Dear Fellow Baptist, Much has happened in Baptist life over the past 20 years. I encourage you to read over the following list. If nothing on this list disturbs you or if you respond with a total absence of concern, then the contents of this newsletter will probably not be of interest. A Chronology May 1980 Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler revealed a plan for long-range Control of the SBC. Sept. 1980 Paul Pressler announces that Fundamentalists "need to go for the jugular" of the SBC. 1987) Southeastern Seminary President Randall Lolley and Dean Morris Ashcraft resign their positions rather than implement restrictive hiring policies of Fundamentalist trustees. 1988) Moderate Larry Baker, director of Christian Life Commission, resigns after 16 months in that position. 1989) Moderate Jimmy Allen resigns as president of the SBC Radio and Television Commission. 1990) Al Shakleford and Dan Martin were fired from Baptist Press by the SBC executive committee. 1991) Loyd Elder, president of the Baptist Sunday School Board, was forced to retire by fundamentalist-dominated board of trustees. 1992) Keith Parks announces retirement from foreign Missions Board because of differences with 1MB trustees. 1993) Roy Honeycutt resigns as President of Southern Seminary due to a hostile fundamentalist board of trustees. 1994) A hostile board of trustees at Southwestern Seminary fire President Russell Dilday and change the locks on his office. 1998) The SBC voted to amend the 1963 BF&M statement to include "A wife is to submit herself graciously" to her husband. 2000) The 2000 BF&M statement was amended to read that "women could not serve as pastors." 2003) Thirteen long-tenured missionaries were terminated for refusing to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message as mandated by 1MB President Jerry Rankin. For about eleven years a group of moderate-conservative Baptist struggled against this takeover of the SBC, but to no avail. By 1990 opposition to the takeover had fairly well ended. Large numbers of Baptists began to adjust to the fact that they would have no further voice in the affairs of the SBC. In August, 1990, over 3,000 met in Atlanta and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was born. As such the CBF is made up of churches and individuals who (I) share a passion for the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, (2) share a commitment to historic Baptist principles, and (3) share a dedication to work with other Christian denominations in achieving common goals. CBF and Historic Baptist Principles In recent years principles that have characterized Baptists from the beginning are being challenged and, in subtle ways, changed. The individuals and churches making up the CBF still hold dear these principles. We believe in the authority of Scriptures. We accept the Bible as divinely inspired, authoritative in matters of faith and practice, and the Christian guide for belief and conduct. We believe that Christ, the supreme revelation of God, is the criterion by which scripture is to be interpreted. We affirm the freedom and right of every Christian to interpret and apply Scripture under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the priesthood of all believers. We affirm the freedom and responsibility of every person to relate directly to God without the imposition of creed or the control of clergy or government. We believe in the autonomy of every local church. We believe Baptist Churches are free, under the lordship of Christ, to determine their membership and leadership, to order their worship and work, to ordain whomever they perceive as gifted for ministry without regard to gender, and to participate as they deem appropriate in the larger Body of Christ. We believe in freedom of religion, freedom for religion, and freedom from religion. We support the separation of Church and State. Historically, Baptists have been a "confessional" and not a "creedal" people. These confessions have been "only guides in interpretation, having no authority over the conscience." Therefore, we resist efforts toward creedal statements being used as "instruments of doctrinal accountability." What has happened in the brief 13 year history of CBF?
If you respond to this information with interest or would like further information, please contact the office of the Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma 205 E. Main St. Norman, OK 73069 Phone: 405-447-2471 Email: cbfo@attnet.
With gratitude, |
