Posted on 05/23/2018 10:19:09 PM PDT by Cronos
Evangelicals, we can no longer say sexual misconduct is just a Roman Catholic problem. At one of our seminaries, controversy has centered on a president (now former president) whose sermon illustration from years ago included advice that a battered wife remain in the home and the marriage in hope of the conversion of her abusive husband. Other comments represented the objectification of a teenage girl. The issues only grew more urgent with the sense that the dated statements represented ongoing advice and counsel.
..We thought this was a Roman Catholic problem.
..
When people said that evangelicals had a similar crisis coming, it didn’t seem plausible—even to me. I have been president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for 25 years. I did not see this coming.
..We cannot blame a requirement of priestly celibacy. We cannot even point to an organized conspiracy of silence within the denominational hierarchy. No, our humiliation comes as a result of an unorganized conspiracy of silence. Sadly, the unorganized nature of our problem may make recovery and correction even more difficult and the silence even more dangerous.
...This is just a foretaste of the wrath of God poured out. This moment requires the very best of us. The Southern Baptist Convention is on trial, and our public credibility is at stake. May God have mercy on us all.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
This guy is not trying to make excuses, and is calling out his own denomination to address these problems in compliance with Biblical and legal requirements.
This Southern Baptist has no idea what he is talking about. So I looked it up:
“Paige Patterson, a prominent Southern Baptist leader, has been removed from his position as president of a Texas seminary following allegations that he made abusive and demeaning comments to women.
Patterson, 75, has been heavily criticized over his past comments about women. According to The Washington Post, he encouraged abused women to stay with their husbands, implored female seminarians to look more attractive and commented on an “attractive” teenage girl’s appearance.
Patterson, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, also allegedly told a rape victim to forgive her assailant and not report the assault to police, a woman told The Washington Post earlier this week.”
How that is supposed to be comparable to homosexual priests and priests who were protected while pedophiles, I don’t know. I’m not seeing the moral equivalence.
For one thing, per Baptist theology, Paige Patterson is just a pastor. One of tens of thousands of baptist pastors, and no more important than any other. He headed a seminary. He was once a president - but he was elected president without anyone knowing of these comments, and as president had ZERO authority over any other baptist church.
There has been no cover-up. Paige Patterson has come out and said, “ I wish to apologize to every woman who has been wounded by anything I have said that was inappropriate or that lacked clarity. We live in a world of hurt and sorrow, and the last thing that I need to do is add to anyone’s heartache. Please forgive the failure to be as thoughtful and careful in my extemporaneous expression as I should have been.
I would also like to reiterate the simple truth that I utterly reject any form of abuse in demeaning or threatening talk, in physical blows, or in forced sexual acts. There is no excuse for anyone to use intemperate language or to attempt to injure another person. The Spirit of Christ is one of comfort, kindness, encouragement, truth, and grace; and that is what I desire my voice always to be.
To all people I offer my apology, but especially to women, to the family of Southern Baptists, my friends and the churches. I sincerely pray that somehow this apology will show my heart and may strengthen you in the love and graciousness of Christ.”
https://swbts.edu/news/releases/apology-gods-people/
And third, while his counseling might be wrong - as any pastor’s counseling may be wrong - there is a big difference between telling a woman to pray for an abusive husband, and raping little boys.
I think a woman being abused should separate from her husband. The marriage may or may not be possible to save, but she needs to be safe while saving it is tried. But it would be odd if Roman Catholics are arguing to divorce as a first reaction.
I think Al Mohler (the author of the piece) is Southern Baptist
Who has not been inappropriately misquoted?
That abused women have varying options is a fact. I encourage departure.
Are there pastors who dishonor the call in the SBC. Yes. We aren’t likely to do better than the first century church.
Just because you are accused and all manner of evil is said against you doesn’t mean it’s true.
“The Southern Baptist Convention is on trial, and our public credibility is at stake.”
I have not heard anything about this. I hope they work it out without all the drama. Just hire a few leaders with integrity and decrease the power of the slackers.
If they are introspecting, then it looks very hopeful that they will resolve it without any drama.
we all know what Jesus did to the pompous self righteous in HIS time...those who proclaimed how wonderful they were as opposed to all those "sinners"...
be sure you're not in that group....
You are correct. This is SJW nonsense targeting older leadership in the denomination. Mohler is a good man but he is buying into the hype.
Women have come forward to defend Paige.
And the Washington comPost is celebrating the destruction of relationships between Christian brothers and sisters.
Well put Sir- there simply is no comparison between baptists and catholics concerning the sex/rape issue faced by the catholic church- it is totally disingenuous to try to compare the two and intimate that there is a crisis in the baptist religion based on some comments said which were laster apologized for- Comments vs rape- no comparison at all
I think you better re-read Mr Rogers post #3 and pay particular attention to the quotation marks. A click on the included links might also provide some clarity. I see nothing written by Mr Rogers that is analogous to stone-casting or self-righteousness.
And don’t go to church or seminary looking like a total slob and think that that is today’s “spiritual” look.
I have not heard anything about this. I hope they work it out without all the drama. Just hire a few leaders with integrity and decrease the power of the slackers.
_________________________________
Acknowledging sin is the first step toward repentance and then the promise is forgiveness will follow. Man’s as a failed creation is lost without God’s unrequited love and grace. However, sins need to be addressed head on, forgiveness sought, and then the sinful behavior corrected. Sin will always exist in this world. How it is dealt with is what either pleases or disheartens God.
I don’t see any evangelicals around here except for Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are dressed nicely enough. Not flashy, but nice
Charismatic pastors would rather wear an expensive Hawaiian shirt than to ever wear a tie!!!! There’s not a thing wrong with what the JWs or Mormons are wearing, just in what they are teaching.
“Evangelicals, we can no longer say sexual misconduct is just a Roman Catholic problem.”
As if there was ever any justification to say that. As if evil has any religious boundaries.
Thank you both for seeing beyond the hype. The SBC is under assault by the same people who are assaulting the few conservatives left in our universities. The cast of villains is exactly the same in both places. Too many well-intentioned pastors are being caught up in the rhetoric of the New Left and are committing churches and other institutions to a destructive, yes MARXIST, agenda. I see it every day in both kinds of institutions.
I hope Mohler sees the light and doesn’t get fooled by all the manufactured angst we are witnessing in this country. Seminaries are one of the chief targets of the Alinskyites and other Marxists. So far, the enemy seems to be winning.
Great letter.
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