Losing Our Religion - The American Baptist Convention and Scriptural Authority

Ever wonder why the Southern Baptist Convention has flourished and spread across the United States (43,000 plus churches) while our former partners in ministry, the American Baptist Churches, USA (5,800 local fellowships) has not? The SBC is growing (in a number of ways) and taking an increasingly influential stance on moral issues that face our country. The ABCUSA, on the other hand, is racked with division, has seen scores of churches recently abandon long-standing cooperative relationships, and celebrates the diversity of "cultural mores" and approaches to biblical interpretation that exist from church to church. What is the difference?

If one had studied the respective histories of our denominations only, it would be temping to think that God would have blessed the ministry of the ABC-USA rather than the SBC. After all, the SBC was formed when Baptists in the South pulled out of the Triennial Convention in 1845 over the issue of slavery. The Home Mission Society had begun to refuse to appoint slave holders to serve as missionaries and in response to that refusal, Baptists in the South pulled away and began their own convention. We were wrong! Slavery was wrong. It took years for Southern Baptists to change their views on this issue, and when they did it took even longer to renounce those views. It was not until 1995 that Southern Baptists "officially" renounced our racist past and "apologized" for our defense of slavery in the mid-1800s. We were not only wrong on the issue of slavery, but often found ourselves on the wrong side of the civil rights movement in the mid-twentieth century. At our worst, Baptists spoke against the movement. Those who did not speak against the movement were silent rather than taking a strong stand in the south.

So why has God chosen to bless the ministry of the SBC but not the ABC-USA? In my opinion it is because we have remained a "people of the book;" we are committed to the authority of Scripture. Even in our mistakes (which have been significant and numerous), there has been a willingness to be guided and corrected by Scripture. Our approach and interpretation has not always been right (after all, we did try to defend slavery biblically) and sometimes change has come stubbornly, but we have been willing to submit to the Scriptures. Such a commitment allows us to find our way when we wander from the paths of righteousness. The same cannot be said of the ABC-USA. While they started off on the right path, eventually they gradually abandoned the one source of authority that led them to take a stand against slavery 150 years ago: the Bible. As a result they are now a denomination shaped as much by the culture as they are the Scriptures and are no longer willing to defend the inerrancy of Scripture, reducing it to the "final written authority for living out the Christian faith" (which actually allows for a host of fallacious approaches to interpretation and application).

As a result, the ABC-USA no longer resembles the strong, vibrant body of churches it once was. The manner in which we submit to the authority of Scriptures as the inerrant, infallible, revelation of God has drastic implications for how we approach ministry. Today the ABCUSA is torn over whether or not churches that affirm (and even ordain) homosexuals should be allowed to participate in the life of their convention. When a body of churches cannot come to an agreement over an issue such as that one, it becomes impossible to take a strong moral stance on any topic. Still not convinced? Take a look at this brief article written Russell Moore at Southern Seminary. The article is about ABC-USA "Pastor" Donna Schaper, who speaks openly about and defends the abortion she had 19 years ago, even though she agrees that abortion is murder. She says her abortion was bad, but not as bad as bringing a baby into the world that she did not "want enough." As you read Moore's summary of the situation or even Schaper's article it becomes much clearer how far we can stray when we cut the ropes that anchor us to our moorings.

In many unfortunate ways, Donna Schaper is the shining example of the face the ABC-USA wants to present to the world. A face that in many respects is no longer blessable by God.

I look forward to your comments.

Chris