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Note: This essay first appeared in the
January 2007 Baptist Studies Bulletin.
In
2005 Baptists worldwide, under the umbrella of the Baptist World
Alliance, joined together in agreement on the clearest, most visible
and most oft-repeated themes throughout the Bible and the life and
teachings of Jesus: God’s redemptive love for the poor, sick,
oppressed, downtrodden and marginalized members of society. Last
week,
leaders of Baptist organizations throughout the United States, meeting
in Atlanta, jointly affirmed the clearest, most visible and
most oft-repeated themes throughout the Bible and the life and
teachings of Jesus: God’s redemptive love for the poor, sick,
oppressed, downtrodden and marginalized members of society.
However, a handful of prominent Baptists were quick to
criticize both meetings, dismissing the central teachings of scripture
and Jesus as nothing more than liberalism. Russ Moore, dean of The
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, scoffed
at last week’s
New Baptist Covenant gathering, charging that focusing on the
central biblical themes affirmed by Baptist leaders at the Atlanta
meeting is an unacceptable “alternative
to Southern Baptist conservatism.” Southern Baptist leader
Richard Land indignantly declared that the
“vast majority” of Southern Baptists are not in agreement with
emphasizing the central biblical themes embraced by the Covenant
gathering.
Although I often find myself in disagreement with both
Moore and Land, I must admit that this time I believe they are at
least somewhat correct in their above assessments. Moore is
perceptive to note that their brand of Baptist conservatism stands in
opposition to the overriding biblical theme, and Jesus’ embodiment, of
God’s redemption of humanity expressed in social justice. And Land is
at least partially on target when he asserts that many Southern
Baptists oppose the overriding biblical theme, and Jesus’ embodiment,
of redemption expressed in social justice (although certainly not the
“vast majority”). Rather than focusing on the central themes of
scripture, Land has repeatedly pointed to a basic list of
propositional “views” which he is convinced all true Baptists hold to:
anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, pro-Israel, pro-Bush and pro-Iraq
War. He seems oblivious that he is
swapping timeless biblical truth for contemporary myopic relativism.
And yet there is a larger issue behind some conservatives'
rejection of the central biblical theme of God’s redemptive work
through Christ expressed in social justice. Why do Baptists like
Moore and Land have difficulty embracing the whole of the Bible and of
Jesus? Stated quite simply, much of the Bible, and of Jesus, is
liberal. And to today’s Baptist conservatives who allow political
ideology to shape the nature of their faith, liberalism is
unacceptable and must be opposed at all costs. Indeed, liberalism is
the unpardonable sin.
Thus, Baptist conservatives whose faith is fueled by
political ideology are unable to embrace the liberal message of the
Bible or forgive the liberal Jesus. Instead, they are consigned to
holding the Bible and Jesus at arm’s length while vehemently denying
the liberalness inherent in both. Scripture is useful only if it can
be co-opted for a conservative agenda. Jesus is no longer an
acceptable criterion for interpreting Scripture.
Yet while an inability to forgive Jesus poses a terrible
dilemma for politically-oriented conservative Baptists, a willingness
to walk in the footsteps of Jesus may be the most pressing issue
facing moderate Baptists today. The New Baptist Covenant gathering
represents an opportunity to move beyond talking and actively
participate in the stream of the redemptive work of God through the
ages, embodied in Christ and expressed in the scriptural marriage of
God’s redemptive love and social justice. Tens of thousands of
children starve to death daily; tens of thousands die each day from
simple, curable diseases; poverty grips hundreds of millions;
loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness and isolation imprison the
souls of untold millions; hatred, warfare, famine and pestilence
plague much of the world; and global warming increasingly endangers
our planet and threatens our future survival. In the face of all
these afflictions and horrors, the Jesus of the Bible offers
redemption to humanity, one life at a time, delivered by those who
dare follow him into the midst of the afflictions and horrors. |
