May 29, 2000

EDITORIAL: Proposal may widen Baptist divide
___The Southern Baptist Convention's proposed Baptist Faith & Message statement contains a few pleasant surprises. But it also diminishes the convention's focus on Jesus and takes a slide down the slippery slope away from Baptist heritage. It is an exclusive, rather than inclusive, document. Its adoption may lead some churches to follow their consciences outside the SBC fold.
___On the positive side, the Baptist Faith & Message revision committee did not use "inerrancy" to describe Scripture. Two decades of convention controversy have packed more political meaning than theological clarity onto that word.
___The committee also raised the bar of racial sensitivity. The statement repeatedly affirms all races and combats racism.
___And the committee left the article on religious liberty intact. Its inclusion means SBC leaders simply have changed the way they define the terms. But at least it remains.
___However, the proposed statement departs from or narrows historic, traditional Baptist faith and practice at several points. Space does not permit an exhaustive listing of these deviations, but these stand out:
___ The statement exalts the Scriptures at the expense of Jesus Christ. Whereas the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message describes the Bible as "the record of God's revelation of himself to man," the proposed new statement calls the Bible "God's revelation of himself to man." The 1963 statement notes, "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ," but the new statement claims, "All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is himself the focus of divine revelation."
___These changes are subtle, but they are extremely important.
___If the Bible is "God's revelation of himself to man" rather than the record of that revelation, it comes perilously close to supplanting a role reserved for Jesus. He is the full revelation of God. The Bible records and reflects that revelation. Indeed, it is the tangible evidence of the words and deeds of Jesus on Earth. But Jesus is the revelation, a living revelation that intercedes on our behalf, impacts our lives and impresses God's will on our hearts.
___Moreover, without Jesus as a guide, we have a flat Bible, whose portions are equally valid. Without Jesus as the criterion by which we interpret the Bible, we are free to assign equal weight to the Old Testament's imprecations of bloody revenge and the New Testament's affirmation of the meek and the peacemakers and those who "turn the other cheek." Without Jesus as a model and guide, we are free to emphasize Scripture selectively, contorting it to our will. This should be frightful to members of a movement that gained control of the convention by touting fidelity to the Scriptures.
___ The proposed statement omits a crucial sentence from the 1963 version's preamble: "Baptists emphasize the soul's competency before God, freedom in religion and the priesthood of the believer." That sentence champions a long-held Baptist principle and core belief. Baptists have affirmed each individual believer's right, privilege and responsibility to interpret Scripture as guided by the Holy Spirit, to seek God's will according to the dictates of conscience and to live according to the Lord's leadership as impressed upon that person. Of course, this principle can be and has been abused, but that is the price of freedom, which was authored by God and bought by Jesus, not Baptist leadership.
___The danger of the removal of this sentence, coupled with the narrowing of a number of theological propositions throughout the document, is ominous. Affirmation of the priesthood of the believer is what enabled Baptists to gather around the 1963 statement, which was reaffirmed last fall by Texas Baptists. With its intentional affirmation of the priesthood of the believer and soul competency, the 1963 statement generally defines our core beliefs, but it also confirms our sacred right and holy responsibility to follow Christ as he leads.
___ Consequently, the committee has offered a document that excludes, rather than includes. If the SBC approves this proposal, it brooks no dissent, allows no freedom of interpretation. Either you agree 100 percent, or you don't belong. This will be difficult if, for example, you affirm a local church's absolute right to call whosoever it wills as pastor, you believe Christ is the full revelation of God to humanity, you understand the Cross in some way other than substitutionary atonement.
___This exclusivity flies in the face of the drafters of previous Baptist confessions, who worked in the midst of conflict to gather Baptists together, not segregate them by their understanding of subpoints of theology.
___Unfortunately, this exclusive document, if approved as presented, may force some churches in good conscience to leave the Southern Baptist Convention. And while that may be the wish and design of some SBC leaders, it will be a tragedy for the people called Baptists.
___ Marv Knox

E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com



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