peterlumpkins.com

The SBC Name Change and the Three R's by Ron Hale

  Solomon's practical wisdom remains unsurpassed: “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, HCSB). Some would say that timing is everything!  Pierre Trudeau once said, "The essential ingredient of politics is timing.”  The “timing” of Southern Baptists being thrust into a name change debate seems a little odd or out of kilter – at least to me... >>>

SBC Tomorrow welcomes Ron Hale as guest Contributor*

Jonathan Merritt agrees--"Change that name" by Peter Lumpkins

  Southern Baptists' most prolific (and youngest) cultural critic, Jonathan Merritt, placed his public vote on the question of name change in USA Today on Monday. Agreeing with SBC President Bryant Wright, Merritt wrote:  >>>

Strategy on Choosing a New Name for the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

Immediately after the announcement of Bryant Wright's unilateral decision to appoint and approve, apart from SBC authorization, a  personal "task force" to "study" a name change for the Southern Baptist Convention, a webpage popped up and was available for "input" concerning the new name* >>>

Report of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention Study regarding Changing the Name of the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

When I began writing on this subject in January, 2010 resulting from some members of the Great Commission Task Force floating the idea of a "name change" for the Southern Baptist Convention, I linked to some documents found on SBC.net. Since that time, the documents were taken down. Fortunately,during a search for something else, I stumbled across the entire report on the name change the Executive Committee presented in 1999. I downloaded it from the SBC website and forgotten I had it! >>>

SBC: Lots to consider in a name change (OneNewsNow.com)

The largest Protestant denomination in the United States says it will explore a possible name change.

via www.onenewsnow.com

New webpage offers resources for SBC name change by Peter Lumpkins

I put together a special webpage which will assemble resources concerning the rogue effort put in place by President Bryant Wright and "unofficially" endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to study the feasibility of changing the name of the SBC, all the while bypassing the will of the Southern Baptist Convention itself  >>>

Redux: Epilog: Changing the Name of the Southern Baptist Convention by Peter Lumpkins

Below is an unpublished piece from a series I in wrote January, 2010 when some of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force members were floating the idea of changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention (does anyone really believe Bryant Wright's formation of his personal "task force" to study changing the SBC name is anything other than an extension of the GCR agenda, an agenda placed on hold because it was just too much for Southern Baptists to swallow all at one time?). I cannot recall why I did not publish the piece then though it was possibly due to a conversation I had with a respected leader to "let it go" since the floated idea about name change was already DOA. We should have realized, of course, that political posturing has more lives than the proverbial cat.

Even so, I publish the post now because I think it still holds some relevancy to our present scenario. I hope it is helpful albeit belated...  >>>

SBC Name-Change: Exploring the Possibility or Publicizing the Decision? by Peter Lumpkins

From the start, SBC president, Bryant Wright assured all Southern Baptists that his self-appointed “task force” possessed no official authority. At least that’s what Baptist Press reported  >>>

Southern Baptists Resolve to Change Name by Peter Lumpkins

One gets the sense that many assume President Bryant Wright is leading (or pushing, depending on one's perspective) Southern Baptists to launch out into treacherous waters where they have never before sailed. Even Wright himself (as does Al Mohler) seem(s) to assume such a posture because, according to him (them), "Southern" as in "Southern Baptist Convention" is much too regional and hence no longer reflects Southern Baptists' global concern* >>>

William Lane Craig on Matthew 27:52-53

Below is a clip from a debate between William Lane Craig and James Crossley. In the course of Craig's presentation, he referenced the resurrected saints in Matthew 27. At the Q/A time in the closing segment, a questioner appealed to Craig to explain his understanding of the resurrected saints about which Matthew mentions. Craig's answer is enlightening:

Name Change for Southern Baptists? Here we go again by Peter Lumpkins

Baptist Press released the Southern Baptist Convention President’s announcement that he appointed a task force to study the name of Southern Baptists  >>>

Norm Geisler defends Al Mohler by Peter Lumpkins

Dr. Norman Geisler offered a stunning rebuttal to Mike Licona's critique of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president, Al Mohler. Geisler concludes  >>>

Dr. Adam Harwood on Spiritual Condition of Infants by Peter Lumpkins

Truett-McConnell assistant professor of Christian Studies, Adam Harwood, says few things are "more painful or perplexing" than the death of an infant. Only recently did I profile Dr. Harwood's book, The Spiritual Condition of Infants: A Biblical-Historical Survey and Systematic Proposal . At no time have we needed tighter, more sophisticated, sober thinking about this issue. Sadly, some theologies offer no sure biblical-theological footing on the spiritual condition of infants

Classic Reformed thought has been all over the map on the issue, from assigning non-elect babies to the fires of hell to a guarded skepticism that Christians cannot know the answer to the fate of infants dying in infancy since God has been virtually silent on the issue. Indeed for most of its history, and by some of its greatest lights including Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, and even John Calvin himself, the theological consensus was, the only infants dying in infancy who were not in hell were elect infants. The rest were reprobate.  

In fact, the record is so indisputably strong, renowned nineteenth century Lutheran scholar and historian, C. P. Krauth, in his mammoth historical compilation of views on Infant Salvation among the Reformed bodies entitled, Infant Baptism and Infant Salvation in the Calvinistic System offered a modest proposal to Calvinist scholarship in the conclusion to his book:

"We request any and all defenders of [Westminster] Calvinism to produce a solitary Calvinistic standard or divine, from the First Helvetic Confession to the Westminster Confession, or from Calvin to Twisse, the prolocutor of the Westminster Assembly, in which, or by whom, it is asserted or implied that all who die in infancy are certainly saved" (//link, pp.78-79)

Even so, Dr. Harwood recently spoke on this timely issue at Truett-McConnell.

Below is a video. It's worthy of wide circulation  >>>

"Live Forever" by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

Check out the hit single by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors entitled, Live Forever.  All members of the band are dedicated Christian men and women. Especially note the drummer, my son-in-law, Jon Radford. God gave me two great sons-in-law for my baby girls (and a great daughter-in-law as well!). Enjoy...

Memo from Licona to Mohler and Geisler: "unpersuasive and misguided" by Peter Lumpkins

Mike Licona is not backing down. While he softened his wording found in his published book in the open letter to Norm Geisler, it seems he's once again taking a polarizing position on the Matthew 27:52-53 text. Indeed after going back and fairly well arguing strongly for his original position in his book, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, Licona boldly asserts   >>>