Posted on 10/24/2025 1:43:48 PM PDT by Cronos
Southern Baptist professor Matthew Barrett has ignited a theological controversy across social media platforms following his announcement that he is leaving both Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Southern Baptist Convention to seek ordination in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). The Kansas City-based theologian made his intentions public on July 24, 2025, through a post on X (formerly Twitter) that linked to a 6,000-word Substack essay detailing his reasons for the denominational switch. Dr. Barrett, known for his work in systematic theology and “classical retrieval” scholarship, cited what he termed three “cracked pillars” in Southern Baptist life as driving factors behind his decision. Dr. Barrett’s essay identified several key issues with the SBC: the denomination’s alleged “official rejection” of the Nicene Creed, problems with congregational polity that he claims breeds “image-management and spiritual abuse,” and Baptist baptism practices, which he contrasts unfavorably with the covenantal logic behind infant baptism. The professor has accepted a position as Research Professor of Theology at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Pennsylvania, marking a significant career transition that places him within the Anglican/Episcopal world. The announcement triggered immediate pushback from prominent Southern Baptist voices. Denny Burk, a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, directly challenged Barrett’s characterization of SBC creedal positions, stating on his blog and X that “Barrett bears false witness… The SBC has not ‘officially rejected’ the Nicene Creed”. James White of Alpha & Omega Ministries took a more polemical approach, arguing in a video response that “promoting the ‘Great Tradition’ at a Baptist institution is self-contradictory—his conversion proves our point”. White’s critique focused on what he sees as Barrett’s over-reliance on patristic sources and Thomas Aquinas rather than Scripture. The Center for Baptist Leadership expressed concern about the theological implications, warning that “this isn’t just a denominational shift. It’s a theological pivot that risks sacramental confusion”. Their critique particularly targeted Barrett’s embrace of infant baptism and what they termed “sacramentalism”. The controversy quickly spread across social media platforms, with mock hashtags like #BaptistsBiteTheDust trending briefly after critical YouTube commentary. The “5 Solas” account on X shared mocking quotes, while Reasonable Theology produced analytical content questioning Barrett’s biblical exegesis regarding baptism. However, Barrett also found supporters within Anglican circles. Trinity Anglican Seminary welcomed him with a press release celebrating his expertise in classical theology, while Anglican supporters used phrases like “Welcome home to the Canterbury trail!” in reply threads. Rather than retreating from the controversy, Barrett has continued to engage critics through both long-form Substack posts and social media responses. He has pressed the Nicene Creed issue with follow-up tweets, retweeted calls for prayer regarding SBC messengers who support the Creed, and defended against accusations of unfairly characterizing Baptist culture. When Burk’s critical article circulated widely, Barrett responded with a defensive thread addressing what he called the “pain of those silenced for retrieving classical theology”. He has framed his criticism not as an attack on individual Baptists but as a structural critique of denominational practices. The Barrett controversy has exposed deeper fault lines within evangelical circles regarding classical theology, creedal authority, and denominational identity. His story reflects a broader trend of evangelical theologians moving toward high-church traditions for sacramental and liturgical reasons. The debate has rekindled earlier discussions about “biblicism” versus classical theism, with Barrett’s 2023 critique of biblicism having already drawn fire from James White and others. The conversion has also highlighted ongoing divisions within the SBC regarding the formal status of the Nicene Creed. Several SBC theologians have signaled forthcoming articles responding to Barrett’s “three pillars” argument, while James White has announced a follow-up “Dividing Line” series on “The Great-Traditionists”. Barrett has hinted at a podcast episode addressing his critics scheduled for this fall. The controversy continues to generate discussion about the relationship between historic Christian orthodoxy and contemporary denominational identity, with Barrett’s move serving as a flashpoint for broader questions about creedal authority, liturgical worship, and the nature of Baptist distinctives in the 21st century. Barrett’s transition represents only the second high-profile academic departure from the SBC to Anglicanism in recent years, following a modest but notable trend of evangelical theologians seeking what they describe as greater historical and liturgical depth in their ecclesiastical commitments.
ping...may end up in Rome.
The more he reads the Scripture and how Christianity was for its first 1500 years...
Hopefully so!
There is absolutely no covenantal logic with infant baptism.
There are Southern Baptist Churches that deny creeds, historical documents, and have decided to make up their own ideas based on hyper-Arminianism and modalism that has become hip through popular culture and churches that have adopted Top 40 hits from those congreations and rejected the hymnal. That’s what ran me out of the local SBC church after a family member’s situation with the takeover of the church by hyper-Arminian activists. These churches adopted personalism (as proven by Boston University) and have taken track of all postmodernist philosophy that has been rampant in churches.
In 2010, I was doing Summer Chorus at my alma mater where our project was Beethoven’s Mass in C Major (Op. 86), and the Credo movement was the Nicene Creed, which I had never known as a Baptist for 30 years (I was 34). From a serious standpoint of studying church history, the Council of Niacea (which I learned in the current ARP church I attend) debunked the ideas of Arius.
The current rejection of the Nicene Creed comes from many churches that have embraced Big Entertainment’s takeover of the church. Many churches that have embraced modern worship sing from Steven Furtick’s Elevation Worship. Mr. Furtick believes God can shape-shift into different “modes,” which is at the core of the Modalist movement, a form of Arian theology.
These Baptist churches rejected the fundamentals of the Nicene Creed of 325 in order to follow Steven Furtick’s Arianism via modalism. The songs being sung in these churches today reject 2,000 years of history in favour of pushing the ideology of postmodern fads such as Rick Warren, Steven Furtick, Bill Johnson, and whatever Top 40 hits are flying off the shelves of KLVR Radio in Sacramento. Furthermore, many Southern Baptist churches locally that still have choirs perform karaoke versions of these Top 40 hits offered by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship college Mercer University’s school of theology and music. Mercer offers liberal theology Sunday School and choral music material, and many have accepted them because they reject the history of the SBC and Biblical doctrine in favour of following whatever fads are offered.
Baptise babies to remove original sin.
This practice is the New Covenant equivalent to the Old Testament circumcision, performed on infants to bring them into the covenant with God.
Bring them into the church, and give them the grace of God to begin their spiritual life.
And Peter said to them, ” Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.”
Acts 2:38-39
Yes, Jesus was not baptized as a child, but He was circumcised as an infant, and our baptisms are the new covenant equivalent of circumcision, so why would we withhold such a beautiful gift and grace from the children that God has entrusted to our care?
Infant Baptism is Covenantal — and More
Baptism is a mystery (sacrament) that imparts grace, unites to Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:3–4), and seals with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13) — irrespective of age.
Infant baptism is not just “covenantally logical” — it is apostolically necessary.
The child is baptized into Christ, sealed with the Spirit, and raised in the nurture of the Church (Eph 6:4). Personal faith is cultivated within the covenant, not as a prerequisite for entry.
Children of believers are born into the covenant community and receive the seal of the Spirit in baptism (as infants were sealed in circumcision).
Can you give one example in the New Testament where an infant was baptized?
There is absolutely no support for infant baptism anywhere in the bible.
“The current rejection of the Nicene Creed comes from many churches that have embraced Big Entertainment’s takeover of the church. “
Sorry, I don’t follow you.
Why couldn’t they keep the Nicene Creed and still be Big entertainment?
“adopted Top 40 hits”
I don’t exactly know what you are referring to. Is that code language for something?
“Baptise babies to remove original sin.”
Where do y’all come up with this nonsense?
As I like to say, The Reformation occurred for a reason.
The ACNA was founded in 2009 by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada, who were dissatisfied with doctrinal and social teachings in their former churches, especially regarding the position of women and the ordination of gay men, which they considered too liberal and contradictory to traditional Anglican belief.
Not to mention nearly two millennia of tradition and consistent teaching by Magisterial authority upon apostolic guidance for infant baptism in the church.
The not baptizing of babies was made up by some other people, based on their opinion, not based on Scripture and the teaching and tradition of the church.
St. Peter says it very clearly.
Baptizing babies is effective a pagan practice.
It is nowhere in the Bible.
The Reformation was good for the people who had been sucked into Roman Catholicism. Luther and his 95 Theses provided information, and was a tool to help them leave that nonsense. They are Protestants because they protested the RC denomination.
The RCs are the true protestants, because they protested against the Early Church and defiled what it stood for.
Baptists are not Protestants because we did not emerge from the Reformation. Our spiritual heritage is rooted in the principle that true biblical Christianity has always existed outside the structure of Rome.
The Catholic Church, most likely.
They most certainly are Protestants.
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