Baptists haven’t sold their soul, they are following God’s heart

“No, Baptists have not sold their soul over same-sex marriage. What they have chosen is faithfulness to God and upholding gospel unity.

New South Wales Baptists have reaffirmed the Bible’s teaching on marriage and are following Jesus’ teaching on human sexuality. They have also reaffirmed the importance of the Baptist doctrine basis by requiring accredited pastors and churches to affirm these statements. …”

– At the time, we missed this development from the week before last. Murray Campbell in Melbourne looks at news from NSW.

Baptists call for action

climatePress release:

“The Baptist World Alliance has called on Baptists everywhere to strongly support government, corporate and community initiatives to address the causes of human-induced climate change.

Read more

Paul, Peter and moderate Baptists

Bill ClintonFormer president Jimmy Carter convened a large assembly of moderate and liberal Baptists in Atlanta a few weeks ago, meeting under the banner of a “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant”…

Tragically, however, these Baptists do not even agree on the Gospel. … while there was a call for unity around the Gospel and even appeals to spread the Good News, a breakout session demonstrated the lack of clarity, to be as charitable as possible, concerning the nature of Gospel.

– Opinion piece by James A. Smith on Baptist Press. (Any lessons for Anglicans here?)
(Photo of former President Clinton, who was also present, from the New Baptist Covenant.)

A tale of two bishops: What happens when apostasy reigns?


“Go back half a century and the most established church of the Protestant establishment was, without question, the Episcopal Church. Never massive in numbers, that historic denomination sat atop the so-called ‘seven sisters’ of the old Protestant mainline (Episcopalians, Congregationalists [now United Church of Christ, UCC], Presbyterians [PCUSA], United Methodists, the Disciples of Christ, northern Baptists, and Lutherans [ELCA]). Those historic churches had outsize importance in shaping the culture. The word ‘mainline’ was not used inaccurately.

Fast forward to the present and all those denominations have been in precipitous decline for decades. The culture has been secularizing and those churches basically decided to secularize with it. …”

– In his latest article, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr Albert Mohler looks at the legacy of Bishop Frank Griswold and Bishop Gene Robinson.

The Way Forward for the Southern Baptist Convention

“Southern Baptists will soon be gathering in Nashville, and the one big question looming over the Convention will be this — how do we move forward?

This meeting comes as several issues have been building in intensity for years, while others have erupted more recently. Some of the intensity is because the issues are genuinely important. But the fact is that many Southern Baptists left the Convention meeting in Birmingham in 2019 with real concerns about the future. …”

– Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explain why he has allowed himself to be nominated for the position of President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

He lays out the steps he would plan to take if elected.

A Call to Change the Census — Phillip Jensen

At last, I was chosen to be in a sample! I always wonder about polls and samples; I know lots of people but so few of them are ever part of a sample. But this time the Australian Bureau of Statistics chose my suburb to test out the 2021 Census.

So dutifully on the 29th of October I and those in my household answered all the questions about those who were with us that night (namely ourselves). It was magnificently simple, easy to follow and all done on-line. It collected up the basic information of the community, which will help research and policy makers to understand the nature of the Australian community.

All of this except the question on religion – for whether it’s intended to or not, it will deceive by unjustifiably claiming to present information that it has not acquired. In other words; it’s a sham!

The question on religion gave multiple choice answers organised by ‘no religion’, denomination of choice and religion of choice. The top billing went to ‘no religion’ which was separated by a line before the denominations and religions were listed. The religions and denominations were listed in what seemed a random fashion, though I suspect it was a descending order of popularity from last census. So Catholic and Anglican were the top two and others like Hindus and Baptists were further down the list. With finally a box to indicate any other religion not on the random list.

At one level it can appear that it is a fair question. All the options are available plus an alternative to indicate another religion if they haven’t provided for your religion explicitly. But you don’t need a degree in research science to perceive the biases in the order of the listing. Nor do you need a degree in religious studies to see the inaccuracy of confusing denominations with religions.

Personally, I find census information very useful and I’m glad our nation in its research and policy decision making has reliable and trustworthy information about our changing population. As a person deeply involved in religion, I’m particularly interested in religious statistics, as I’m sure are other ‘religious practitioners’. The decline of the old European denominations of Christianity is important to measure, not just for the political joy of atheists, but for the real understanding of anybody interested in religion or Australia. It may disappoint people to see their community declining but accurate accounting of reality is far more important than feelings of disappointment.

However, half a story is worse than no story – especially when the half that is given comes with the authority and apparent thoroughness of the government bureau of statistics. It leads to falsehood in journalistic writing (fairly common in the area of religion), bad decisions in policy and wrong actions amongst religious communities. Everybody loses when the facts are misrepresented by sloppy collection of data.

The question of religion is not so much which denomination you belong to as to which religion: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu or Islam. To only ask about Christian denominations, ignores the possibly more important distinctions between Sunni and Shia in the Muslim community. Within Australia there is a growing number of active Christians who have no denominational connection or interest. 

With 30% identifying as ‘no religion’ in 2016 it is important to clarify the meaning of the term. Some today claim they are ‘spiritual’ but not religious, others that they are agnostic or disinterested and still others are atheists. To lump them together while differentiating Christians down to denominations of less than 1% gives a very distorted view of our society and its recent developments.

A complaint without an alternative is easy to make but not particularly helpful. So, let me recommend to the Bureau the following:

1 That all options, including ‘no religion’ be presented alphabetically.

2 That the basic question be divided between

a Buddhist

b Christian

c Hindu

d Islam

e Judaism

f No religion

g Other

3 That denominations (including Islamic denominations) and no-religion alternatives (atheist, agnostic, no interest, spiritual) be made into sub-questions flowing from these main religious groupings.

It is important in Census work that the stability of the questions enable comparisons from one census to the next, especially to be able to see trends. What I am suggesting would enable those comparisons to be made. But it is more important that we are comparing realistic snapshots of society.  Furthermore, when society changes, as religion in a now multicultural society inevitably has, that the questions seek out the new reality rather than archaically repeating yesterday’s concerns.

As a Christian, I am concerned for the truth. Of course, I would like to see Christianity growing in Australia. But that has to be a reality not a wish or a distorted Census report. Reality is what the Census should provide. But at the moment, if the Bureau continues with its sample census, we will not have reality but half-truths and distortions that are impossible to usefully evaluate.

– Phillip Jensen.

Albert Mohler says he will accept nomination as Southern Baptist Convention President

“All my life, I have sought to serve whenever asked by my denomination, and I would hope, if elected, to serve in a way that would unite Southern Baptists, strengthen our work together, add energy to our evangelism, and keep our hearts set on taking the gospel to the nations.”

– Report from Baptist Press.

The Anti-Christ Message of Steve Chalke

“As I was preparing to preach on Romans 4 for this morning I was struck by these words from verse three – “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” I read in the commentaries the emphasis on the fact that Paul regarded the whole of the bible as Scripture.

As I looked forward to proclaiming that this morning I then read this from Steve Chalke ““The Bible is a library and not a book – that’s what the Bible literally means… the church over time has come to regard as sacred. It reflects the moral values and consciousness of each author”.

I cannot describe the feeling of despair, anger and hurt that overwhelmed me.  Jesus Christ has given us his Gospel and this Baptist preacher (much to the disgust of most Baptists I know) was directly attacking the Christ of Scripture (the only Christ that exists!).

So I tweeted a response and what disturbed me almost as much was the somewhat nonchalant attitude of some Christians who basically argued that Chalke was old hat and irrelevant.  I beg to disagree – his anti-Christ message causes havoc and is being widely heard. …”

– At The Wee Flea, David Robertson writes about his response to Steve Chalke’s message.

David Platt new President of SBC International Mission Board

David Platt“Our IMB president must be one who can drive our missions focus in a new way for a new era. It’s not enough that Southern Baptists’ global missions leader motivates us all to give and to go (although he must do that). He must be someone who can connect from the Scriptures how the Great Commission, and especially our global Great Commission responsibilities, are the urgent concern of all of us.”

– Russell Moore gives thanks that David Platt has been elected as President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board.

‘Complete the Great Commission’ — new SBC President

Dr Ronnie FlloydNewly elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, has called for Christians everywhere to be committed to the Great Commission and to Prayer, being mindful of the lostness of the world.

“Mohler, in his nomination speech, said Floyd, 58, has ‘the Great Commission in his heart’… ‘At this crucial hour, we Southern Baptists desperately need a leader who can … articulate our message in the midst of most trying times… He will stand without compromise, articulate with clarity, and lead us with confidence.’…” – Baptist Press report.

See also Dr Floyd’s Press Conference video.

An appreciation of the turnaround of Southern Seminary

Dr Albert MohlerTodd Pruitt writes about Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:

“Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination.”

“I was raised in a large Southern Baptist church in Houston, Texas. I was educated in Southern Baptist institutions. I was ordained in a Southern Baptist church. Coming of age in the 1980’s I remember well overhearing the discussions at home and church about the conservative resurgence within the SBC. It may surprise some of you to know how liberal the Southern Baptist seminaries had become and, as a consequence, its clergy and churches. But, by God’s grace, the Southern Baptists did not go the way of the PCUSA, Disciples of Christ, or United Methodists.

One of the key moments in this mega-shift away from liberalism was the reformation of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination. But in 1993, after a change in the balance of power among the trustees, Southern Seminary hired a young theologian and journalist named Albert Mohler [pictured] as the new President of the seminary. At that point that point the battle was joined. Ultimately, Southern Seminary returned wholeheartedly to its founding confession and vision. But the fight was brutal and is, in my mind, one the great stories of the church in the 20th century.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. Mohler’s presidency of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. So I offer enthusiastic gratitude to the Lord for Albert Mohler and his unswerving loyalty to God’s Word, his tenacity in leadership, his willingness to be ridiculed for what is right, and his enthusiasm for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to read this account of the turnaround of Southern Seminary. It is truly a harrowing story.”

from Reformation21.

Albert MohlerAnd Southern Seminary has released a 25 minute documentary on the history of SBTS with a focus on the turnaround of the last 20 years.

Well worth watching.

Australian Baptist leaders support federal challenge to ACT marriage reform

Australian Baptist Ministries“Baptist leaders have commended Prime Minister Tony Abbott for his Government’s support of the current legal definition of marriage, and for a proposal to challenge the ACT Government’s same sex marriage bill in the High Court as soon as it becomes law. Read more

South Carolina delegates leave TEC General Convention early

“The bulk of the deputation to the House of Deputies from the Diocese of South Carolina has left General Convention one day early, following the actions of the Convention thus far to (a) add transsexual persons to the list of people who cannot be denied work at any level in the Episcopal Church (USA); (b) adopt a rite for the blessing of same-sex unions, in violation of both the Book of Common Prayer and the ECUSA Constitution; and (c) refuse to act at this time on the proposed Anglican Covenant. …”

– Story from The Anglican Curmudgeon.

South Carolina statements here

“It is with heavy hearts that Bishop Mark Lawrence and the South Carolina deputation to General Convention must report the final passage and adoption of Resolution A049, the Resolution to Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships. The Bishop and our deputation, in both speaking and voting against its passage, remain united and unanimous in our support of the historic understanding of ‘the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them.’…”

Related: Why is the Episcopal Church near collapse? – Beliefnet. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net)

“This is no longer George Washington’s Episcopal Church – in 1776 the largest denomination in the rebellious British colonies. Membership has dropped so dramatically that today there are 20 times more Baptists than Episcopalians.”

Baptist statement reaffirms marriage

“[O]n Friday the President of the Baptist Association of NSW & ACT released the following statement to all our churches, affirming our understanding of the nature of marriage…”

– Baptist minister Rod Benson (who is also Public Affairs Director for the NSW Council of Churches) points out that NSW Baptists have not changed their position. He also comments on statements made to the media by a Sydney Baptist.

Related: Baptists overwhelmingly oppose gay marriage.

Albert Mohler on the Future of the Southern Baptist Convention

Albert MohlerPresident of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler, last week spoke at The President’s Forum at the seminary. His topic was “The Future of the Southern Baptist Convention”.

Interesting listening and an insight into growing up as a Southern Baptist, US culture, and whether the Southern Baptists will be mission-minded or bureaucratic. While the culture is different, listeners will pick similar challenges for Sydney Anglicans.

Worth hearing. The 57 minute audio file is available at the SBTS website.

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