This is being discussed from a different perspective on the other Land blog here at BL.
I note the speculative nature of many comments thus far when the question is:
Why Land did what he did?Here is my take I have posted on the McKissic blog:If you note that Land is one of W.A. Criswell's disciples, and his start towards his present position (just like Patterson)---you need to also note how Criswell came to SC in 1956 and addressed the State Legislature with a racist tyrade. It got him the same press as Land over racism, but it was at a time when the integration issue was pending and not behind us by some 30 years.
What amazes me is that Land learned nothing from the Criswell misadventure and is so bent on political gain that he went right back into the lion's den. This makes him more than stupid, in my view. He may well get ousted over this.
Criswell got away with many things by being so strong-willed and so bombastic no one would dare cross him. His magic was a big church and a bunch of church leaders bowing and scraping to him along with his church staff. He figured out the magic of SBC presidential appointment and in that strange person lies the heart of much SBC and national conflict today.
The dilemma with Criswell and Land is integrity vs. going against a playground bully.
Dr. Curtis Freeman has an carefully anotated and accurate article on the whole matter which Stephen Fox gave on the other BL blog. If either Stephen or I can post the link, then you can see the historical perspective of this fiasco.