Fed up with angry fundamentalism, the harassment and constant inquisition

[Jerome]

...and the "secondary separation mentality" of the Southern Baptist Convention! So says Midwestern Seminary professor Matthew Barrett, criticizing what the SBC has become, as he announces that he's turned Anglican.

"I have been at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for eight years....I have given twenty years of my life to Southern Baptists....my family has sacrificed a lot for the SBC. But we can do so no longer."

"We are leaving the SBC...our family is becoming Anglican....[and] will be confirmed at St. Aidan's."

"I have officially joined the faculty of Trinity Anglican Seminary. What a privilege to be elected Research Professor of Theology."

"I experienced...angry fundamentalism in the SBC....harassment....fear of constant inquisition....[and] that second-degree separation mentality....you have to separate from everyone who does not first become 'like us'."

 

[kyredneck]

Call it Puritanical, Pharisaism, LS dogma, overzealousness, etc., but I relate, nothing new here, it's been around since the beginning.

 

[Mikey]

Matthew Barrett is taken his first step towards Rome, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years we see him featuring on "Journey Home" on EWTN

 

[JonC]

Call it Puritanical, Pharisaism, LS dogma, overzealousness, etc., but I relate, nothing new here, it's been around since the beginning.

The SBC and the churches have been growing apart (again) for some time now. I can't say how many SBC churches have considered withdrawing from the Convention but decided to stay and participate in its evangelism ministry despite the politics.

 

[kyredneck]

The SBC and the churches have been growing apart (again) for some time now. I can't say how many SBC churches have considered withdrawing from the Convention but decided to stay and participate in its evangelism ministry despite the politics.

I was referring to this:

"I experienced...angry fundamentalism in the SBC....harassment....fear of constant inquisition....[and] that second-degree separation mentality....you have to separate from everyone who does not first become 'like us'."

Thus:

Call it Puritanical, Pharisaism, LS dogma, overzealousness, etc., but I relate, nothing new here, it's been around since the beginning.

 

[Ben1445]

Are people fed up with angry fundamentalism, or are angry people fed up with fundamentalism?

In my experience, in my corner of the world, I have watched people who don’t want to be told how to dress be upset with someone who has a different dress standard than they do. This is extremely hypocritical.
I’m not defending everyone who claims to be a fundamentalist. I do doubt that it is the fundamentalist for the sake of being fundamentalist that is at fault. Most people don’t like confrontation. Most people don’t like being told they are wrong. If a person has any shred of decency, they really don’t like telling anyone they are wrong.
How can you honestly present the gospel and say that the person you are talking to has no flaws but is still a sinner? How can you look at a generally soft, weak, thin skinned society and not be offensive when you tell them that God is not pleased with them. I guess this is why people don’t actually witness.

Who did Paul think he was? Telling people that they shouldn’t keep sinning? The nerve!! And him knowing that he is the chief of sinners, casting stones!!
Obviously, we should be preaching about sin in our churches. We like to have our own favorite topics to be bold about and not cover other topics even when it comes up in our expository preaching. A quick sermon speaking past the issue, and a glaring point left right out of the sermon and we made it to the other side of the marriage/divorce topic, the women pastors topic, etc…

I think that we coddle ourselves too much. When it becomes too uncomfortable to be a fundamentalist, we find the church where the Holy Spirit is not in regular attendance and slide into the back row like a good Baptist. Why Anglican? Because you can get the stamp of approval from most churches if you pay enough or can be seen as a possible giver at all. It wouldn’t surprise me anymore to hear a church start meeting in the morgue to boost attendance. That is essentially what the majority of religions have done.
Anything to not make waves. We are, on the whole, as people who claim to be carrying the torch where the apostles passed it on, far from turning the world upside down.

My perspective may not apply to everyone. I put it out there to offer a different perspective rather than a consenting complaint.

 

[JonC]

Ok....I looked up his issues with the SBC:

1. The SBC did not officially adopt the Nicene Creed.
2. The SBC consists of independent churches and the Conventiin itself foes not exercise authority over these churches as a governing body.
3. The SBC rejects infant baptism.

My conclusion is that Matthew Barrett was not a Baptist to begin with. His objections are that the SBC holds baptist doctrine.

I am glad the professor left, not only for the SBC but also for the professor.


That said, he is looking at it wrong. We could say that he is the angry "fundamentalist", insisting that we acceot infant baptism, create a governing body for our churches, and insist on adopting creeds.