This is an historic moment for SBC. I wonder if "Southern" in the name and having Fred Luter as president might strike some as an oxymoron. I remember as a child the SBC church where I was a member would not accept African Americans as members. They were put under the "watch-care" of the church. We've come a long way and probably have a long way, about the same distance, yet to go. I for one see this as a long overdue action. Hopefully it's the start of true racial equality in the SBC churches.
I expect the convention will announce this morning that the new name "Great Commission Convention" - used as a "descriptor" for Southern Baptists and which was voted upon by messengers yesterday afternoon - has been adopted by a 55% majority. I'm not sure what that means since nobody is forced to use the descriptor, but maybe some who see "Southern" as offensive will find Great Commission as a better alternative. I agree Southern is outdated, but I don't think Great Commission is fresh, visionary, or communicates well to outsiders what we are about.
For me, I will always say "Southen Baptist", just like I always refer to the "BCM" as the "BSU", "Chesepeake Energy Arena" as "The Ford Center, and "Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark" as "The Bricktown Ballpark".
Congratulations to Pastor Fred Luter!
ReplyDeleteGood job, Logan!
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations to Fred Luter!
I just do not see how this is going to change much.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteIt may not change much at all, but it is a signficant change in itself.
This is an historic moment for SBC. I wonder if "Southern" in the name and having Fred Luter as president might strike some as an oxymoron. I remember as a child the SBC church where I was a member would not accept African Americans as members. They were put under the "watch-care" of the church. We've come a long way and probably have a long way, about the same distance, yet to go. I for one see this as a long overdue action. Hopefully it's the start of true racial equality in the SBC churches.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, Mary. :)
ReplyDeleteI expect the convention will announce this morning that the new name "Great Commission Convention" - used as a "descriptor" for Southern Baptists and which was voted upon by messengers yesterday afternoon - has been adopted by a 55% majority. I'm not sure what that means since nobody is forced to use the descriptor, but maybe some who see "Southern" as offensive will find Great Commission as a better alternative. I agree Southern is outdated, but I don't think Great Commission is fresh, visionary, or communicates well to outsiders what we are about.
For me, I will always say "Southen Baptist", just like I always refer to the "BCM" as the "BSU", "Chesepeake Energy Arena" as "The Ford Center, and "Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark" as "The Bricktown Ballpark".
ReplyDeleteT.
Wade and Logan,
ReplyDeleteI featured this video in a post over at The Wartburg Watch. Thanks for giving us a bird's eye view of this historic event.