Posted on 11/17/2001 4:23:44 PM PST by gg188
Southern Baptists shun common prayer
By Mark I. Pinsky
Sentinel Staff Writer
November 14, 2001
LAKELAND -- Despite the trauma of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Southern Baptists won't be flocking to interfaith services designed to bring the nation together. Alone among America's major religious groups, the nation's largest Protestant denomination holds fast to its long-standing policy of not praying with others.
For the 15.7 million members of the Southern Baptist Convention, this means not only Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus, but also Christian denominations they do not consider legitimate, including Roman Catholics, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses. "We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven," said the Rev. Dwayne Mercer, pastor of First Baptist Church of Oviedo, explaining why he would not participate in interfaith gatherings, including one scheduled early next year for Central Florida congregations.
Mercer was elected president of the 1 million-member Florida Baptist Convention on Tuesday, at the group's annual meeting in Lakeland. He was unopposed.
Mercer, 47, said if he attended events with leaders of other faiths, members of his congregation might assume he believes "that all these faiths are legitimate," which he does not.
Even in a time of crisis, praying with Charismatic and Pentecostal Protestants is as far as most Southern Baptists are prepared to go.
In Jacksonville, the Rev. Ted Corley, pastor of Mayfair Baptist Church, organized a citywide service after the tragedy, limiting those invited to Southern Baptists, mainline Protestants and Pentecostals.
"I draw the line with those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as their messiah," he said.
"I tend to shy away from that. . . . As a pastor, I would not feel comfortable with someone praying to Allah or Buddha in my presence. That would go against my position concerning my faith about salvation and Jesus Christ."
Locally, the Rev. James Fortinberry, executive director of the Greater Orlando Baptist Association, said he would be willing to participate in an interfaith panel, but that he also drew the line at common prayer. Refusing to join such prayer gatherings "might be misunderstood," he said. "That's just a risk I take."
The Southern Baptists' course might be self-destructive, said Leo Sandon, distinguished professor of religion and American studies at Florida State University. By refusing to join in religious gatherings in a time of crisis, he said, "they're alienating themselves from the broader community."
"I am very sorry and disappointed that we have not had the presence of our brothers and sisters of the Southern Baptist faith," said the Rev. Fred Morris, executive director of the Florida Council of Churches, who has been active in organizing interfaith gatherings in Central Florida. "It has been deeply rewarding to be sharing in prayers for peace and harmony with persons of a wide variety of faith traditions, and it is disappointing not having such an important group as the Southern Baptists sharing in this very rich experience."
Besides alienating themselves from other faiths, Sandon said, the Southern Baptists "are driving the wedge deeper between themselves and progressive members of the denomination."
Already there are hundreds of such dissident, moderate congregations across the South and Midwest that no longer send delegates to the annual Southern Baptist Convention or to statewide gatherings such as the one in Lakeland. Many of these congregations do not agree with the national denomination's position on interfaith gatherings, Sandon said.
For example, representatives of Sweetwater Baptist Church and College Park Baptist Church joined members of other religions at an Altamonte Springs hotel in the weeks after the terrorist attacks. "Interfaith gatherings build an enormous amount of understanding and respect for different faith traditions," said the Rev. Ron Crawford of College Park Baptist Church. "We have so much to learn from one another. To refuse to participate is nothing more than arrogant and truly unbecoming a Christian."
Attacks offered opportunity
In contrast with other religious denominations, which in the days after Sept. 11 emphasized understanding, tolerance and respect for the American Muslim community, Southern Baptist missionaries declared that the attacks offered an ideal opportunity to evangelize American Muslims.
The Rev. Peter Shadid -- pastor of the Arabic Evangelical Church a ministry of First Baptist Church of Kissimmee -- said the attacks spurred his conviction that the Gospel should be shared with Arab-Americans. During a tragedy, he said, it is human nature to feel closer to God.
"Muslims are more receptive to know about Jesus Christ than at any other time," he said.
A prominent Southern Baptist leader took another approach, denouncing all of Islam as a religion.
The Rev. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said Islam worships a false god with a false faith. Speaking at his seminary's chapel on Oct. 17, Mohler said, "I want to say as a Christian theologian, the biggest problem with Islamic theology is that it kills the soul."
It is a faith that "lies about God" and "presents a false gospel," said Mohler, a rising leader in the denomination. He said "these are difficult things to say. This is not polite."
Mohler, who regularly condemns religious pluralism and its notion that all faiths are equally legitimate, also said in his chapel talk that Jews and Muslims do not serve the same God as Christians.
On CNN's Larry King Live last year, Mohler used some of the same language to describe the Catholic Church.
"As an evangelical, I believe that the Roman church is a false church and it teaches a false gospel," Mohler told King.
At the same time, the Southern Baptists have no problem making common political cause with Catholics on issues such as abortion and stem-cell research. They just won't worship with Catholics.
The Rev. Paige Patterson, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and head of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., frequently boasts, "I do not have an ecumenical bone in my body."
Patterson was one of the architects of the conservative takeover of the denomination.
Mark Pinsky may be reached at mpinsky@orlandosentinel.com or at 407-420-5589.
Copyright © 2001, Orlando Sentinel
Tsk, tsk. Name calling is so childish.
There isn't any part of freedom that I don't understand.
I am sure she understands the part that allows you the freedom to name-call, as though that is a sign of intelligence on your part instead of an immature response.
You're missing the point (or English is not your strength). I understand a great deal. Familiarity breeds contempt. See it as along those lines.
At least we're not syncretist.
Its just one big idol.
How can the body of Christ be an idol?
Oh yes, God forbid a Church should be a place to bend the knee towards Him!
I do have to laugh when people accuse other of "vainly repeating" when, in fact, they are "humbly repeating."
Speaking of the problem with repeating prayers, have you ever said the "Lord's Prayer?" During your life, have you said it more than once?
And the Roman Catholic Church does not have idols, although they do use statues which the ignorant and ill-informed seem to mistake for idols (which are worshipped directly). Plus, there is a world of difference between worship and veneration.
Take the time to know what you speak about or you'll prove yourself a fool everytime you open your mouth!
P.S. I'm not a Roman Catholic.
As for being an idol, how on earth can a Church be an idol? A Church could be a false Church, as yours is, but not an idol. I've seen people stretch that word before, but never quite as much as you do here.
patent
So instead of "by faith alone", this is the "in spite of faith alone" method of salvation, huh?
Yet another reason to steer clear of you Protestant types with your "Lesbian snake handling ministers" and who knows what else.
BTW, just teasing ya.
That would be the PCUSA - possibly the most liberal church in America. There are several other denominations. My own, the PCA, refuses to ordain women in any position of authority (deacon, elder, pastor) is staunchly pro-life, pro-Bible, believe church doctrine, preach the Word, and have been going strong for about 20 years now. Any PCUSA church that wants to join our denomination is welcomed in as long as they agree with our policies, which are based on the Westminster Confession of Faith, the last great statement to come out of the Reformation.
Have you ever heard of R. C. Sproul? He's PCA. We're a decent sized denomination - you can find us anywhere, and we're not liberal.
Roman Catholics do not worship idols. Find me a practicing Roman Catholic who says they do. C'mon! If they really do it, you should be able to find one willing to admit to it.
Venerating the image comes closer to the reality, however, attempting to lump the two together is disingenuous. While being a far cry from worship, the veneration is always directed at the source, i.e. the person being portrayed, and not the image itself.
If you don't understand that basic concept, then you know far too little about their faith to comment intelligently upon it.
I've seen people make 200 mile pilgrimages to kiss the foot of a Mary statue.
Really? Did you follow then the entire 200 miles? OK, just kidding with that one. If you look into the practice of a pilgrimage, you'll discover that the entire time is supposed to be spend in prayer to God. Sort of like the thing a lot of these Protestant Churches do with the labryniths drawn on the floor, but requiring a lot more time and effort.
If it looks like idol worship, acts like idol worship, it probably is idol worship.
Perhaps to the uneducated, it does appear so. Although I am not a Roman Catholic, I know enough about them to firmly state that they do not worship idols.
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