincerity, dismissing another view not on the basis of demonstrable inferior belief, but rather on the basis of denounced inferior behavior--i.e. pointing out a particular writing ought not be communicated cannot replace pointing out why a particular writing must be considered incorrect... if SBC Tomorrow becomes the embodiment of  people feeding frenzies, it will be time for SBC Tomorrow to say, good night for good.

For now, I offer my faithful readers this commitment:  SBC Tomorrow will focus on issues, taking the bumpy route of analyzing ideas not the easy road of assigning motives.

With that, I am...

Peter 

========================================================

Dave Miller, at SBC Voices put up a post attempting to answer my last post, Here Come Those Boozin' [young, Cool, hip] Baptists.  Miller's post implicates my post as the worst kind of Baptist blogging. Well, that may or may not be the case.  I've never thought of my posts as the best kind of blogging, Baptist or otherwise.  But to be honest, even though I'm quite sure I've laid some eggs since 2006, I've never thought of myself as the worst either.

Even so, I encourage you to read Dave Miller's rendition of my post. Then, swing back by here and click the link below or click here to find my response to Miller at SBC Voices. I hardly ever "answer" people's criticisms of SBC Tomorrow at other sites.  But I thought this one needed a definitive response.

Some folks really need to read carefully before they attempt to answer someone in a main blogpost.

That's all.

With that, I am...

Peter

My response to Dave Miller's The Worst Kind of Baptist Blogging

Here Come Those Boozin' [young, cool, and hip] Baptists: A Problem for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary? by Peter Lumpkins

I'll never forget Baptist Historian, Walter Shurden's little volume on Baptist history--the first history of Baptists I ever laid eyes on and required to actually read--Not a Silent People (link for 2nd edition, not the original edition). In the volume he used the catchy refrain "Here come those battlin' Baptists!" while dealing with several controversies which have shaped Baptists--particularly Southern Baptists--throughout history.

Thabiti Anyabwile on The Economist by Peter Lumpkins

   Recently, I put up a piece linking to the 9Marks Conference hosted by the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, especially profiling the address on Romans 9 by Thabiti Anyabwile, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman in the Grand Cayman Islands and a Council member with The Gospel Coalition, and comparing his perspective with another perspective on Romans 9 by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s professor of theology, Malcolm Yarnell.

 

Salvation and Sovereignty: a Molinist Approach: An Extended Book-look (part I) by Peter Lumpkins

      Dr. Kenneth Keathley is Professor of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration/Dean of the Faculty at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His book, Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach (SSM, B&H, 2010, $24.99) contributes a unique approach among Southern Baptists toward solving the classic dilemma between God’s Sovereignty and human free will. In fact, unless I am mistaken, Dr. Keathley is the first writing Southern Baptist theologian who embraces the historical theological position known as Molinism  >>>

Do GCR Opponents Talk To Each Other? Howell Scott Thinks So by Peter Lumpkins

  If you have not discovered From Law to Grace, a blog written by New Mexico pastor, Howell Scott, you need to put his site in your reader. Few SBC bloggers make as much sense as this attorney turned pastor--especially on recent changes pertaining to the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Program, and the present GCRTF agenda.

Restoring America Conference by Peter Lumpkins

   First Redeemer Church, Cumming, Georgia is hosting a Restoring America Conference, October 10-12.  The founding pastor, Dr. Richard Lee is no stranger engaging America's cultural drift from the Judeo-Christian moral construct upon which it was founded. Recall Dr. Lee is the General Editor for the famed The American Patriot's Bible, only recently becoming Amazon's best-selling themed Bible.

 

Expected to draw 3,000 in attendance, on the platform for the conference are:

Herman Cain

Fred Barnes

Walid Shoebat

Ann Coulter

With that, I am...

Peter