by Sandy » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:26 pm
Oh, Dave and Tom, you both know better than that. CBF has had noting else to do except to continue to reference the conservative resurgence and what the SBC is doing wrong since it was founded. From within comes criticism of what the SBC is doing, and what is happening in the SBC that isn't the way they'd have done it if they were in charge. It's been thirty two years since Adrian Rogers was first elected president of the SBC, beginning the process of replacing an entrenched, narrow, exclusive, elitist denominational bureaucracy that was completely out of touch with the people in the churches. The denomination has overwhelmingly affirmed the direction taken by the new leadership at every level. So when stuff like the "Calvinism controversy" or this particular incident of racism in an SBC church comes up, it gets more attention than it is due. I'm just drawing some comparisons.
There's as much whining by a clearly identifiable segment of CBF'ers over the fact that the fellowship has a policy that prohibits the hiring of gays and lesbians as there is grumbling in the SBC over Calvinism. And the reaction to this incident in Mississippi from across the SBC has been swift, powerful, and universally condemning of it. The SBC just doesn't fit the stereotype of backward, provincial, raving "fundamentalists" and that seems to bother some folks.
Fundamentalist attitudes and exclusion can exist on the left as well. On occasion, it needs to be pointed out.