by Big Daddy Weaver » Wed Jun 27, 2012 1:13 pm
I like Bean's bigger message that the CBF needs an antagonist. What's the antagonist? What's the social injustice that we can collectively confront together with the CBF serving as a facilitator and promoter of our efforts?
I like that part of Bean's message. HOWEVER, I'll admit Ed that you were convincing in your commentary. After I read your comments, I reread the commentary. Bean was not fair to Vestal nor to CBFers. Jim Smith was charitable in his reply.
Had he dropped that rhetoric and those unfair characterizations and focused more on the good that we're doing and the good that is still left to be done along with the need to do these things together, then well, that would have been much appreciated (and probably a different article altogether!)
Bean's daughter has a PHD in Sociology from Harvard. She researches evangelicals and teaches at the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. She goes to my dad's church (where Julie P-R used to pastor) and is an active Democrat (she volunteered for my father-in-law's campaign to be County Judge a while back). So I know her and my wife knows her well.
That said, I don't know her father too well beyond Friends of Justice (which I discovered about 4-5 years ago, a friend of mine was serving on the Board of Directors at the time). I'm not sure where Bean has been during those years you mention or what his involvement in ABC-USA was.
He has recently written from time to time for ABP though. I think he lives in Dallas or North Texas somewhere?
Also, I haven't written much on CBF. I did the Alliance paper because there is literally nothing on the Alliance history. But I'm pretty sure that Baptist History & Heritage Society has published a couple of things on CBF. Maybe a 30-page history written by Bill Hull in one of those Baptist History pamphlet-books?
My dad gives a handful of pages to CBF in his survey of Baptist history, In Search of the New Testament Church. That was in 2008-2009. And there's a chapter on the CBF - I think - in the book edited by Glenn Jonas around that same period titled "The Baptist River"
There is certainly much more to be written on the topic. We now have books about James Dunn, Cecil Sherman and and Jimmy Allen. But someone before too many years pass needs to start doing an oral history with Daniel Vestal.
Maybe now that he's "retired" (I expect we'll see Vestal in pulpits again within a year or so) from CBF, Vestal will write a book. He might not have much time as director of that new Baugh Center though. Nonetheless, I hope someone - one of the historians in the Atlanta area - will take the time to start getting his story down on tape. His story is obviously a very important part of our story as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Also, I really can't envision there being any movement any changes in the CBF right now on homosexuality. We had the Sexuality Conference. I don't know if it goes anywhere from there - at least not for the foreseeable future.
I do think that one day the policy will change. I don't think that day will be anytime soon. I think we're going to have a year or two of real transition. Nothing big is going to happen between now and next year's Assembly.
Those who want to see change would be wise not to push any changes at this point. With no leader in place, no #2 either, we're a little vulnerable. So, it is my hope that the Texas Baptist brethren like CBF of Texas take a breather and not worry outloud so much. Also, it is my hope that we ignore voices in our midst who are not CBF. One pastor who was quoted EXTENSIVELY in the Baptist Standard article on the future of the CBF is - as far as I can tell - not even associated with the CBF!
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