SBC To Elect First Black President?

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Looks like Danny Aiken, prez of Southeastern Seminary, Fred Luter for the 1st VP spot next week in Phoenix.

Russ Moore, Dean of Theology at Southern Seminary, tweeted that the SBC should elect Luter as president next year in New Orleans.

Luter pastors Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans.

[Stephen Fox]

If SBC does elect a person of color; does not clear Pressler's history, the influence of the White Citizen's Council and Texas Regs on him. Baptist Historians have done a poor job telling that story, from Pressler's antagonism toward Marney and what he was about at FBC Austin in the 50's when I understand Pressler to have been a state legislator, to his calculations with Jesse Helms and the Bircher Albert Lee Smith.
With the Dochuk and Williams books on the evolution of political fundamentalism of Pressler's time it ain't rocket science to imagine Richard Land is doing a little whitewashing here to give sheen to what Pressler begat.
Have thorough conversation, BDW, with Chandler Davidson of Rice on this matter.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Sandy]

[Sandy]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

McCall and Luter know one another.

Barry Hankins features both McCall and Luter prominently in his chapter on race in Uneasy in Babylon.

[Stephen Fox]

About the significance of Pressler and Helms and company recent history in the SBC. I could list several of the best minds, heavyweights in American religious culture I am convinced would agree with my assertion, but then folks here would accuse me of elitism and mock the weight of my assertion.
I do hope that Sandy will read the online forward Intro and ist chapter of Burkee for starters. Maybe we can talk about it as others look at Pressler and Helms, McAteer and Albert Lee if in fact Luter is elected.

BDW, what do you make of the difference between me and Sandy on this matter?

[Jim]

One wonders if the time will ever come when a black gains any position without being labeled as the first to do so. Now, it’s Luter’s turn to be the FIRST African American to possibly become an SBC president. This is perhaps one of the most demeaning practices that ever came down the road, another way of saying that for hundreds of years since the nation’s (colonies’) beginning and for some 150 years or so since the end of slavery blacks haven’t been able to cut it. I listened once to a preacher (Disciples, Lexington, Ky.) devote virtually a whole sermon to an exposition of the awfulness attached to the slave market located in the 1860s one block from the church, another way of attempting to make the congregation feel guilty of something with which it had no connection. My great-grandfather and two great-uncles fought in the Union army, my GGF being wounded once and suffering through the dreaded typhoid fever once. I wondered how a 14-year-old African-American boy would have felt in listening to her describe the total inability of an ancestor to even protect himself, let alone any who might be called his family, freed only after the evil whites fought each other to the death over gaining that freedom. Largely because of this constant drumbeat over what amounts now to faux expectations regarding their taking advantage of the 1960s version of the Emancipation Proclamation & its war background, the black family has crumbled. Did anyone expect otherwise since blacks have constantly been backhandedly referenced (though innocently meant as complimentary) as inferior because of this “FIRST” designation any time the white community or the black community (just as guilty) chooses to trot it out? Yeah…I know…this is racist stuff, so don’t bother.

[Stephen Fox]

Jim has a point.

I wonder if any of you remember the scene betweenBooker T. Washington and Coalhouse Walker in Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow.

Doctorow on Sherman's March Through Georgia is resonant as well; especially the Slave Pearl's thoughts on Freedom in the Cotton Field, a twist for sure.

A Furman fellow alum, Tomiko Brown-Nagin, now teaching at UVA is doing some great work obliquely open to Jim's stray thoughts here.

But Pressler, Mohler and company have voted off the Plantation folks like me and Coalhouse, Doctorow and Brown-Nagin so let their less than ignorance cripple them along.

I have a few handicaps as well.

Keith Herron, even with apparent ignorance of one key matter of the subject he writes, offers another insightful, even prophetic insight this morning. I hope Sandy and Jim will consider it

http://www.ethicsdaily.com/what-would-b ... -cms-18026

[Ed Pettibone]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Do you think Akin, a seminary president, would nominate Luter if Luter had not already agreed to be nominated?

[Dave Roberts]

If this is serious, maybe it's also time for the GA, AL, and MS conventions to elect an African-American officer. It would go far in stating a commitment to equality. Not to be the first but to express brotherhood across all color and class lines.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Stephen Fox]

On this issue at his easily googled Fromlaw2grace blog. Reveals several tweets between Russ Moore and Danny Akin

[Sandy]

[HowellS]

Have been out of pocket all day traveling back from a family trip to Dallas. As Stephen referenced my post from http://www.fromlaw2grace.com, I'll weigh-in here as well. I do not know Dr. Luter or where he stands on the issues that we are facing as a Convention. From what I have read and heard (including hearing him preach at least once in person), I'm sure that he is a God-called servant who is being used to reach New Orleans with the Gospel of Christ. If folks want to support Fred Luter, the man, that is certainly understandable. What concerns me is the apparent racial aspect that has attached to any potential Presidential candidacy. This racial aspect was picked up by ABP in their recent article reporting on tweets by Dr. Russell Moore and Dr. Danny Akin, which have been interpreted (and not refuted) as saying that Dr. Moore would like to see the SBC elect their first black President. I simply do not believe that race should enter the equation. Some might argue that a candidate's race can be a factor if "all things are equal between two candidates." That is never the case, and certainly will not be in the GCR-era and in New Orleans next summer. I refuse to allow race to be a factor in how I cast a vote for any candidate, whether in the SBC or in secular politics.

A question for Aaron, who has studied the history. Have Presidents and/or employees of SBC entitites generally nominated, endorsed, or otherwise publicly supported candidates for SBC office throughout our history or is this relatively new? While there may not be an actual conflict of interest per written guidelines, I think that this practice, particularly when you have a contested office, can pose at least the appearance of impropriety for a Convention employee to endorse or nominate one of the candidates. I think that Phoenix may end up being just as hot inside the Convention Center as outside. Thanks and God bless,

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Howell,

Venture over to my blog, don't get caught up in the LGBT-SBC petition thing though, and read my post (which I wrote before Allen's ABP article, don't think Bob follows Russ Moore on Twitter!) about Luter and the Ethnic Diversity program being recommended by the Executive Committee.

Had a little exchange with Steve Lemke, who I don't think was completely familiar with the big daddy weave. And Dwight McKissic dropped by to give me a big thumbs up.

If race as a factor concerns you regarding Luter for 1st VP or maybe next year as Prez, then you might have some issue with the ethnic diversity emphasis which really from my perspective is quite a progressive proposal - especially if implemented at the seminary level and among the agencies. Even Baylor University doesn't consider race in the hiring process but it appears the Exec Committee is calling on the agencies and seminaries to do just that.

Regarding candidate endorsement, I do think that things have changed. In a pre-social media age, there were very very few public endorsements. I'm sure, however, that word got around to those "connected" that so and so was backing a certain candidate.

We live in a time when everybody has an opinion on everything. Information overload. I see a SBC where more and more endorsements are made - not less. This is something that can't be undone.

Although, I do find it interesting to see agency heads, particularly seminary administrators be so overtly partisan regarding denominational politics. I think the GCR leaders are quite strategic and know how to smartly play politics, create a narrative and sell it, etc.

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed: Arron, I think that perhaps you make Howell's point when you say "If race as a factor concerns you regarding Luter for 1st VP or maybe next year as Prez, then you might have some issue with the ethnic diversity emphasis which really from my perspective is quite a progressive proposal - especially if implemented at the seminary level and among the agencies." From all I read Fred Luter could be a very capable 1st vice president and President of the SBC even if he where white. In that he differs from Obama. While I am quite proud of the ethnic diversity with in my ABS-USA denomination as compared to my former denomination SBC, I confess we still have a long way to go in eliminating racism in our churches overall. The same is true of for equality for women, where we are light years ahead of the SBC. I would be very surprised to see BP acknowledge the fact that ABC-USA and CBF are both ahead of them in having a African American as President and Moderator.

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Wait, did you just imply that Obama is not capable? And is only where he is because he's black?

[Ed Pettibone]

[Sandy]

[Dave Roberts]

It appears that the BGAV may be on course to elect Mark Croston as its president this year or next. He is a proven leader among both National Baptists and in the BGAV. (I served on the Christian Life Committee of the BGAV with him a few years ago and learned his passions and skills.) The Capital of the Confederacy may elect the first African American state convention president, and not because of his race but because of his proven leadership.

[Ed Pettibone]

Sandy writes "Fred Luter's position as a pastor, his work, and his reputation qualify him for an officer position in the SBC, but that still requires the "connection" to one of the insiders, in this case, Danny Akin and Russ Moore. "

Ed: And what did Akin or Moore do to become insiders?

[Big Daddy Weaver]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

Luter was elected 2nd VP back in 1996. It's not like his rise to the inner circle is recent. Why they waited another 15 years to offer this position, I don't know.