Over late summer and early fall 2021, the Executive Committee (EC) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) deliberated whether or not to waive attorney-client privilege (ACP) as part of a sexual abuse investigation into the actions of the EC over the past two decades, an investigation overwhelmingly demanded by the messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting. As the deliberations drew out, with resistance from some on the EC who were not willing to waive ACP, all kinds of commentary were offered to explain what was happening. As is readily apparent from this statement, some within the SBC … [Read more...] about The SBC, the EC, and Waiving Attorney-Client Privilege (by Jon Canler)
SBC Institutions & Entities
On My Motion Regarding Our Lawyers and a Conflict of Interest
Much has transpired since my visit to the Executive Committee (EC) meeting in Nashville last month. I originally wanted to get this article written and published earlier but it became clear that the Sexual Abuse Task Force's work and the response of the EC was a far more important issue (although I would argue these two items are related). Thus, I decided to hold off publishing this article until things finally came to a head after not a small kerfuffle and a third and final motion from Jared Wellman ultimately passing the EC to waive privilege. Since then things have devolved even further … [Read more...] about On My Motion Regarding Our Lawyers and a Conflict of Interest
The Real Failure at the Executive Committee Meeting
I promise the article on my motion and its response is coming soon. I just wanted to take a moment to offer up a word from myself and a few of my friends regarding our take on last week's Executive Committee meeting. When I say a few of my friends, I am not speaking about my co-writers here at SBC Voices. I am speaking about a couple of friends who took some time with me to express some of our thoughts regarding our current problem and from whence the real failure has come over the last 9 or-so days of life in the Southern Baptist Convention. I have chosen not to name the other co-writers … [Read more...] about The Real Failure at the Executive Committee Meeting
How a Church Might Reallocate Funds Away From the Executive Committee
Last night after watching the debacle that was the Executive Committee (EC) meeting and then seeing so many pastors suggest they might lead their church to leave the convention or escrow their giving, I posted the following to Twitter. “Friends, please don’t leave the SBC. Too many good things happening. If anything, consider temporarily redistributing CP & GCG funds away from the EXComm until we get to Anaheim & we radically redefine the work of the EC & reformat the allocation budget commensurate w/the change.” In short order I was asked how such a redistribution might be … [Read more...] about How a Church Might Reallocate Funds Away From the Executive Committee
Q&A: Primary Issues Related to Executive Committee’s Handling of Guidepost Contract
At last week's Executive Committee meeting there were a lot of terms and concepts involved that represent unfamiliar territory for most of us as Southern Baptists. This Q&A is designed to address the most pressing questions we face as the EC Officers and SA Task Force work this week for an agreement on how to proceed. 1. Why is it important for the Executive Committee to waive privilege? Attorney-client privilege is a legal rule that allows the clients of attorneys to keep confidential any legal advice that their attorneys provide them. First, it is important because the motion that … [Read more...] about Q&A: Primary Issues Related to Executive Committee’s Handling of Guidepost Contract
A History of the Formation and Function of the Executive Committee
The SBC Annual Meeting in 2021 is one that will be remembered in history as an important one for some time. While it’s easy to get lost in the respective highs and lows of the meeting, it’s also important to remember that the actions of the SBC when it gathers can have lasting actions. One such meeting happened in 1916 when the actions of one messenger still affect us today. The Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives records it this way. In 1916, M. H. Wolfe of Texas proposed to amend the SBC Constitution “to create one strong executive board which … [Read more...] about A History of the Formation and Function of the Executive Committee
An Infant of The Conservative Resurgence (by Jonathan Raffini)
I turned 40 this past year in the midst of a global pandemic, which we all know was a real challenge, but it also meant I survived a 40th birthday hoopla due to COVID. Turning 40 in 2020 also means I was an infant during the needed Conservative Resurgence of the 1980’s. My uncle was a student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in the early 1980’s, going so far as to start a small group with friends his final year called “Seminarians for Biblical Inerrancy. When talking to my uncle as I prayed and pondered where God was leading me to attend seminary, he told me to be thankful that … [Read more...] about An Infant of The Conservative Resurgence (by Jonathan Raffini)
Historian Nathan Finn on SBC Fundamentalism, Then and Now
Twitter thread this morning from Nathan Finn, Baptist historian and Dean at North Greenville University in South Carolina. I thought this was worth compiling here for future reference and ease of access: https://twitter.com/nathanafinn/status/1407684504727080967 My dissertation was titled “The Development of Baptist Fundamentalism in the South, 1940-1980.” As a church historian and committed Southern Baptist, I thought I’d share some thoughts on our history and the current tensions within the SBC. 1/ I define fundamentalism as militant conservative dissent against progressive trends … [Read more...] about Historian Nathan Finn on SBC Fundamentalism, Then and Now
Why the Loss for an SBC Splinter Group Was Greater Than Just a Few Hundred Votes (by Michael Linton)
I know there is concern about the rise of Populist* Fundamentalism in the SBC and the push of a certain group to gain power. While this isn't going to be an exhaustive list, and I could be wrong in my optimism, I believe the tide is pretty obviously away from that group. It is also important for me to say this: I am a fundamentalist in the classic sense. I subscribe to the 5 fundamentals: the deity of Jesus the Virgin Birth penal-sub atonement the bodily resurrection biblical inerrancy So how was the agenda of the populist fundamentalist group repudiated? First, their … [Read more...] about Why the Loss for an SBC Splinter Group Was Greater Than Just a Few Hundred Votes (by Michael Linton)
A history of SBC presidential elections since 2000
This year's presidential election was very close. Since I only started attending the convention in 2013, I was interested to look back and see how close previous SBC presidential elections have been. Combing through old SBC annuals is tedious, but there are a lot of interesting nuggets to be discovered. I love that Wiley Drake nominated himself for SBC President in 2011. Thus, Bryant Wright is the only SBC president since 2000 who had an opponent when he ran for re-election. As you can see below, the 2016 election between Steve Gaines and J.D. Greear was the closest over the last two … [Read more...] about A history of SBC presidential elections since 2000