The SBC opened its convention in New Orleans today (How Politic is that?) with the big headline of voting in a black SBC pastor as President of the convention unopposed. The whole thing is certainly historic and so politically motivated as to make me want to puke. I have no problem with anyones color but this comes on the heels of the conventions bureaucratic panick over declining numbers. Looking at numbers and government by committee is one of the major problems in the convention now. To many image boosters instead of Christ boosters. That however is just one symptom of what's gone wrong with Southern Baptist. Now a bunch of reform theology haters have written a letter lauding the "traditional" baptist view of salvation as opposed to the reformed position and they couldn't even get their theology right in the letter. Reformed theology has been a part of Baptist theology since at least 1689 with the London Baptist Confession of 1689 and is just as traditional as eternal security and baptism by immersion. They state in the letter that we are not sinners until we sin. This is blatant heresy. I'm no theologian but saw that when I read the letter. Al Mohler as tactfully as possible tried to correct their error and was met with bluster and denuciations. Even Roger Olson a respected theologian opposed to the Calvinist view pointed out the heresy in the letter. This whole issue is because several of its signers were humialiated in debates with Reformed Apologist and now want some payback and are using this letter as a sly attempt to put the Calvinist in their place. They will at the least cause a great deal of bitterness and anger and quite possibly a schism in the convention and the denomination. I have been a Southern Baptist a greater part of my adult life and although the teaching was not categorically Calvinist it was always very close and is now accepted by a large percentage of SBC pastors and congregations and I know for a fact that many pastors are really feed up with the SBC and this will only push them further away. Despite Jerry Vines and others protestations of "love and unity" he has proven himself to be a prideful arrogant jerk of the first order and Paige Patterson must be getting senile to have signed this. In case you didn't notice I'm really angry with these men but what needs to be will be because of this. The Lord is winnowing the wheat. Preparing His bride.

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