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The photo was dumb. SWBTS has apologized and even BP reported it all.

End of story other than how could these profs be so tone deaf to such things?

Other links on the story:

I pastored a church a few years ago for which I arranged a pulpit exchange with the largest African-American Baptist Church in the area. When I informed the deacons, I immediately received the proverbial handslap and was informed that the church was not ready for "such a radical move." When that is the norm, race relations have a long way to go in Baptist life.

My 72 year old sister has been making quite a splash rapping as a substitute teacher in Huntsville (as she did as a teacher and DUI instructor in Florida)

Listen to a sampling at . Each rap has a laudable message, imo.

She says she has not heard of any complaints from anyone in schools. However in ER Room of Huntsville Hospital that was different story. She was told that the ER staff is too busy to listen to that and escorted out before she finished. I’ve have tried to tell her that about doing raps for waiters own restaurants; but I have to say when she has done so, no one has ever complained and she has got applause from other customers and many stares. I play like the “embarrassed brother”.

Friday she had a “gig” (as she says) at a Gospel Sing near Nashville. . Have not heard how it went.

Could it be that the apparent ruckus over these seminary profs is overblown?

The underlying theme of this thread, not surprisingly, is the desperate need to achieve racial integration (actually among blacks) in predominantly white churches, the obvious extension of the white religionist’s “plantation” mentality. The black folks are in churches they choose but they need to be in white churches for some reason and vice versa so that reconciliation, code for diversity, can be achieved. The fact that this is done already (black SBC president) through natural means is not good enough. There simply must be further orchestration of integration, especially in worship services, or the new god of diversity will be unsatisfied and the usual guilt trip (for whites only) advanced. Whether on the national or church/denominational scene, the election of a black to the top post is offered, for instance, as a sign of “togetherness,” notwithstanding that the election of a black to the presidency has resulted in the most profound black-white divisiveness in recent memory in this country. The thread reeks of reverse racism.

The election of Fred Luter as the first African American president of the SBC was most definitely a mark of progress. It was the most significant event in the area of racial reconciliation to ever occur in the SBC. It was a beginning, not the final event after which congratulations can be offered and everything goes back to the way it was. Pastor Luter filled an elected role with some influence and power, but limited in terms of long-term impact on the denomination. African Americans have gathered in their own churches because they've never been welcomed in the white ones. Just accepting that as the way things are is antithetical to the gospel message. Getting to the point where an African American can be elected president of the SBC means that people have been thinking that what has been the status quo isn't Christian, and there are things that can be done. So take the next step. We have African American churches and white churches, and very few blended ones. So get together, within the denominational structure, and make that a starting point.

If there had been an African American professor in the school of preaching, the SBC and Southwestern Seminary wouldn't have to be apologizing for a tasteless photo. It's not reverse discrimination, it's putting things in order under the gospel.

The gangsta stuff was an embarrassment to SWBTS. That's why they quickly apologized.

Considerable numbers of students are minority these days and a significant percentage of SBC churches are minority, some with dual affiliation. I doubt Ed or others would recognize the SBC in some urban and suburban associations.