Dr. David Dockery, President, Union University – “A Call For Renewal, Consensus and Cooperation: Reflections on the SBC Since 1979″

1. The SBC: An Introduction. Baptists often distance ourselves because we think we can do it better ourselves. We have been embroiled in controversy since 1979. That has created an identity crises, that will make us irrelevant if we do not settle it and in doing so, coalesce.

2. Southern Baptist History: An Overview 1845-1979. We trace our roots to two groups of Baptists in the South: Charlestonian tradition and the “so called” Sandy Creek tradition. Leadership in the early SBC were Charlestonian, but the Grass Roots were Sandy Creek. Landmarkism also had a tremendous impact. 19th Century Baptists looked to an authoritative Bible. Early 20th Century Baptists saw rapid growth and largely avoided the Modernist/Fundamentalist debate. We witnessed the diminishing influence of Calvinism, decline of postmillennialism, the rise of revivalism.The introduction of such matters of historical criticism and other issues. 1925 produced the BFM exalting the authority of Scripture as a response. From ’25-’54 the SBC could be characterized by the growth denominational organization and efficiency. 1925 saw the birth of the Cooperative Program. The Executive Committee was formed. The Million More in ’54 saw tremendous growth. Pragmatism was the order of the day and in this context critical approaches to biblical studies came into influence. ’54–’79 grew to the largest protestant denomination. Leaders were embarrassed by its roots. The new models focused on priesthood of the believer. It was highly influential.

3. The SBC Since 1979: Paradigmatic Changes. Things changed during the 1979 with the election of Adrian Rogers as President. Conservatives sought to hearken back to the roots with an exaltation of the authority of Scripture. They looked to other sources for their own roots. The Chicago Statement on Inerrancy. Conservatives were elected year after year. Jimmy Draper sought to bring sides together, but it did not happen. Nettles and Bush wrote “Baptists and the Bible” while on faculty of SWBTS. Dilday answered with “The Authority of the Bible,” which countered the claim of strict Inerrancy. More books followed back and forth in discussion through the SBC. The Peace Committee Report ’85-’87. The Glorieta Statement came from the 6 Seminary Presidents in 1986 affirming an imbalance on their faculties: The Bible has no error & they would hire conservatives on their faculty. The New American Commentary became an exegetical underpinning for conservative. The Conservatives really wanted Genesis to counter previous claims.

4. Fragmentation in the SBC: Beyond Moderates and Conservatives. Really four groups and more: Fundamentalists, Conservatives, Moderates and Liberals. Moderates and Conservatives were really much more diverse than that. All of the groups among the conservatives were needed for the resurgence. They were very diverse, but worked together. Now that the resurgence is complete, there is a need to re-establish the identity of SB’s. Many wanted a course correction, some wanted a full purging. Moderates did not really understand the differences. The strict Calvinists tend to still be rejected by fundamentalists and revivalists and feel very frustrated, as do many of the younger leaders. All of the conservatives connect outside the SBC better than they do within it. They will goaway if we do not rediscover a joint identity.

5. The Breakdown of the Cultrual and Programmatic Consensus: Where We Found Ourselves at the End of the 20th Century. The culture in which many were raised (RA’s, GA’s, Bible Drill, etc.) was across the board. Missions focus was unified. Even without the controversy, the intactness began to unravel – parachurch groups, Bible translations, diversity of music, varied worship style, heroes and models are now outside the SBC. We do not know our identity and heritage anymore. The previous SBC culture has unraveled.

6. Toward Consensus and Cooperation: Primary and Secondary Matters. We are the beneficiaries and victims of traditions. Much good, but much that needs to be questioned. The Bible must be the “last word” in sifting through traditions and challenges – 1 Thess 5:21 – hold to the best of what we have. It is naive to think that this would be simple. We must seek consensus or we will fall apart. WE need Southern Baptist Identity, Consistency, Core and Boundry Markers. Our biggest challenges are not the nuances of our differences, but in liberalism, neo-paganism, and postmodernism, not to mention militant Islam.

7. A Proposal of Renewal for the 21st Century SBC: Guidance and Hope. Hold to our best and move to a place where we do draw boundaries. Based on a full orbed doctrine of Scripture. defining the circumference is necessay, but WE SHOULD NOT DEMAND UNIFORMITY. (Emphasis his) An orthodox confession is necessary. We do not focus on uniformity, but on the truth of Scripture. We must take seriously the Biblical call to unity (John 17). Oneness that calls for the humility, gentleness… Eph. 4:2-3 and racial reconciliation. We need to be reminded of the need for the resurgence. Not everything is a primary issue. We need mutual respect to serve with those who disagree on secondary and tertiary matters and a like mindedness on first order issues like the primacy of Scripture. We must move to a new consensus and commitment to cooperation. We need Orthodoxy, but also Orthopraxy – the living out of these truths in our culture.

Q&A – Dockery and Moore

McKissic: You mentioned race relations, how will we give minorities some ownership within the SBC? Why should we be involved, since we have not seen any real changes since the “apology?” Dockery: We do need to rid of ourselves of our racist past. We are victims of that tradition. We have to promote diversity within the SBC & we need minority leaders to help lead that. Moore: It has to start at the local church level. Churches are going to have to become multiracial for us to progress.

Casper: Consistancy vs Identity: Is there anything beyond the BFM that would define consistency? Dockery: BFM matters and we need to hold to that to be a leader in the SBC. Moore: Some things become primary or secondary depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

CB Scott: Since ’79, Presidents of the SBC have been Fathers of the resurgence or sons of it. Will we see a new formula? Dockery: Commitment to the BFM2000 will be vital. It will not be vital that they have been a part of the resurgence, but they have to appreciate it. Moore: They must be committed to the principles so that they can continue to deal with the issues that the resurgence dealt with.

Ben Cole (to Russ Moore): I am sometimes accussed for using elevated rhetoric, and I admit it. Sometimes I read what you write and say. What do you see is the way we can engage in intense, heated discussion and at the same time and still move as two oxen toward denominational identity in the future? How will you facilitate this conversation? Moore: You can’t ignore the divisions that are really there. There must be directness of speech that happens in love. I need to take time to think it through. It can’t come from sinful personal traits. *Cole: I see some instances of institutional coruption and I wrestle with how to address it without addressing corrupt bureaucrats? How can you do it without there dealing with certain personalities? The resurgence would never have happened without the citing of specific instances. Moore: The resurgence was about the issues, but not a hatred of the moderate leadership of the SBC. it cannot be seen as a personal vendetta.

How do we move to a local church identity since it no longer comes from our programs, etc.? Dockery: It rests with the pastors. They must be the teachers. Moore: It requires that pastors stay at churches more than 4 years. They must be trusted and use the ordinances and church membership as teaching tools. We must treat our diverse congregations with the attitude that “I am more concerned with my brother than myself.”

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