July 1, 2002

Meeting examines history of a free press in Baptist life
___By John Pierce
___Baptists Today
___FORT WORTH--Baptists' sometimes uneasy relation with the principles of a free press was the subject of scrutiny at the 10th anniversary meeting of the William Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society.
___"Baptists: Advocates of a Free Press?" was the theme of the meeting, held June 27, prior to the opening session of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly.
___"Religion journalists must be fair, accurate and dogged in our search for truth," said James Wall, who served 26 years as editor of Christian Century. Wall, a United Methodist, called on fellow religion editors to "employ a kind of precognition" and "point to the signs of the times" that impact church and society.
___He said five "signs" deserve attention in the press today.
___First is hate, he explained. "Hate is a heat-seeking missile. They shoot off and look for something warm and hit it."
___As an example, he cited former Southern Baptist Convention President Jerry Vines' well-publicized description of Mohammed as a "demon-possessed pedophile" last month. Wall described Vines' comments as "patently false … and inappropriately made."
___Hate, like the missile, needs a target, Wall said, adding that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks created a target for preachers like Vines.
___The second sign, Wall said, is self-preservation of the church. This problem results in "priests being protected rather than children," he lamented.
___ Wall also pointed to capital punishment, campaign finance and the horror of Sept. 11 as signs needing the attention of the press.
___Whitsitt Society President Walter Shurden presented the group's annual courage award to longtime Baptist journalist Walker Knight, calling him "the epitome of a half-century of courageous journalism."
___Knight is a former associate editor of the Baptist Standard who later gained national attention as director of editorial services for the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board and editor of Home Missions magazine.
___ In 1983, Knight left denominational employment to follow a dream of establishing an autonomous, national news journal for Baptists. Originally called SBC Today, the publication is now known as Baptists Today.
___"A free press occurs when an … editor has sole responsibility to control the news and editorial content," said Knight, noting that the same standards should apply "whether with a secular newspaper or a Baptist journal."
___ "If an editor doesn't have that freedom, … he or she should have another title."
___Editors often face a three-fold struggle with themselves, their institutions and their audiences, Knight said. The first struggle, he explained, has to do with personal integrity and a willingness to take risks.
___"By reading Baptist publications, readers would not have known there was a civil rights movement or a Vietnam War," he said. He added that editors often avoid such controversial topics because of pressure from denominational leaders.
___Denominational executives "are not risk takers," Knight said. Likewise, he noted, "Most pastors don't want to give editors the same freedom they demand for their own pulpits."
___Knight recalled the heat he received when addressing issues--such as civil rights, war and sexuality--that formed the social climate in which missions took place during his stint with the former SBC Home Mission Board. He thanked those who supported his freedom to address potentially divisive topics.
___ The role of the editor is "to discover and report the truth" and to give readers a context in which news is occurring, Knight said. He also urged readers to write letters to the editor and engage in discussion of important issues.
___ "Communication, by definition, is a two-way street," said Knight, a member of Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga. for 43 years. "Communication is not completed by the accurate writing. … There must be feedback."
___ For both secular and religious publications, Knight said, the quality of journalism is primarily determined by the standards and policies that are tolerated. "We have the type of press we will accept."






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