Featured Southern Baptist slide???

"Moderate" is a genteel title for liberal (modernist) theology employed by the SBC, since calling someone a "liberal" would imply saying they were not truly born again. Sadly, the "moderate" position today (those who have left the Convention and formed their own organization) IS that of extreme anti-biblical "liberalism". I seriously question the eternal salvation of anyone who denies fundamental biblical truth.

Demonstrated by chart from 2013 by SBC (next post)

 

Chart produced by SEBTS President, Danny Akin

CONSERVATIVES:
Theologically:
*Affirm the inerrancy of the Bible. Find no errors in the autographs philosophically, theologically, scientifically or historically.
*Bible is the Word of God.
*Emphasize the necessity of theological integrity.
*All are creationists (though not all are “young earthers”).
*All affirm soteriological exclusivism (people are saved only through faith in Christ).
*Affirms Scripture as the foundational source of religious spiritual authority.
*Affirm congregationalism with strong pastoral authority/leadership.
*Oppose women as pastors: (complementarians in the home/church).
*View autonomy as a precious check against both hierarchicalism and connectionalism.
*Affirm the eternal continuation of both heaven and hell.
*See the priesthood of all believers as guaranteeing direct access to God for all believers and as a doctrine of responsibility.
*Discover no contradictions or internal inconsistencies in the Bible when it is properly interpreted.
*Affirm historical-grammatical interpretation.
*Find no mythological elements in Scripture.
*Emphasize the transcendent truth of Scripture.

Moral:
*All are pro-life.
*All see homosexuality/lesbianism as sin and a choice of lifestyle.

Political:
*Most tend toward the Republican party (political conservatism).
*Emphasize peacemaking together with a strong military.
*Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that government neither establishes religion nor interferes with its practice.

Denominational:
*Identifies the other as “moderates,” “liberals,” or “neo-orthodox.”
*View creeds and confessions instruments of doctrinal accountability though always subject to Scripture.
*Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate with confessional integrity.
*Intensely evangelistic and missionary.
*Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with evangelical groups like IVF, Campus Crusade, Promise Keepers and Wycliffe Translators.

MODERATES
Theological:
*Affirm the authority (but not inerrancy) of the Bible in matters of salvation. Find some errors in areas such as science and history.
*Bible contains the Word of God.
*Emphasizes the necessity of theological diversity.
*Many are theistic evolutionists.
*A number affirm soteriological inclusivism (some in other religions may be saved).
*Affirms Scripture AND reason, experience, and tradition as sources of religious/spiritual authority.
*Affirm congregationalism with strong congregational authority and democratic process.
*Affirm women as pastors: (egalitarians in the home/church).
*View autonomy as the right of every church to do or believe what it wishes and not have its fellowship questioned associationally or denominationally.
*Some embrace the idea of the annihilations of the wicked.
*See the priesthood of all believers as a doctrine which guarantees the right of every individual to interpret Scripture as he/she sees fit
*Discover contradictions and internal inconsistencies in the Bible.
*Affirm historical-critical interpretation.
*Open to mythological elements in Scripture.
*See much of the Bible as culturally conditional.

Moral:
*A number are pro-choice.
*Some see homosexuality/lesbianism as an acceptable lifestyle and a pre-disposed and unavoidable orientation.

Political:
*Most tend toward the Democratic party (political left).
*Emphasize peacemaking with many affirming pacifism.
*Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that the church has little impact in and through government.

Denominational:
*Identifies the other as “fundamentalists.”
*View creeds and confessions as potentially inappropriate intrusions upon the conscious of the individual believer.
*Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate with limited or no confessional restraint.
*Inclined more toward “social ministries.”
*Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with groups like the CBF, BJC, and mainline denominations.