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I said it ain't a true IFBC if it accepts Calvinism.

Huh?

You keep bleating this as though it has some meaning.

Do you think there is actually such a thing as a Baptist denomination? I assure you, our entire history rejects this denominationalism that you hint exists.

You seem to think you can compel other Baptist churches to accept the doctrine of your church. This is false.

Can you cite a single instance of an independent Baptist church being expelled from its association or convention for Calvinist doctrine? Please name them.

The fellowship of Baptist churches with other churches, both Baptist and non-Baptist, is based upon that which they universally confess.

For instance, one might observe that, next to Reformed Baptists, the SBC is the most 'Calvinist' of Baptist conventions. However, I know of no SBC church which makes Calvinism a litmus for membership and certainly not for clergy. In fact, SBC churches do soft pedal the entire Calvinist issue and their preaching reflects this.

Baptists have rarely compelled anyone in this matter in their history. Not General Baptists, or Calvinistic Baptists in the SBC, or Independent Baptists. Not even the Cooperative Baptists (extreme liberals like Carter). However, one can cite some very firm classic Calvinists in the SBC camp or among the English Baptists (Gill, Spurgeon). And yet, these same 'Calvinists' never made of it a formal litmus test.

The issue, among modern Baptists, is quite divisive and very few individual churches use complete doctinral Arminianism or Calvinism as a formal litmus for preaching or membership.

I would say that what is more universally rejected is a dogmatic approach of extremism on either side. Whether they call themselves Calvinist or Arminian or, more commonly, wiggle away from both terms, I would say clergymen tend to get a foot in both camps when it comes to their preaching.

You keep bleating this as though it has some meaning.

Hey I can bleat with the best of you guys. :)

Do you think there is actually such a thing as a Baptist denomination?

No, what I'm saying is that 99.9% of Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches reject Calvinism. The few that accept don't negate the other 99.9%. And you can take the 99.9% as meaning the majority.

I would say that what is more universally rejected is a dogmatic approach of extremism on either side. Whether they call themselves Calvinist or Arminian or, more commonly, wiggle away from both terms, I would say clergymen tend to get a foot in both camps when it comes to their preaching.

The no guts preacher syndrome, go along to get along instead of standing up against false teaching.

BigMack