I meant to do this last week, so this is somewhat belated. A year ago this month we launched Strange BaptistFire to counter all the false claims and caricatures of Calvinism being propped up in the SBC. What had prompted the collaborative effort was not simply to refute the errors of BaptistFire, but it was to stop the injustice being done to pastors and churches who were being encouraged by BaptistFire and other sources to divide churches and/or fire their pastor(s). In my home state of Alabama alone, I had reports of seven churches that had either fired their pastor or split because of BaptistFire. I figured confronted these guys who lived in the dark was the least we could do.
Little did we know that it took only eleven days for BaptistFire to completely abandon the Internet, removing all their content. You can still go to their website and see that the house has been cleaned. I do not rejoice over this a year later; rather, I am simply encouraged to know that churches and lay people are having less and less places to go to find resources to divide churches with reckless and baseless stuff being piped from BaptistFire’s website. What did it for Nathan and myself was when they called for the removal of Calvinists from the SBC. Since that time, Strange BaptistFire has existed to discuss Reformed theology in evangelical life, especially Southern Baptist life.
With that said, do you believe the SBC is more accepting of Calvinism today than a year ago?
Secondly, I have been compiling my research and notes from the last five to ten years over the controversy of Calvinism in the SBC. If any of you have kept up with links, articles, or audio related to the controversy over Calvinism in the SBC, I would love your help. Let me give you a couple of examples of what I am looking for that I failed to print out and is no longer available on the Internet:
1. Bobby Welch’s article in FBC Daytona ‘s newsletter dated July 10, 2005 entitled “Calvinism and Christ’s Great Commission.” The PDF is no longer available, but some of you may have it saved to your computer or printed out.
2. Lonnie Wilkey’s editorial piece in Tennessee’s Baptist and Reflector in September 2006 entitled “Calvinists Have No Sense of Urgency–Jesus Did.” I think I can retrieve it from the library, but I thought I’d ask here first.
If any of you have documented or followed the events of the past 5-10 years of Calvinism in the SBC and would like to help, please contact me at outpostministries[at]yahoo[dot]com. Thanks!
NOTE: I hope to make my research available in a couple of weeks here at P&P.
I am reading my wife’s uncle’s dissertation (Southwestern Seminary) from February 1998. It is describes Charles Spurgeons Calvinism as a motivation for his evangelism. I was fascinated that in the dissertation was references to Calvinism being a hot topic in the SBC. I had thought it was a more recent thing, but apparently not ( I am a little slow concerning these sorta things).
So…when did the modern controversy really begin?
I was delighted to see Eric Redmond be nominated for V.P. slot for the convention. He is reformed…
http://www.nobts.edu/Chapel/Archives/Spring2004.html
here are the three lectures given by Patterson in March of 2004 on Sovereignty and Evangelism at NOBTS.
Timmy,
Thank God for StrangeBaptistFire. You guys are doing a great job! I recently had a conversation with a controversial member of the SWBTS BoT about Calvinism. He said that in Seminary he was told that Calvinism was evil and he had been brainwashed against Calvinism. Now, he says, after reading many discussions on Calvinism by bloggers, he has a better understanding of it and is leaning that way theologically.
Just thought you would appreciate a glimmer of hope.
Les
>So…when did the modern controversy really begin?
Calvinism had all but totally disappeared in the SBC by the middle of the twentieth century – except for a few isolated individuals like Curtis Vaughan who taught NT at SWBTS for many years.
The revival of Calvinism began in the late 1970s with Thomas Nettles teaching church history at SWBTS and Ernest Reisinger mailing out Calvinist literature from Florida.
The Founders Conference began meeting around 1983, I believe. For many years they flew under radar and were not noticed.
The “modern controversy” really began in the fall of 1994. Al Mohler became president at Southern in 1993 and then began announcing his Calvinist views. In the fall of 1994, I remember the Baptist Standard running a long article that interviewed different pastors and theologians about Calvinism.
Then in 1995, a big Founders Journal was sent to every SBC church. The controversy intensified in March 1997, with William Estep writing a long anti-Calvinist article in the Baptist Standard. Since then, the controversy has become continually more intense.
Some of the early articles about the Calvinist controversy include:
Mark Wingfield, “Who has a chance to get to heaven: Resurgent Calvinism spawns new controversy,” Baptist Standard, 7 December 1994, p. 16.
William Estep, “Doctrines lead to ‘dunghill,’ prof warns,” Baptist Standard, 26 March 1997, p. 12.
Mark Wingfield, “Will Kentucky churches buy Calvinism?” Western Recorder, 9 September 1997, p. 5
Keith Hinson, “Calvinism Resurging Among SBC’s Young Elites,” Christianity Today, 6 October 1997
Thanks Hutch! I really appreciate it.
Steven,
Hutch is right on with his info. Another thing I learned today that I wasn’t aware of was “The Boyce Project” which began in 1978. The goal was to republish Boyce’s Abstract of Systematic Theology and distribute it to each graduate of the six SBC seminaries. Note that project was taking place at the same time of the beginning of the Conservative Resurgence. In 1980, Dagg’s Manual of Systematic Theology was also reprinted. Dagg was the first wiritng SBC theologian, distinctly Reformed. Boyce and Dagg being repubslished was and still is a powerful combination for historic Baptist doctrine which is ever becoming popular with the younger generation of SBCers.
In 1986, Dr. Nettles classic book By His Grace and For His Glory was first published (last year a 20th anniversary edition which was expanded and revised was published as well). That book has yet to be refuted. I have talked to pastors and professors who, some 20-30 years ago were first introduced to the doctrines of grace under Dr. Nettles teaching, both at SWBTS and Mid-America.
For what its worth, I have tried to focus on the last ten years (1997-2007), although I have provided some material leading up to that time period. Right now, I think I am about 80% finished with my compilation, though I want to be as comprehensive as possible.
Hashman,
Thanks for sending the link of Patterson’s messages. I did not have that information. Also, congrats on the BP piece which came out last week. Really encouraging.
Les,
That indeed is good news. SBF came out during a very important time. 2005-2006 I think will go down as some of the most intense years of the Calvinism/Arminianism controversy. So far, 2007 has been quite calm. I sometimes feel guilty for not writing as much on SBF, but then again it is a reason to be encouraged that it is not necessary. In any case, SBF will be around to not only correct the errors which have come out from professors and pastors alike but also provide some discussion and dialogue in hopes that we can clarify and inform Southern Baptists on what Calvinism is biblically, historically, and theologically.
I do not know that reformed-minded Baptists are more “accepted” today than a year ago. I think we have seen a change in pitch in recent months from the fundamentalist leadership as they take a more serious look at many of the issues we have raised in the last few years. Additionally, as we enter the post-denominational “hangover” following the church growth movement and the CR, evangelistic integrity and church discipline are now among our greatest challenges.
I also have seen evidence recently of some leaders retracting themselves from the “Calvinism kills evangelism” stance they may have taken in the past. Having seen the numbers of newly commissioned missionaries and church planters coming out of Southern and Southeastern this year it would seem that what little shaky ground that argument may have been standing on is certainly gone now.
We must also recognize that in the larger evangelical movement there has been a shift, at least among the laity, towards a desire for Biblical truth. God is truly moving the hearts of His people. We see this in the rise in men like John Piper and John MacArthur. We also see this in the next generation of leaders that God is raising up like Dever, Baucham, etc. Although O’steen and Warren are still topping most polls and lists, they know that if they don’t keep pumping out new ideas and approaches they are just a few days away from the clearance rack at Barnes & Noble.
God will move his people to wherever he is. So the only way for those of us who call ourselves Reformed Baptists are going to be accepted with His people is if we are accepted with Him first. Godly humility demands that we not seek our own acceptance with others before acceptance with Christ. Only then will God lead us to the people he has chosen for our fellowship.
Good comments Lucas.
Let me clarify that I don’t think the purpose of the Reformed community is to win a popularity contest in the SBC or come to power in any way, shape, or form. Rather, I think the purpose is to speak the truth when lies have been told, inform God’s people on what Scripture says about salvation, and point out the inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and distortions that have come from those who have stood militantly against Calvinism. As I have argued for a long time now, my contention is not over the acceptance of Reformed theology in the SBC. My contention is that there is so much rhetoric and so little truth being disseminated from opponents of Calvinism to a mostly uninformed, undiscerning audience that truth has been relegated, marginalized, and subservient to sentimentality, emotions, and agendas. If there can be honest, healthy discussion without resorting to ad-hominems and other unhelpful recourse, then I think a lot of good could come of it.
Hutch,
Thanks for those articles. I had only one of the three down!
Brother Timmy,
Thanks, and I could not have said it better myself. There is definitely a truth-vacuum among evangelicals and leadership that resorts to non sequitors, ad hominums, character assassinations and triumphalism only expands the truth-vacuum. Many people have grown tired of it are desperately seeking two things from a pastor: 1) someone who teaches the unabridged word of God and 2) someone who is real and who they can get to know personally and who will disciple them. That is definitely what this layman is seeking right now.
I dunno, how about Bobby Welch’s speech RIGHT BEFORE the resolutions were read (and discussed) when he called Calvinists the Tares from Jesus’ Parable?
Guillaume,
I don’t remember him saying that. Did he really say that?!
Welch has certainly been no friend to Calvinists in the SBC. I realize that he has been a loose canon of late, but that statement is quite absurd.