May 13, 2002

ANOTHER VIEW:
Baptists, of all people, should stand against inquisition
___The medieval inquisition is alive and well.
___The inquisition originated in the early years of Christendom, especially after the fourth century. Designed to eliminate dangerous views contrary to the teachings of the established church, the inquisition sought to ferret out heretics. It evolved and gradually took on more power throughout the medieval period, reaching probably its peak in the 14th and 15th centuries.
___Inquisition logic went like this:
___First, all salvation resides in the church. Any views contrary to the church and its leaders hence condemn one holding those views to eternal hell.
___Second, a heretic--one with views contrary to the church--is the worst of all criminals because he is a schismatic. He tears people away from the church and dooms them to hell.
___Therefore, heretics must be removed at all cost in order to protect God's true church. Any action taken toward a heretic is permissible:
___ Anonymous accusations. Frequently the property of the accused was divided between the state, the church and the accuser, making accusations safe and profitable.
___ Secret arrest, presumed guilt. Arrest could occur for any reason, such as "guilt by association"--being seen wit

'If anyone should be standing for freedom of expression, it should be Baptists. God knows we have suffered enough through the centuries for disagreeing with the establishment.'

h suspected heretics. The accused had to prove himself innocent. Since heretics were the worst of all offenders, no promises to heretics had to be kept. In the name of God and the church, it was all right to lie if the intention were "holy." Hideous means of torture were developed in order to make the heretic confess.
___ Diabolical penalties. In some locations, if one confessed his guilt, he would be executed in a "humane way"--beheading or drowning. If he refused to confess his guilt, he was thought to be an obstinate heretic and hence should be burned at the stake, have molten lead poured down his throat, suffer explosions set loose in his hair, be pinched with white hot tongs in the most sensitive areas, have parts of his body sliced away while he still lived and watched. Constantine's great gift to the world--union of church and state--allowed such to happen, because if one were judged a heretic by the church, he must be an enemy of the state.
___Ordinary people were taught to believe the church and its leaders. "If you can't believe your pastor (priest), whom can you believe?" Only after people such as the Anabaptists, John Huss, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther and others raised their voices were the evils revealed, but then after many generations.
___The founding fathers of our republic were sick of such inhumanity and developed a Constitution and Bill of Rights guaranteeing innocence until proven guilty, the right to know your accuser, the privilege of a trial by a jury of your peers, a free church in a free state, the security of a free press, the recognition of the dignity of every individual.
___So, what is the point? I believe the inquisition is alive and well among us.
___"Oh, you're over-reacting," you may say.
___I really hope so. Yet I observe people today being wrongly accused of holding false views because they disagree with the establishment. I read lies, slander and distortions perpetuated against good persons I know--in the name of Jesus, Christianity and even Baptists!
___If anyone should be standing for freedom of expression, it should be Baptists. God knows we have suffered enough through the centuries for disagreeing with the establishment. Again, it seems any technique can be used against a suspected heretic because the "intention is good"--to rid the church of heretics.
___My dad was a Baptist deacon and treasurer of his church for over 40 years. Not highly educated, he could still spot a lying phony a mile away. Before his death in 1995, he was broken-hearted as he saw the antics of religious leaders. Today, we need such laypersons to see the evil being advanced in the name of "Baptist" or "Christ" and condemn it for what it is.
___Over-reacting? Maybe. I've admittedly not seen anybody burned at the stake lately.
___But I think of two of the finest and most conservative Bible teachers I know retiring in oblivion with severe health problems, brought on by stress from attacks by those supposedly affirming the Bible and holding denominational power.
___If I have a choice, give me the stake.

___H.K. Neely is vice president for denominational relations and dean of the College of Christian Studies at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.

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