What Russell Moore Should Have Said
Before we begin, let me be very clear…I have a deep respect and admiration for Russell Moore.
He has stood in the gap for orthodoxy and against the heresy of nationalism.
He has opposed racism and tried to bring the issue of sexual abuse into the light.
He is, by my definition, a hero.
Almost.
If what Moore wrote is true (and I believe it is) he should have named names.
He should have shouted the knaves names from every available rooftop.
“I am trying to say this as clearly as I can to you, brothers and sisters: These are the tactics that have been used to create a culture where countless children have been torn to shreds, where women have been raped and then “broken down.”
Such vile men should be known to all, marked, scorned, and prosecuted if need be.
My guess is that Moore believes the traditional canard that the sheep are too fragile and too stupid to deal with how religious sausage is actually made.
Thus, the devils he is speaking of continue to make sausage out of the sheep.
“At the same time, the other absolutely draining and unrelenting issue has been that of racial reconciliation. My family and I have faced constant threats from white nationalists and white supremacists, including within our convention. Some of them have been involved in neo-Confederate activities going back for years. Some are involved with groups funded by white nationalist nativist organizations. Some of them have just expressed raw racist sentiment, behind closed doors. They want to deflect the issue to arcane discussions that people do not understand, such as “critical race theory.” There is no Southern Baptist that I know, of any ethnicity, who is motivated by any critical theory but by the text of Ephesians and Galatians and Romans, the Gospels themselves, the framework of Revelation chapters four and five.”
Anyone surprised by this isn’t paying attention. The question then becomes one of whether these racists are speaking for themselves or representing their constituents…
In any case, these people must be identified and brought before the church.
If not, then those preachers who oppose this should leave the Southern Baptist Convention and take their congregations with them.
The only power any pastor or group of pastors have is that which the assembly gives then by attending and giving.
Anyone who sets foot in an SBC church until then supports the status quo…that despises women and people of color.
No doubt, there are many great pastors and congregations inside the Southern Baptist Convention.
Now is the time to prove true fidelity to Christ…by cleaning the temple with their name on it.
Anything less is being a traitorous betrayal to the Gospel they claim to love.
Methinks the SBC needs to go the way of Confederacy and end up on the ash heap of history.
We have debated here before whether or not there is systematic racism in our country, and what Moore describes is a system. Most sadly, some of these systems are located within large American Christian institutions.
One thing that prevents their eradication is the denial of their existence.
Russ sent this letter directly to the people he was talking about. They know who they are. The letter was then leaked to the public. Word I am hearing is that names will now be named. It is obvious to most Southern Baptist who four of those names are just by their descriptions. And these buffoons have the gall to tell me that CRT is the biggest problem in our convention,
If twitter is any representation of the SBC pews, we can’t discern which side is good or bad in this conflict. If that is true, we are doomed, and I pray God’s judgement is swift upon us before we do any more damage.
Josh,
I hope and pray that men like you are the future of the SBC…but I fear that will not be the case.
Jean,
“One thing that prevents their eradication is the denial of their existence.”
Yes…
Michael, I think we are done. We were born in sin, lived in darkness, and it seems we will die in shame.
And yes, the first name just dropped.
https://religionnews.com/2021/06/03/sbc-sources-paige-patterson-made-black-girl-comments-cited-in-russell-moore-letter/
That old devil needs to go away….
Josh,
I think my communion is finished as well…but my hope is that younger men like you revive it someday…you can do the same …
There is a word for this… “Ichabod”
I found it interesting that Moore encountered several ex-Southern Baptists in the Anglican communion. It was an option I gave thought for myself, but for several reasons (one being that there are no ACNA or C4SO churches in my region) opted to go Baptist instead.
I am very discouraged by the present state of the Southern Baptist Convention. I would agree with Josh, CRT is not the biggest issue of the day, but unfortunately, that will take center stage, both at the convention and with all the media pundits postured to have their say and critique. Whatever the SBC does in Nashville, they will be labeled as racists—which in some cases, are true, and others, false. But in this world, one size does fit all.
The infrastructure and systems of the SBC that have been created over the years have become the tempting prize for one to expand personal power and gain. Very few people can steward such great power with the accountability, dignity and humility that the job requires. Somewhere along the road, some men who probably started out with best intentions and love for God have been taken captive by the lure and lust of power—a flame that will eventual burn them. What they don’t realize is that much of it is wood, hay, and stubble.
The SBC as an organization (like the GOP) needs the Ra’s Al Ghul treatment he proposed for Gotham City:
“Gotham’s time has come. Like Constantinople or Rome before it the city has become a breeding ground for suffering and injustice. It is beyond saving and must be allowed to die. This is the most important function of the League of Shadows. It is one we’ve performed for centuries. Gotham… must be destroyed.”
CM,
nonsense. . .
This article by Trevin Wax about the issues currently in the SBC is definitely worth a read.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/what-are-southern-baptists-really-fighting-about/
There is also one other key factor, there are some very powerful “clicks” that rule the roost so to speak at the SBC. They will not tolerate any interruption of revenue and / or power. On social media the gossip card has already been played and the CRT/I boogieman has been paraded out with the usual ceremonial handwaving. I would hope folks could be honest and discerning. Some are even saying abuse is not the worse problem and people need to just get over it. Of course that does not apply to leadership or the branded and pew sitters are not people they are walking wallets nothing more.
brian,
That’s right. The pew sitter is nothing more than a giving (aka revenue unit).
The sooner the SBC ends up on the ash heap of history, the better.
I’m thankful for the many pastors and “pew sitters” in the SBC who are walking faithfully with our Lord. The scoundrels and fraudsters and anti-Christs do not negate the good folks who are following Jesus.
I also appreciate the folks like Moore who turn on the flashlight of truth and expose those misbehaving in the dark.
Good and logical words, Ericl
I’ve known some of the folk you describe – sad situation …IMHO