And I do post this with some fear and trembling but I think it passed time to ask the question, in the context of Chic Fil A's corporate attorney named in the Cecil STaton photo op in the http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=7879 story.
Truett's Son in law is a former vicepresident of SBC IMB, now in BRazil as I understand.
Truett CAthy, whose namesake is George W Truett, I think is long overdue for a thorough exploration of exactly what kind of Baptist is he. How does he stack up by the plumbline Balmer has outlined in his chapter Where Have all the Baptist's Gone, and the several references to Ralph Reed and the Christian Coalition in Kimball's When Religion Becomes Evil.
Though Truett's son Dan is a trustee of Berry College, whose alums include Johnny Pierce, Editor of Baptists Today, the Chic Fil A empire has fingerprints all over Nelson Price's takeover of Shorter College; and the discussion of how Truett and the CFA ideology freighted with the world view of Francis Schaefer engages the recent emphasis of CBF on social justice issues.
Or to put it another way, if John Baugh millions are carrying what I consider a more honest legacy of George Truett at Baylor Div School, then what is Truett CAthy's legacy when compared not only to Baugh and the Sysco Millions, but to Georgia own Mercer University and the construct of authentic Baptist witness new president Underwood has outlined in Cecil STaton's backyard.
I hope to get the Underwood link from http://www.faithinpubliclife.org up for you soon.
In meantime, there is a chasm between the two, Baugh and Truett CAthy; the Baylor version and the Chic Fil A ideology if all the apparent idnicators are true.
Couple of disclaimers. I sat beside DAn CAthy, ironically enough, in Bob Crapps intro to religion the fall of 71 at Furman. My first cousin by marriage heads the CFA Scholarship program at Berry College, Bob Skelton.
He is a good man, a fine preacher. Dad's sister's daughter, Vicki, Bob's wife has been organist at Nelson Price's Ros Street in Marietta, and they have raised four outstanding children. My affection and respect for them runs deep and I hope they know that in their gut wherever this discussion leads.
But it does not take a rocket scientist to imagine CFA administration, could have enormous influence in squaring the circle on immigration reform. So far I have serious reservations with the people and kinds of politics they are playing in Georgia in particular. I have no indication they have versed themselves in Bob Moser's White Heat revelations in http://www.thenation.com nor the Eric Olsen report in the March http://www.sojo.net
Sources say Truett has roots in the Birch Society. I think he may have that some time ago, but there is evidence it still has some hold on him.
Dan is on the board of Lead LIke Jesus, to their credit, a display group at the recent CBF in Atlanta. I don't study the WinShape Program at Berry, but I have every reason to believe it has never crossed their mine to wield out counseling applicants based on their view of CBF, though like my cousins it does appear for the most part CFA folks are active in hard core SBC churches.
The Cathy's it is my impression would come down on the side of George Will's reservations about Tom Edsall's latest book from a syndicated column of Will over the weekend, where it appears CBF leadership would beg to differ and read the tea leaves of America's current political faultlines as it intersects justice work in a different way.
Here is Will's concern with Edsall. Hope to link that column soon as well and we will see what the end will be
Will quoting Edsall from Edsall latest book "Building Red America; The New Conservative Coalition and the Drive for Permanent Power."..."To social conservatives [recent developments] have signaled an irretrievable and tragic loss. Their reaction has fueled, on the right, a powerful traditionalist movement and a groundswell of support for the GOP. To modernists, these developments constitute, at worst the unfortunate costs of progress, and at best, they constitute a triumph over unconscionable obstacles to the liberation and self realization of much of the human race."
To that Will says in that paragraph, if you read again, is the real reason for the rise of the Red States.
For Truett Cathy, I could understand how his longing for in his mind a relatively bucolic Hapeville Georgia from his coming of age days in the 40's and 50's in the Southwest quadrant of ATlanta, could turn him toward the politics of Francis Schaefer and Richard Land. Even Nancy Ammerman appears to give him as much in her legitimization of the conservative bent of the politics of Creflo Dollar just east of Cathy;s stomping grounds.
But I think George Truett were he with us today, is more in the line of the Baptist church state politics of the legacy of LD Johnson and Marney and STewart Newman, and that true vine is groped for in the baptist witness of Baugh, the CBF and The Alliance of Baptists.
Let this conversation continue in earnest with Cecil Staton, Gov Perdue and others; and let's have an honest look especially at how this all plays in re immigration reform. Chic Fil A has a lot at stake in chicken politics in this election cycle.
Stephen Fox
