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
Get real and read the comments of the "christians" who are posting above and who are quoted in the article. Then come see the people I work with who say I am not a Christian because I am Catholic. Sheesh!
I find the inclusion of Presbyterians with Mormons interesting...By any stretch of the imagination Presbyterians are Christians.. (just in case you didn't notice) they believe in Salvation by Faith ,as an act of Gods grace and not by works,and scripture as inherent and the final authority.
My Wesleyan church is going to share some of our space with a Presbyterian church that has just split...We see no doctrinal problem...
"I draw the line with those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as their messiah," he said.
Me too! Sure many claim belief but worship another god or dead people. Thanks but I'll pass on the interfaith bowel movement. Outside of prayer, that's the time to convert to the true Judeo Christian God. My Bible tells me to seaparate from the unclean thing when it comes to worship so interfaith in not an option.
I too will not worship with non-christian people unless they want redemption and salvation according to biblical teachings.
Emotional, emotional, emotional!!
Please put your feelings about being personally offended aside for a moment. Do you believe in freedom of association or not???
Compose yourself. I am a Catholic hated by Baptists and was born in the South! I don't hate anyone.
Aside from people SAYING things to you that you don't like, have you encountered any REAL predjudice in the south for being Catholic? REAL predjudice? I tend to doubt it.
Seven children!! What were you thinking?! LOL just kidding. :)
2Cor. 6:11-18
[11] O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
[12] Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
[13] Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
[14] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
It's just another choice.
Remarks by Senator John Edwards at the National Baptist Convention, June 21, 2001.
"I believe that every child has worth and dignity in the eyes of God. I know that abiding faith in every soul is what guides the Baptist Convention. And it's what guides my work in the Congress. " (is pro partial birth abortion).
In case he hasn't noticed, they don't need the help.
And so President Bush – and all of us – must choose. Will we stand for regular people, or will we allow the special interests to stand in their way?
Will we stand for patients and doctors, or HMO bureaucrats?
Will we stand for the rights of every single voter – or for those who don't mind if thousands, even millions of votes fall through the cracks?"
Mercer says: "I draw the line with those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as their messiah," he said.
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