SBC First Vice President and President of the National African American Fellowship of the SBC Marshal Ausberry, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Fairfax, VA, released the following statement this past Friday. You can also see the statement along with an interview with Baptist Press here.
December 11, 2020
Over the last week and a half I have received much communication related to the Council of Seminary Presidents’ statement and related comments published in the Baptist Press on November 30, 2020.
Let me say that first and foremost I and the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention hold most sacred and dear to our hearts the supremacy of Scripture.
Second, we affirm the Baptist Faith and Message Guide as part of our being Southern Baptists.
Third, we recognize that there are ideologies from a sociological and anthropological perspective when used appropriately, help us to better understand the inner workings of living in a fallen and sinful world.
Fourth, we affirm that all such ideologies do not supplant, by any means, the supremacy of Holy Scripture. And where such ideologies conflict with Scripture, it is Scripture that governs our worldview, our decisions, and our lives.
We affirm that systemic racism exists, and like all Southern Baptists we oppose racism in all its forms. We do realize that there are theories and constructs that help us to see and discover otherwise undetected, systemic racism in institutions and in ourselves.
I have been in conversations with SBC leadership and with the leadership of the Council of Seminary Presidents of the SBC. We will be meeting in the near future to further discuss our concerns that affect all ethnic groups in the SBC about the breadth and depth of their recent statement and published comments. As brothers in Christ, we of all people should be able to dialogue and resolve all of our concerns.
My friends, the world is watching us and I hope and pray that none of us would do anything that degrades our witness and detracts from our focus on the great commission. Our common enemy wants to derail us from reaching the lost.
I urge all Southern Baptists to refrain from condemning each other on social media and other media outlets. We should pray for each other and pray for a better understanding through our mutual love for Jesus Christ and one another.
Dr. Marshal L. Ausberry, Sr.
President of the National African American Fellowship, SBC; First Vice President, SBC