by Sandy » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:32 am
These are the names that I know, besides Gushee---and from my perspective, would be "to the left" of the center of CBF--
Joy Yee, pastor of San Francisco's 19th Avenue Baptist Church, which I believe is a welcoming and affirming congregation as far as GLBT issues are concenrned.
LeDayne Polaski, of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, an organization which was previously defunded by CBF because of its stance on homosexuality
Sharyn Dowd, Pastor of Decatur, GA FBC and Guy Sayles, pastor of FBC Asheville, NC, both uniquely aligned CBF churches on the left side of the fellowship
Coleman Fannin from Baylor, a name I recognize, not sure exactly what department he's from there.
I do not know Jennifer Crumpton or Cody Sanders. But I know that to pass the standard for being a D of C ordained minister, you can't be very conservative. I took classes at Brite Divinity School in Ft. Worth and it was far to the left back in the 80's. I doubt that it has changed, so I would guess that Mr. Sanders' perspective would reflect that. I don't know the name Emily Holliday, but if she's a student a McAfee School of Theology, that would also most likely help to discern her position. I believe Joshua Villines, who was in the past one of the more leftward leaning members of Baptistlife.com, was also a student there. They are related to Mercer, and their position in relation to the Baptist family at large is pretty clear.
Don't underestimate who I might know in CBF. I was in it for more than a decade, active, present at most of the General Assemblies as well as many of the state gatherings and conferences, including several on the East coast. I have met many of these people personally, including Gushee, Yee, Dowd and Sayles. For several years, my wife and I sat one pew behind Dr. Ken Chafin and his wife in worship. I could give you a fairly lengthy list of individuals connected to CBF and to the Alliance whom we've shared meals with.
I often reflected as Pastor Smith did, that it seemed that suddenly, CBF went from being a fellowship of churches opposed to the conservative resurgence, to embracing things which set them apart from churches that chose to remain in the SBC.