The Atlanta Celebration is being billed as the broadest Baptist meeting ever organized in North America. Organizers hope to attract 20,000 people to the gathering. So far, most Baptist organizations in the United States and Canada, about 40, have indicated a willingness to participate in the January celebration.
Notably missing: the Southern Baptist Convention.
The chief organizer of the event, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, says he wants the SBC included in the event and has even asked some notable Baptist bloggers (e.g., Benjamin Cole; Wade Burleson) to help him recruit some Southern Baptist representatives to speak.
Initial reaction to the Atlanta convocation by SBC leaders has been dismissive, but maybe its time to reconsider.
For one, one of the main initial objections has been removed. SBC leaders dismissed the convocation as nothing more than a Democractic party assembly disguised as a Baptist meeting. Deservedly so, since the left-of-center organizers (Bill Underwood, and former Democratic presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton) invited left-of-center speakers such as Bill Moyers, Tony Campolo, and Marian Wright Edelman. Now, however, Republican Senators Lindsay Graham (S.C.) and Charles Grassley (Iowa) and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee are on the line-up.
A second reason why SBC leadership should reconsider: an SBC no-show could be a public relations fumble.
Organizers say they want the convocation to be a chance to improve what they've called a “negative and judgmental" image of Baptists in North America and they hope to unite Baptists into a loose-knit network to address social concerns. When the public spotlight turns on this largest gathering of Baptists in January, shouldn't Southern Baptists be represented or will the SBC end up looking "negative and judgmental?"
Carter has asked for help enlisting some SBC representatives to speak. So, who do you think needs to be there? Frank Page is an obvious choice as our current SBC President. What about Richard Land of our Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC)? Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has proven himself an articulate spokesman on his radio show and as a guest on Larry King Live and as a contributor to the Washington Post's "On Faith" web feature. Ed Stetzer is better known for addressing the areas of church planting and church health, but he's increasingly popular with younger SBC leaders and would be a good "face" of the SBC in a national meeting such as this. Maybe Vodie Baucum, an African-American conservative who could be a counterweight to some of the left-of-center African-American speakers?
Any ideas? Who would you want representing us? Maybe an equally important question: what spokesperson should not be given a microphone?
4 comments:
A great question worth considering.
I personally believe Frank Page is the best choice, but would have no problem with someone like Dr. Timothy George, Rick Warren or Al Mohler 'officially' representing the SBC, though Rick Warren most always represents himself.
To answer your question,
I like Timothy George. Recently, he's hosted dialogues between the BWA and Catholic leaders. He plays well with others.
As a moderate (who listened to Baucum's online sermons), I'd be happy to hear him speak. But, I don't think you could describe the African-American pastors (Adams, Shaw) to be theologically left-of-center.
I think it is disturbing that we as the SBC would boycott such an opportunity for dialog. What are we afraid of??? If we are sure in our beliefs and convictions, then boldness seems a better response than isolationism. Don't we need to be right in the middle of this?
In a recent article by Robert Marus, Associated Baptist Press, following the death of Jerry Falwell, the willingness to dialog was highlighted. "Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, also said he had warm personal feelings for the man whose views on homosexuality he deplored. Last year, he spoke to students at Falwell’s Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., to challenge the school’s policies toward gay and lesbian students.
“It took courage for him to invite me to speak directly to Liberty University’s 9,000 students. He introduced me to his students with real excitement, and, when it seemed to him that they were acting inappropriately, he stood up and defended my right to speak, even when I was saying things with which I knew he would disagree,” Yoffie said in a statement released shortly after Falwell’s death. “I deeply appreciate the genuine warmth and respect that he demonstrated for me.”
Personally, I hope we would be the kind of sure footed followers of Christ who would be willing to discuss any and all topics with hopes of taking a stand for the truth while showing the love for mankind that Jesus exampled for us.
I can definitely see the value of having a representative from the SBC. I believe in the public eye we are viewed as being separatists who don't want to even try to work, or dialog on issues, together with other denominations or faiths.
I think Albert Mohler would be an excellent representative for the SBC as he has experience in the media and with high-profile conferences. Although he receives flack from the left for his views, I think he has respect even from those who disagree with him because he is open to dialog and he is able to respond to criticism in a polite manner while holding strong to his convictions. Mohler also upholds the authority of Scripture and speaks on topics from a biblical worldview - I believe most of our convention would be happy to have him as our representative.
Baucum's outspoken views on youth and homeschooling may cause a stumbling block to receiving an ear from the attendees at the conference (although I personally value much of what Baucum says.)
I am not sure if Page, Land, or any other potential SBC representative would command the same respect as Mohler.
Mohler probably has the greatest potential of making an impact for us. I therefore believe Mohler would be the ideal choice for an SBC representative and speaker at the conference.
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