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Southern Baptist slide???

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Reynolds

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Criswell had to be drug into it because he wasnt convinced there was a problem. He showed up late to the game. Pressler and Patterson were the primary pushers starting in the 70s. The change really began in 79 with the election of Stanley as President.
IMO Adrian Rogers was the real "fixer."
 

Yeshua1

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Is the SBC again sliding into liberalism? J.D?
The national committees? The literature?
Personally I am seeing liberalism. I am also seeing Sociology with a few Bible verses thrown in taught instead of Scripture. LifeWay materials are extremely heavy on Sociology and light on Scripture. Sermons remind me of my Sociology classes in College.
Is it just me or a trend others are observing as well?
Getting into BLM should be a "wake up Call"
 

Yeshua1

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I am not SBC but assumed that the "liberal" element had been shunted to the side in a new organization and the bulk of church and schools on a more conservative level.

Last time I was a part of SBC church was 1986-88 (FBC Dallas) with Dr Criswell fighting for inerrancy and return to fundamentalism in seminaries and across the SBC denomination. They won that battle. BUT . . . know that battles/issues will continue to arise. Nature of a mega-organization that is not monolithic. Adherence to BF&M is one tool to keep modernism/liberalism at bay.
Seems that now the biggest battle/issue is not between liberal and conservative views on theology in SBC and other baptist churches, but between those who wish us to get into social causes like BLM, supporting anti slavery efforts, becoming now social crusaders!
 

Jerome

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Adrian Rogers

Memories from the 1990 SBC Annual Meeting
I found myself, along with my brother, Bill, in a late night meeting of about 25 men during the 1990 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Assembled in the small room were the key leaders of the conservative resurgence.
There had been much rejoicing throughout the day....because a new slate of freshly elected Sunday School Board (SSB, now LifeWay) trustees guaranteed the removal of Lloyd Elder, then its president.
As the laughter and celebration continued, the late Adrian Rogers walked to the small lectern and the room fell quiet. While I don’t remember everything that he said, his first words are etched into my memory. “Brethren, the Bible says, ‘Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth’” [Proverbs 24:17, KJV]. Lloyd Elder and these other men are our brothers, not our enemies. We should not be rejoicing like this. It is not right.”
You could have heard a pin drop as a heavy silence fell on the room. Men bowed their heads in conviction, receiving Rogers’ well-timed and much-needed rebuke. After briefly reaffirming the importance of the battle for the Bible that was then in its twelfth year, he underscored the sinfulness in taking pleasure over the removal of the so-called moderates from positions of leadership in the convention.
 

Reynolds

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Seems that now the biggest battle/issue is not between liberal and conservative views on theology in SBC and other baptist churches, but between those who wish us to get into social causes like BLM, supporting anti slavery efforts, becoming now social crusaders!
IMO the liberals are the ones seeking us to become involved in that.
 

Rob_BW

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He did not oppose their removal. He opposed the way some were acting about it.
For decades the moderates told the conservatives to stay for the sake of the Cooperative Program. As soon as it was apparent the moderates had lost control, they forsook that same Cooperative Program and abandoned ship.
 

Rob_BW

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From what I'm reading Pressler was the catalyst. I pray God sends us another.
 

Dr. Bob

Administrator
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When does one move from being a moderate then to a liberal?
"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)
 

Dr. Bob

Administrator
Administrator
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.
 

Steven Yeadon

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"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)

I was a Moderate Baptist before being saved. I would be amazed if any of those at a Moderate seminary I attended were saved. There is almost no difference. Liberals and Moderates interpret the bible almost the same. Moderates reject conservative hermeneutics and conservative biblical studies. The fight changed. Also, the term 'moderate is a ruse.
 
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