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The basic "polity" of Southern Baptists is the local, independent, autonomous church. There is no ecclesiastical authority beyond that. And I call that "New Testament" polity because that's what is described there. The churches called their own leaders and ordination was local. The "conventionism" (which is a word I have also used) is not part of church polity, simply because the local church is the only authority which determines whether or not it will be part of the convention system. The local church determines who it will ordain, who it will call as pastors and church leaders, what standard it will apply, and how it will participate in the missions and ministry programs provided by the convention.

Sandy,

Just out of curiosity, would you consider yourself a Landmarkist? The idea that the only Baptist polity is the local church sounds Landmark to me. I'm not trying to take a shot at you. I'm just curious.

Thanks for the clarification Sandy.

I believe Disciples of Christ are more similar to the ABC or the UCC than the SBC though. While they do have local church autonomy they also have a regional clergy ordination and recognition system and congregations allow the denomination to be the main examiner of candidates for ordination though the local church ordains. I believe that is the case for both the DOC and the ABC/USA.

Whatever you call it, polity, ecclesiology, etc. there has to be some theological underpinning for SBC state and national conventions otherwise why do it the way they do it?

http://www.baptisttwentyone.com/who-we-are/

I will be trying later to contact John to see if he has read Giberson and Stephens The Anointed. I hope William Thornton has read it by now. It deserves the treatment Thornton gave the Lottie MOon bio on his blog.

Maybe Akin, who lives near Nashville could go on panel with Giberson and Stephens at Vandy.

Rachel Held Evans will be the feature speaker when the SC CBF meets in SEneca in October, not far from Clemson. I hope to be able to attend that conference. Maybe Thornton can drive up from STatham for one session about an hour twenty minutes from his back door. Once he gets to Braselton, he's almost there if he don't go the Back route through IVA.

Speaking of Vandy, I hope to see Mike Yazstremski sometime this weekend in the SEC tourney at Hoover park just SW of Bham.

Trey Gowdy's FBC Spartanburg S.C. seems to be double minded on this issue.

Far as I know they continue to proudly send their Best and Brightest to Furman and Wofford. And Furman and Wofford Don't teach the Akin/Shorter College Way.

In fact Gowdy is a Baylor grad. Whether or not he caught the Dombrowski short lived creation course at Baylor, I don't know.

FBC Spartanburg continues to live the Lie. See www.ginnybrant.com. Ginny, John and David Rogers could have a conference call tomorrow and shed some light on this confusion.

Contact your staffer friend and ask him to email my alternative address with Gowdy subject marcodiazz@hotmail.com

I posted on their public facebook wall today. link to my latest blog.

Conference call was fatuous speculation. But they should have one.