Shorter College chills the Air

[William Thornton]

It's a old technique to take a individual, church, or denomination, or denominational school and deftly translate their belief that homosexual acts are contrary to Biblical morality into their being anti-gay, single issue zealots. But...that's life.

The two Georgia Baptist schools are doing well. In my former state, SC, a small state Baptist school that was struggling came to thrive by being unashamedly conservative. For the short to medium term, this looks like a good policy. Let those who want a more liberal school choose to go elsewhere. These are private schools.

That said, I don't see any big advantage in attending a Baptist undergrad school. I'd rather keep the state convention money and put it somewhere else.

[Sandy]

With the costs of a college education skyrocketing well beyond the rate of inflation and price increases in the "real" world, and smaller, private, Christian colleges and universities walking a fine line when it comes to keeping their doors open, it seems that those which are related to denominations would want to keep their Christian emphasis compatible with their core constituency, which is where their bread is buttered, so to speak. And it seems that what is happening is that schools related to Southern Baptist state conventions which have drifted to the theological left are struggling to maintain enrollments and funding sources, while those which have a conservative reputation and have remained so are finding support and gathering new students from places that used to be in the geographic domain of some of the other schools.

There must still be a fairly steady stream of students coming from Southern Baptist churches to cause some schools to move toward attracting them. Liberty has allowed itself to be designated as "Southern Baptist-related," and may even have some kind of financial support coming from the SBCV. Statistically, it is the number one choice of students who self-identify as "Southern Baptist" from Virginia, North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic. Cedarville University in Ohio recently entered into a "fraternal relationship" with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, and Southern Baptists are now the single largest constituency on their campus, formerly under the trusteeship of the GARBC. The Texas Baptist schools which have identified openly as conservative are seeing the percentage of Baptist students on their campus increase, and their overall enrollment swell.

Georgia Baptists have seen at least one of their smaller, four year schools shut down. Perhaps this is a way to help ensure that the others will be around for a while.

[Tim Bonney]

[Gene Scarborough]

I am a conservative educated at Emory. The openess of their education and mind-broadening did not IN ANY WAY destroy my faith. It just made it deeper!

Since when do young men and women need to be indoctrinated rather than educated??????

Here is something to remember: as we held Open House at the BSU there were any number of parents accompanying their freshman youth to the door making sure they were going to participate and keep the home fires burning. I could always bet money that their progeny would not be seen again!!!

At some time in life you have to let them go and trust what you taught them by living like Christ continues into the challenges of an outstanding education.

[William Thornton]

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

I'm not sure as to what extent those state laws would apply to institutions governed by church bodies. I know that, here in PA, as administrator of a church operated school, I do not have to hire employees who are not in full agreement with our doctrinal statement or educational philosophy. Since we operate on a year-to-year contract basis, there is no "tenure" or guarantee of employment beyond the current contract. I would guess that the trustees at Shorter College have consulted their legal counsel as to what they may or may not do with regard to tenured employees. If Georgia is an "at will" employment state, the school wouldn't even be legally obligated to pay out the remainder of the person's contract.

It's not like this didn't have plenty of advance notice. I'd say that leaves school employees the option of looking elsewhere if this is such an overwhelmingly important issue worth leaving over, and if not, exercise integrity by honoring whatever you put your name on.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Gene Scarborough]

Gentlemen---

Why don't you check out what happened at SEBTS when the fundies took it over?

They called in SACS and formed a chapter to protect them = didn't work!!!

When Paige Patterson arrived as the new President the pressure was on! Few of my former professors remained. Those who did were biding their time to retirement.

NO ONE was happy and many heads rolled in the process!

It's not pretty / it's not in keeping with the fellowship of Christ which provides for diverstity----and it sure isn't Baptist Autonomy!!!!

[Tim Bonney]

[Gene Scarborough]

Tim---

That's why you enjoy the Methodist protocol and I enjoy AUTONOMY!

Like it or not, Autonomy means "to thine own self be true, and **** the one who makes your conform in every way!"

It's the real secret to success of such diverse people giving to missions. From snake handlers and holy rollers to the formality of robed clergy and litergy, Bapstists USED TO get along for the sake of sending missionaries to share the Gospel.

No longer!!!! Now we major on theology and minor on missions and that is the dilemma of freedom of conscience!

[Tim Bonney]

I get the concept of autonomy Gene. I just don't believe any more that it works the way Baptists tend to think it works. In some cases it leads to less freedom instead of more because Fundamentalists use it to move the goal posts whenever they feel like it. (Always further to the right.)

[Dave Roberts]

The real question here is, "What was in the contracts of tenured faculty prior to this?" Without that information, we are all shooting in the dark. I admit that I have no idea what Shorter faculty members have in their contracts.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Gene Scarborough]

Tim---

The real beauty of Autonomy is that we don't have to support that which we loathe---hence CBF was formed with the same danger attached. I'm hearing complaints about the District / Conference dues required of your churches in hard times. You can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but the UMC does have squeezers that Baptists do not.

Ed---

You keep carrying on about the Archives as if everyone cares what was written years ago---much less has time to research such. Further, you seem to think this is a closed circle of discussion with the same golden oldies forever. Do you not hope new people come and join so our discussion is fresh and lively.

One of the PM's I got upon joining was, "Thanks for a fresh voice and outlook. It was getting boring and predictable until you came along!"

If you are boring and predictable, it just gets old and people lose interest in what, I think, is a great discussion most of the time.

[Gene Scarborough]

The local paper in Rome, GA, reports the Mercer approach to things vs. that of Shorter. It is factual without editorial comment.

Note the allignments of schools similar to Mercer. Somehow they all have academic respect while Shorter . . .is marginal.

The comments from readers are most interesting----and not very complimentary of Shorter.

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

[Stephen Fox]

And that is the culture of the 7th District of Georgia and its influence on Shorter Power wielder Nelson Price.
That is an area of the discussion I hope to pursue in the letter I submit to the Rome N-T
Meanwhile Zach Dawes has weighed in at ED.com that seems appropriate for aspect of the discussion being hashed out by Abel and Gene Scarborough among others in this thread

http://www.ethicsdaily.com/will-baptist ... -cms-18773