Posted on 05/22/2007 7:38:57 AM PDT by NYer
If the Rev. Jerry Falwell personified the Christian right in the past, then the Rev. Frank S. Page may represent its future.
From his Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va., where his funeral will be held Tuesday, Falwell gave evangelicals a strong political voice. But it was often the voice of a sure and angry prophet, as when he blamed the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in part on "the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians," or described warnings about global warming as "Satan's attempt" to turn the church's attention from evangelism to environmentalism.
Page, 54, was chosen last year as president of the 16 million-member Southern Baptist Convention, Falwell's denomination and the country's largest evangelical one, in an election that he saw as a mandate for change.
"I would not use the word 'moderate,' because in our milieu that often means liberal. But it's a shift toward a more centrist, kinder, less harsh style of leadership," Page said. "In the past, Baptists were very well known for what we're against. . . . Instead of the caricature of an angry, narrow-minded, Bible-beating preacher, we wanted someone who could speak to normal people."
With members of an older generation of evangelical leaders, including the Rev. Billy Graham, the Rev. Pat Robertson, psychologist James C. Dobson and the Rev. D. James Kennedy, ailing or nearing retirement, Page is one of many pastors and political activists tugging conservative Christians in various directions.
Others include the Rev. Rick Warren and the Rev. William Hybels, megachurch pastors who are championing the fight against AIDS in Africa. David Barton, head of a Texas-based group called WallBuilders, stumps the nation decrying the "myth" that the Constitution requires separation of church and state.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Probably a problem with both.
Many “evangelicals” really belong to the church of what is happening now.
It is somewhat cool to be pro life, but not cool to be anti gay.
Probably a problem with both.
Many “evangelicals” really belong to the church of what is happening now.
It is somewhat cool to be pro life, but not cool to be anti gay.
These kids are way off track, and really do not know what a true Evangelical is!
As a So. Baptist, I am very unhappy with the “moderate” leadership!
Keep your chin up. As a United Methodist I would consider moderate leadership a move in the right direction.
LOL!
Or there is a problem with biblical ignorance. Ignorance seems to be a big problem of the American people these days.
Oh, yea, they are “pro life” unless the “life” in question becomes a burden!!!
“As a So. Baptist, I am very unhappy with the “moderate” leadership!”
Not screaming at the world, eg unbelievers, to act like something they are not, doesn’t make you moderate or liberal.
Frankly I find that Some Southern Baptist leaders are more concerned with making the world behave like Christians, when as unbelievers they are not capable of such in the first place, to be asinine.
If you want people to live and behave like Christians, they must first become Christians and be discipled. Just telling them to stop acting like the sinners they are, don’t cut it. And They (the sinners) see through the hypocrisy of such.
The world cannot live like Christ, until they know him. If all your doing is telling them to “stop it” and “behave” you are doing them the biggest disservice possible.
Don’t they usually serve two terms, with the second term being automatic unless there is a reason otherwise. Most Southern Baptists have never heard of this Dr. Page. He sounds like a liberal.
But one of the rather surprising things is that there is a growing pro life consensus out there. I mean, when you have shows like “House, MD” and “Battlestar Galactica” take on pro life issues, it hints that the pro abortion folks don’t have as hard of a lock on things as they used to.
But, in todays decadent culture, homosexuality and fornication is not viewed as a big deal. Even many pastors don’t think it is “wrong”. So it is no surprise that some younger Evangelicals don’t either.
Exactly why I refuse to belong to a Church affiliated with the SBC.
They went soft.
“Don’t they usually serve two terms, with the second term being automatic unless there is a reason otherwise. Most Southern Baptists have never heard of this Dr. Page. He sounds like a liberal.”
I don’t know about an automatic 2nd term.
I recently met Dr. Page. I don’t believe him to be liberal at all.
His personal about me page is:
http://www.sbc.net/PresidentsPage/FrankPage/default.asp
He was elected at the last convention for several reasons.
1) His church actually supports Southern Baptist Cooperative Program. One of the other candidates churches basically did not.
2) Unlike one of the other’s running for the job, he didn’t believe in continuing to beat a dead horse.
It is time for Southern Baptist to capitalize on the Conservative gains made in the 80s and 90s, not repeat the same mistake that got the liberals in power in the first place by beating dead horses too the point that younger church goers go else where.
It is time to get back to the gospel, and missions.
Spending millions of dollars a year on bashing liberals doesn’t help either cause.
“But it’s a shift toward a more centrist..
Exactly why I refuse to belong to a Church affiliated with the SBC.
They went soft.”
So choosing not to make an ass out of yourself needlessly is going soft?
Expecting pagans to behave as Christians, when they don’t have the capacity to do so, is asininely stupid.
If you want to stop/limit abortion, homosexuality etc, you have to reach these people with the Gospel. Not hold up signs on street corners telling them they need to straighten up.
Simply saying “stop it” over and over without changing their hearts is a cruel waste.
Don’t give up yet! I’m still here, and so are a lot of others who do not at all agree with this man. I don’t think he will last long.
NOTHING is wrong with Dr. Stanley - absolutely nothing. He is the best preacher I have ever heard. He is dead right in his views because he preaches the Bible at all times, not just somebody’s opinion. My point is that this new man is not worthy. Maybe I didn’t say it just right.
this is no surprise as it's another a sign of the times.
the framework is being set up for the anti-christ, and these are just signs we all need to be ready and prepared for Christ's triumphant return.
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