With the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting next week, Frank Page's tenure as president will come to an end. Although he has not been perfect (think reaction to Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant), he has been a breath of free air overall. He made a couple of excellent remarks in a recent interview. About the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, Page argued:
People have said, 'Does it bother you that they are called Baptist?' ... I say, it bothers me even more that they are called a church. Remove the Baptist from the issue or the argument. To call yourself a church should hold you to a very high calling and high standard that they do not live to.And on the politics of the late Jerry Falwell, he stated:
Most Southern Baptists cringe when his name was even mentioned. ... Because they knew he was presenting a persona that didn't connect with most Southern Baptists.It is good to see leaders who recognize the need to be careful and wise with our public statements in order to better represent our Savior. Hopefully, his successor will try to follow his approach instead of the controversial and divisive rhetoric that many past leaders have offered.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteSo, I think Page was right on two of his three comments--#'s 1 and 2--and you're with him on two of three--#'s 2 and 3.
So, Page gets a high "D" with both of us.
But, I'll take Jerry Falwell's contributions to God's Kingdom and our country over the NBC's any day.
I hope you'll take the time to visit Lynchburg, Liberty U. and Thomas Road B.C. when you settle in Virginia.
No, I would grade him higher than a high "D." Overall he has done a good job, although he did really blow it with his inaccurate attack on the Celebration.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct that Falwell made significant contributions to the Kingdom. The Celebration's work has just begun, but I would not take one over the other but rather want both because we need every Christian out there sharing the love of Jesus. The problem with Falwell was not his ministry but his politics that hurt his ministry efforts. He could have done even more good than he did had he stayed more focused.