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The SBC and the Nicene Creed Featuring Malcolm Yarnell & Steve McKinion along with Matt Emerson and Luke Stamps: A Brief Response

Four Baptist scholar-historians (two seminary professors and two university professors) plan to move at the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention that The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message be amended to include a brand new article of faith—Article XIX: The Creed. Many have wondered why now, and why this Creed. In the minds of those wondering why now, they undoubtedly are thinking about the confessional history of Southern Baptists themselves. For Southern Baptists, there appears to have always been a significant issue even if not very troubling issue that ultimately called for... Read more →

Does voter suppression in 2021 look like voter suppression in 1961? An Answer to Bill Leonard

Last week, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary research professor, Karen Swallow Prior, made a socio-cultural analogy between the systemic social consequences of the 1960s sexual revolution in the United States and the systemic racism in the United States we allegedly observe today according to Critical Race theorists. As I showed in my reply, Prior's analogy simply collapses in on itself making it far more difficult to accept her claim of systemic racism (via CRT) rather than easier. This week, a reputable Baptist historian makes yet another analogy from almost the same... Read more →

Systemic Racism & Sexual Revolution: Replying to Karen Swallow Prior

Formerly teaching English at Liberty University for over 20 years, Karen Swallow Prior presently serves as Research Professor of English and Christianity and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Prior is author of a number of books including Jane Eyre: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting; On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books; Heart of Darkness, and Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me not to mention her prolific online literary presence and numerous magazine articles published in Christianity Today and other major Christian publications. Prior's... Read more →

Theological liberalism in the SBC? A Brief Response

Baptist Press recently published a First-Person article entitled "Theological Liberalism in the SBC?" by Rhett Wilson, freelance author, bivocational pastor, and a senior writer for The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Wilson also blogs and, in fact, blogs well. I read several of his pieces and without qualification commend them. He is a superb writer. On the other hand, I think Wilson misses his target completely in his estimation of what's going on the the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Allow me to explain. As the title of his piece in Baptist... Read more →

The ERLC, Donald Trump, and Inciting Insurrection

After the regrettable “storming of Capitol Hill” on January 8, 2021, and the subsequent condemnation of President Donald Trump for inciting insurrection claimed by social media platform, Twitter, the giant media platform permanently banned the president from his Twitter accounts. In an article by Jason Thacker, who serves as chair of research in technology ethics and creative director at ERLC, a public arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote an article entitled, “Understanding Twitter suspensions and the need for consistent policies.” By design, Thacker speaks for the ERLC, that in... Read more →

Heads up to those with my RSS feed: Old Posts about Al Mohler are reposted

All, Given the importance of Al Mohler running for the SBC presidency in June of 2021, if you're in the RSS feed for my blog, you will see some older posts reposted. The posts are from 2011 and indicate Mohler's controversial words concerning the nature of homosexuality he gave at the 2011 SBC in Phenix, AZ. I trust that even though the posts are a full decade old, they will enlighten readers as to exactly why I do not personally think Al Mohler is the man to represent Southern Baptists... Read more →

2020 SBC Pastors' Conference President responds to questions raised on social media about some platform personalities

Only hours after questions were raised on social media as Baptist Press released the list of platform personalities invited to the 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference held June 7-8 at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, did David Uth, the pastors' conference president, respond back on Baptist Press. "Uth's remarks followed social media comments both opposing and supporting the selection of Wong in particular, although many posts also mentioned the non-Southern Baptist pastors." Accordingly, Uth and the staff will continue "monitoring social media to determine whether sentiments are voiced that would endanger... Read more →

Are leaders of 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference making a statement with the platform speakers in Orlando?

The SBC Pastors' Conference is an inspirational event traditionally held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Usually, the speakers are well-known in Christian circles and have national platforms as either pastors in mega-churches, stadium speakers, best-selling authors, podcasts, sports' stars, or perhaps a combination of the above. One kind of speaker that is particularly controversial, at least since 2016, is political figures. The 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference is scheduled for June 7-8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fl. Its officers are David... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention: Part 2

In Part 1, I argued contrary to many internet sources, tweeter feeds, and what one might rightly dub "Patterson haters" that Paige Patterson was a key player in dealing with the sexual predator and church destroyer, Darrell Gilyard, in 1991, forcing, as it were, Gilyard to resign his church and leave the ministry. Mainly through Patterson's influence Gilyard left the ministry so far as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was concerned. However, eleven days after Gilyard resigned, he started another church unaffiliated with the SBC,1 a move Patterson had little... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention: Interlude

As I argued earlier, Paige Patterson was a key player in dealing with Darrell Gilyard in 1991, forcing, as it were, Gilyard to resign his church and leave the ministry. And, Gilyard did leave the ministry so far as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was concerned. Eleven days after Gilyard resigned, however, he started another church unaffiliated with the SBC.1 Some insist that since rumors had been previously flying forth from different churches, rumors about which Patterson was presumably aware, this fact alone should indicate Patterson was either dragging his... Read more →

Sexual Abuse, Darrell Gilyard and the Southern Baptist Convention Part 1

The story of Darrell Gilyard easily arises to the category of legend in Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) life. As originally told, Gilyard was abandoned by his parents at a young age and wound up living under a bridge in Florida. Jerry Vines, pastor of Jacksonville First Baptist Church,1 discovered Gilyard, led him to Christ, and began mentoring him in the mid-1980s. Vines had connections to which he recommended the young, exciting, and vibrant young preacher--most notably Paige Patterson, (then) President of Criswell Bible College and Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part II

Finally, there remains an unexplored possibility to explain why there's so much internet outrage expressed over so-called "discernment blogs" coming from Southern Baptists. Jason Allen hinted at it but did not develop it in his rebuke of Capstone Report. After demanding that the "anonymous blog" retract and apologize for its false report about him, Allen acknowledged the retraction as "a small, qualified victory in a larger struggle the SBC seems to be losing" (Note: as anyone can observe, Capstone Report is not anonymous). Truth is, it may be that SBC... Read more →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs: Part I

Last week, The Capstone Report, a popular website that focuses on issues it perceives as troubling in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), released a story concerning the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jason Allen, claiming he was personally lobbying the Missouri governor to settle more refugees in the state. The story turned out to be false. Don Hinkle, longtime editor of The Pathway, Missouri Baptists' state denominational paper, wrote a brief but scathing rebuttal, accusing the author of "fake news": "I know fake news when I see it. This... Read more →

The Alleged Sex Abuse Crisis and What’s Next for the Southern Baptist Convention

The working assumption that a systemic sex abuse crisis exists in the 47,000+- churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is now officially unchallengable received dogma. Question the claim or evidence from which the claim is inferred, and the unwary enquirer will quickly be on the receiving end of the Southern Baptist internet mob. After raising questions concerning the accuracy of data driving the claim of a SBC sex abuse crisis on Twitter recently, one responder tweeted suggesting I personally cared more about statistical numbers than I did about... Read more →

Mark Galli is hardly the one to be lecturing Christians on breaking the 10 Commandments

Brannon House at WorldViewWeekend.com recently posted a piece entitled "Christianity Today Editor in Chief Called God a “Divine Drama Queen” But is Worried About President Trump Disrespecting God?." In it, House reminds readers about Christianity Today magazine's (CT) current senior editor, Mark Galli, who, on December 19, 2019, following the partisan impeachment of Donald Trump, published the article,“Trump Should be Removed From Office," wrote a piece in 2010 entitled "Divine Drama Queen." Mark Galli was senior managing editor of CT magazine in 2010. In the article now removed from CT,... Read more →

Dave Miller, Tom Ascol, and CRT/I: Conspiracy Theory!

Dave Miller wrote a piece this week entitled, "Tom Ascol Plans to 'Take the (SBC) Ship.'" The entire post concerns what Miller interprets as the stated "agenda of Tom Ascol and the Founders." Miller presumed Ascol's agenda from a single tweet, an "agenda" we'll look at more closely below. The initial difficulty is, the tweet contains a statement neither attributable to Tom Ascol nor Founders Ministries. Rather the quote Ascol tweeted was from a review of the recent documentary, "By What Standard?" funded by Founders Ministries, a review written by... Read more →

Dr. Al Mohler: Opportunist or Convictional Southern Baptist?

According to credible reports from colleagues and close friends, Dr. Mohler abruptly switched "sides" during the Conservative Resurgence (CR) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Up until 1990, Mohler is said to have embraced the Moderate/Liberal theological wing in the SBC. However, after the 1990 New Orleans convention, Mohler reportedly informed one of his closest friends that "our side" is "doing very badly" in the struggle for the soul of the convention. Accordingly, Mohler is said to have gone back to Atlanta where at the time he was editor of... Read more →

Georgia Baptists Face Difficult Decision on Vice-Presidential Nominee

A week ago, I posted a piece concerning the public announcement in the Christian Index of four nominees for the office of Vice-President of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board to be elected at the 2019 Georgia Baptist Convention held at Fayetteville's New Hope Baptist Church November 10-12. The piece produced minimal chatter on Social Media. From knowledge recently gained, more chatter definitely took place privately rather than publicly. In the piece, I suggested that while all four intended nominees possessed undeniable qualifications and experience that could benefit Georgia Baptists, there... Read more →

A Necessary "FYI" to Georgia Baptists meeting for their annual session in Fayetteville, November 10-12, 2019

Like many other state conventions, Georgia Baptists plan their annual meeting in November each year. Fayetteville's New Hope Baptist Church hosts the meeting this year beginning with an Inspirational Rally Sunday evening, November 10th at 6 pm. The convention ends on Tuesday afternoon, November 12. Most likely, Georgia Baptists' 2019 annual convention will come and pass with few, if any, wrinkles. There is one particular item that should at least arouse the interest of most Georgia Baptists and, in many ways, ought to alarm them. I happen to be among... Read more →

David & Bathsheba: Why It’s Better to Accept the Biblical Narrative About David Rather Than a Superficial One

David & Bathsheba (source) Most of us tried to let it go. You know. The recent flair up over whether David committed adultery with Bathsheba as recorded in 2 Samuel 11: 1-5 or forcibly and brutally raped her. But those who insist King David maliciously, violently raped the innocent, sinless Bathsheba continue to fuel the flame. The fact is, there's enough ambiguity in the biblical text to sustain a possible rape if we allow the modern constructs I've noted. But only a possible rape not a definitive rape. To conclude... Read more →

David and Bathsheba: Rape or Adultery?

Recently, sexual abuse advocate, Rachael Denhollander, claimed in a Twitter exchange concerning the relationship King David had with Bathsheba, "I believe the text [2 Samuel 11-12] supports rape for many reasons..." Denhollander's claim began a flurry of responses from several sectors. Bott Radio host and Christian journalist, Janet Mefferd, was among those who took issue with Denhollender's claim. "Why doesn’t the Bible say Bathsheba was raped when it clearly says that Tamar was raped? Adulterous seduction and rape, while both wrong, are not synonymous. Powerful men can commit either sin."... Read more →

Faith and Healthy Democracy: A Research Report on Civility in the Public Square: A Brief Critical Review

Recently, The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC, SBC) released a 72 page written report of a research project commissioned and supported by The Fetzer Institute, a non-Christian religious organization devoted to "helping build the spiritual foundation for a loving world." Entitled "Faith and Healthy Democracy" (FHD), the report has been widely distributed online through social media and the ERLC website. According to the author(s), the report results from a compilation of an evangelical survey poll commissioned by LifeWay Research, dozens of interviews with evangelical... Read more →

Karen Swallow Prior on John Piper's Advice to Women in Troubled Marriages

OK. I'm not much on Twitter. I've never liked it. I don't think I ever will. Moreover, it can get very vicious, even more vicious than Facebook. Yet it appears it's definitively made its mark for usefulness even among Christians, so I logged on to my old account this AM and posted a link to the piece I put up on my blog entitled, "How do Patterson Critics View John Piper on Spousal Abuse?," a piece asking some of the leaders among Southern Baptists who are bent on seeing Paige... Read more →

How do Patterson Critics View John Piper on Spousal Abuse?

Since the social media mob, led by @JonathanMerritt, @edstetzer, and @KSPrior, judges Paige Patterson's counsel to women in troubled marriages so entirely unChristian as to merit his immediate dismissal as President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one wonders what they think evangelicals ought to do with evangelical icon, @JohnPiper, and desiringGod.org for the counsel Piper offers to women in troubled marriages. Check it out. For that matter, thoughts about John Piper's counsel to women in troubled marriages from high-profile Christian celebrities and organizations could be helpful in determining exactly why... Read more →

Resolution #10: A Brief Commentary from an outsider looking in

For the few readers who still have my blog in their feed I thought I’d offer a few words on one of the resolutions passed in Phoenix.1 Below are a few comments on Resolution #10. Take these comments, if you please, as from one outside looking in, since I did not attend the convention this year. First, I’m troubled with the way Resolution #10 presumes “alt-right” is a hard term used to denote definite parameters of beliefs of an observable group we might learn through empirical research. The truth is,... Read more →

President Trump's promise to nominate a Supreme Court justice similar to Antonin Scalia

In light of President Donald Trump's recent nominee for SCOTUS, and fulfilling his promise to nominate a strict constructionist for the important judicial seat, a friend of mine posted on Facebook the following words. Note the response by newly appointed Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) Leadership Council member, Bart Barber. My response followed. Here's the bottom line so far as I am concerned. I have no issues whatsoever in #NeverTrump advocates voting the way they did, coming to conclusions different from mine, and voting their conscience. Period. That's what... Read more →

Janet Mefferd on Russell Moore and the Conservative backlash: "This isn't just about Trump"

Talk-radio host, Janet Mefferd, writes a convincing account of the issues many Conservatives have raised concerning Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) president, Russell Moore. Writing as a non-Southern Baptist, Mefferd claims many in the media falsely assume Conservatives' problems with Moore began with his criticism of then presidential candidate, Donald Trump. She demonstrates Moore's excessive and over-the-top criticism of the President-elect, including Moore's unreasonable and misguided criticism of evangelicals who voted for the President-elect, was but one of several issues many Conservatives have raised since Moore became president of... Read more →

Esteemed Southern Baptist Historian, Thomas J. Nettles on the formation, decline, and comeback of the Southern Baptist Convention

source In 2014, Thomas J. Nettles retired as professor of historical theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he had taught since 1997. Dr. Nettles' theological instruction spanned a full 38 years in the classroom of various theological institutions including Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Nettles is considered by many to be one of the foremost Baptist historians alive today. Beginning early in the 1980s, two of his books, one of which was co-authored by the late L. Russ Bush, ranked... Read more →

Another Calvinist icon apparently falls--Tom Chantry

source In the short span of three years, at least four icons among Calvinist super-stars seems to have fallen: C. J. Mahaney. Mark Driscoll. Tullian Tchividjian. And now, Tom Chantry. Of the four, it appears Driscoll is the moral cream of the crop. While he abused pastoral authority and was careless and sloppy with his writings, Driscoll's faithfulness to his family appears in tact. And what he may have done wrong at the now defunct Mars Hill Church, there seems to be no child abuse scandal looming in the dark... Read more →

Election 2016 Thoughts – Part Two: Trump Support Could Hurt Our Gospel Witness: A Critique

While I realize this post is virtually moot now since the election is upon us, Nathan Akin posted part 2 of his series only today. Thus, I thought I'd put this brief critique up. After considering the chief concerns #NeverTrump advocates like Akin have listed in campaigning against Trump and for 3rd party/write-ins, I feel even more confident I chose well in my decision. I only pray if and/or when Trump loses the presidency, and we hand off this country's political destiny to Hillary Rodham Clinton, I will be able... Read more →

J. B. Jeter on the intensity of discussions between Calvinists and Non-Calvinists

Jeremiah Bell Jeter (1802-1880) was a Southern Baptist pastor, statesman, and denominational leader in the 19th century. By all historians' accounts, Jeter was a leading light of influence in Southern Baptist life and remains a key figure in establishing the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845. He served several historic churches including the First Baptist Church Richmond, Virginia (1836-1849). At that time, Richmond's church had a total membership in excess of 1,700 members, two thirds of which were African-American ("1384 Negro and 333 white"). He was instrumental in organizing the First... Read more →

Thomas Schreiner: "Don’t we recognize in a sinful world that sometimes we need to choose the lesser of two evils?"

Thomas R. Schreiner is James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Associate Dean for Scripture and Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as Preaching Pastor of Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. A widely respected New Testament scholar, Dr. Schreiner is the author of many books, including New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Baker, 2008) and Galatians in the Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series (Zondervan, 2010).1 Recorded in the 2011 issue of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, a published sermon... Read more →

#FaithTrumpsFear or #StopSinningbyVotingTrump?

Paul Hastings (source) A video entitled "FaithTrumpsFear" seems to be making its rounds on social media. It's appeared with glowing recommendations on The Resurgent, RedState, Caffeinated Thoughts, and even captures the personal view of the Southern Baptist Convention's Pastors' Conference president, Dave Miller: "Is it time we started viewing things differently? For me, it is. this video encapsulates my view."1 Produced by a small video production company in Austin, Texas run by CEO, Paul Hastings (who is featured in the video), the reason indicated making it was because that by... Read more →

I voted for Donald Trump today. And, no, I don't feel an ounce of guilt. I feel like an American.

When it became clear to me months ago that Donald Trump would become the only real challenge to a Hillary Rodham Clinton victory for the White House, I became more verbal and perhaps more public about the 2016 presidential election than I've ever been about any election since I started voting in the early 70s. I believe this election remains, so far as this world is concerned, the last hope to preserve what we have left of a democratic republic founded upon our original constitution. Political corruption in both Democratic... Read more →

Is Voting for a 3rd Option a Wasted Vote in the 2016 Presidential Election?

UPDATE: November 4, 2017, a new Heat Street/Rasmussen Reports telephone and online survey of Likely Utah Voters finds Trump with 42% support to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 31%. Republican-turned-Independent candidate Evan McMullin has faded to 21%. In a brief piece entitled, "Election 2016 Thoughts – Part One: A vote for a 3rd Candidate is not a Wasted Vote or a Vote for Clinton" by Baptist21 contributor, Nathan Akin, five reasons are listed as to why Akin believes a 3rd candidate vote for president in the 2016 election is not in vain.... Read more →

Division at Southern seminary concerning the #NeverTrump positions of Al Mohler & Russell Moore

I wrote this on Facebook a few hours ago: Finally someone with clout speaks out on Al Mohler and Russell Moore's nonsensical stance as advocates of #NeverTrump, a position he says will put Hillary in the White House. A member of the Foundation Board of Southern Seminary for years, currently an associate of the foundation, and a financial supporter who's donated thousands as well as given annual grants to professors. Louisville, KY attorney, Jack Richardson says, "I and others on the board could not disagree more with Mohler’s position on... Read more →

Joe Carter, the ERLC and Division over Donald Trump (Part 2)

Below is Part 2 of my critique of Why Evangelicals Are Divided Over Donald Trump written by Joe Carter, a staff member at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC). As we argued in Part 1, to suggest as Carter does that come November 9, evangelicals can just shake hands and go back to being co-belligerents in a worthy cause is too naïve for words. Russell Moore and the ERLC (which obviously includes Joe Carter) have been too verbally offensive to just forget about it... Read more →

Joe Carter, the ERLC and Division over Donald Trump (Part 1)

Joe Carter, Communications Specialist at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC), recently posted a piece on The Gospel Coalition website where he also works as editor. Entitled, Why Evangelicals Are Divided Over Trump, Carter claims the divide over Donald Trump within the evangelical wing of conservatism is clearing new ground since, according to him, up until the present presidential election cycle, “there has been a general sense of unity” among social conservatives. Carter blames Trump’s polarizing persona as the chief culprit: “Few people could... Read more →

Philadelphia Baptists dealt with the eternal generation of the Son as early as 1736

The Baptist Church of Montgomery County1 began June 20, 1719 and became a member of the Philadelphia Baptist Association. Its organizing Pastor was Abel Morgan who not only preached the inaugurating sermon, but remained a guiding light for the new congregation. Other pastors who served the Montgomery church included John James, David Evans, and Benjamin Griffith. In 1727, the church called Joseph Eaton as pastor who continued his service until his death in 1749. During Eaton's tenure, a doctrinal dispute arose which threatened the Montgomery church's membership in the Philadelphia... Read more →

New Orleans Baptist Association calls for censorship of Baptist state paper

On July 12, a group of eight Baptist leaders from the New Orleans Baptist Association (NOBA) who were apparently fed up with what they called "buzzard politics" from The Baptist Message, wrote, signed, and posted an open complaint on the NOBA website. Entitled "Which Way Forward: Unity or Division?" the eight men noted specifically, "We are troubled by the critical editorials in our state Baptist paper against SBC agency heads David Platt and Russell Moore." Making the complaints into a call for unity, the associational article indicated what appears to... Read more →

Al Mohler on Heresy: Let’s show humility…sometimes

Al Mohler's anticipated response to the latest theological square-off concerning technical points of Trinitarian doctrine among evangelical academics is finally here. One theologian promoted with pleasure Mohler's latest piece: Mohler's statesmanship is specifically mentioned. Yes, Mohler indicates more than once—not including his title—humility remains a key factor in these sorts of theological exchanges. While it's true there's a danger in ignoring real heresy on the one hand (Liberals do this), there exists a second danger like with the boy who cried wolf. Some genuine doctrinal disagreements have nothing at all... Read more →

Both Al Mohler and Russell Moore agree: #NeverTrump #NeverHillary. Both also dead wrong.

No surprise in Drs. Al Mohler and Russell Moore's position: both commit to either a third party or write-in candidate come November. What is surprising, however, is the simplistic reasoning both leaders offer as to why they will step into the 2016 voting booth in perhaps the most significant presidential election in my lifetime and cast a ballot that guarantees at least one of the two candidates they judge unworthy to serve as president of the United States will, indeed, serve as president of the United States. Furthermore, it seems... Read more →

Had Al Mohler gone to Southeastern seminary and not to Southern seminary, what would have become of Southern?

On April 21, 1992, Baptist Press ran an article announcing the trustee decision for the new president of Southern Baptists' seminary in Wake Forest: Paige Patterson, an architect of the "conservative resurgence" in the Southern Baptist Convention, is the nominee for the next president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Within the same article, another paragraph reads: Two other candidates had been interviewed by the trustees' executive committee acting as the search committee, Ellsworth said. R. Albert Mohler Jr., editor of the Georgia Baptist newsjournal, The Christian... Read more →

According to Jonathan Merritt: Evangelicals risk everything to reclaim cultural and political control—even if that means defying their own beliefs

I started to respond only briefly to Jonathan Merritt's piece entitled, "The Awkward Love Story of Trump and American Evangelicals" and post it on Facebook. My commentary grew larger, however; much too large to be effective on that platform. Thus, below are my initial thoughts to Merritt's piece: @jonathanmerritt writes a stinging critique on 1K evangelicals meeting with Trump this week. There exist several weaknesses in his critique, however. Among them, some are listed below (Merritt's words and contextual quotes are embolden with my response following): 1) "Many evangelicals who... Read more →

Must answers from the platform to questions from the floor of the Southern Baptist Convention be ostentatious?

pic source UPDATE: Arkansas Baptist News published a letter to the editor from John Wofford, pastor of Armorel Baptist Church in Blytheville, Arkansas, the messenger who questioned ERLC's president, Russell Moore, at the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention (video below). I appreciate my brother Arkansan's explanation and thank him for offering further context to his question. I also agree with Pastor Wofford that Dr. Moore failed to answer exactly the question he posed. Platform respondents are notorious for bloviating rather than speaking to direct questions. Indeed many times I've observed them... Read more →

Religious Liberty, Islamic Terrorism, and Balthasar Hubmaier

Gerald Harris, Editor of Georgia's Christian Index, recently published an editorial which proved to be quite provocative. Entitled "Do Muslims Really Qualify for Religious Liberty Benefits?" Harris questioned whether modern terrorist Islam is more a "geo-political movement" engaged in a violent aggressive goal to invade American borders and kill American infidels rather than a peaceful religion protected by first amendment rights. Harris was clear he was not questioning the historic Baptist notion of universal religious liberty—that is, religious liberty is not limited to Christian believers, but religious liberty is inclusive... Read more →

On Learning to Write from a Martyred Anabaptist: Balthasar Hübmaier

The ethical tone of Hübmaier’s writings also marks him for distinction among the writers of his age. He is scrupulously fair to his adversaries—always fair in intention, and usually fair in deed. He never charges misconduct and heresy upon his adversaries with that light-hearted carelessness of fact which is characteristic of his age and of most of its writers—of Luther and Zwingli, for example. And the difference in tone between his controversial writings and those of the period is marvellous. To read an average pamphlet of Luther’s, written to confute... Read more →

Calvinism: Essential or Non-essential?

Aaron Menikoff is presently senior pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Sandy Springs, Georgia (metropolitan Atlanta). Menikoff holds a PhD from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is author of Politics and Piety (Pickwick. 2014). He also served as an aide to United States Senator, Mark O. Hatfield, and occasionally blogs at The Gospel Coalition. Menikoff's latest piece entitled "When Grace Hurts the Church" addresses churches that find themselves possessing different theologies among the members and how they might navigate successfully through the often treacherous waters. Menikoff profiles his own... Read more →

Nineteenth Century Mississippi Baptists not strictly Calvinistic

According to Mississippi Baptist historians, Z. T. Leavell and T. J. Bailey, the first attempt by Mississippi Baptists to form a statewide convention failed.1 In 1823, three Baptist associations—Pearl River, Union, and Mississippi—proposed a meeting for all Mississippi Baptists for "preserving and continuing the ties of brotherly love"; for "union between sister associations; for "the propagation of the pure doctrines of the gospel"; and finally to prevent "innovations in practice and heresies in doctrine'" (p. 1321). After five to six years of ups and downs, the initial convention appeared to... Read more →

Georgia Baptists' Bethel Association Articles of Faith display no strict Calvinism

Recently, retired church history professor, Thomas Nettles, purported on the Founders Ministries blog that Baptists of the south were virtually all strict Calvinists, an historical proposition I contend can only be demonstrated by looking through the lens of historical reductionism. Nettles cited several confessions held by Baptists in the south to illustrate his point. For over ten years, I've logged relevant sources to prove mine; namely, that while 19th century Baptists in the south were largely influenced by strict Calvinism, it's hardly demonstrable that 19th century Baptists in the south... Read more →