I don’t know much about the substance of this rift other than what’s been reported in the papers, but part of this strikes me as strange:
The Southern Baptist Convention voted today to quit the Baptist World Alliance following complaints that some members of the loose, global association had adopted liberal theology and “anti-American” thinking.
I can understand disputes regarding “liberal” versus “conservative” theology. But what’s this about the religious organization being “anti-American”? Exactly where in the Bible are the tenets of “American” Christianity founded? Is Jesus an American? Have I missed something?
Greetings,
You probably are expecting me to chime in with my thoughts on this, so I will not dissappoint…
You are correct on your point that there is an actual liberal vs. conservative disconnect within the greater Baptist Church. But the “anti-American” stance has nothing to do with Biblical interpretation at all, it is solely political. It is distinctly a pro-Bush attitude and is designed only to get Southern Baptists to rally behind the president. Since many of Jesus’ and Paul’s biblical proclamations are distinctly anti-American, they shy away from that sort of interpretation, thus they can only desire to wave the bible in front of Baptists’ faces and claim anyone who says American values (that they hold dear, like capitalism) is not Biblically based, is Anti-American. This is nothing but a rallying cry, and in fact has nothing to do with Christian doctrine whatsoever. To claim the wider Baptist world organization is anti-American is to more tightly bond American Baptists together, in Bush’s camp.
Recall, it has only been in the last few weeks/months, that Bush has flip-flopped and decided that America does, in fact, need world approval, in their actions in Iraq. As this will be seen as a reversal, or “changing course” for Bush, he needed to bolster support. This could only be accomplished by augmenting a grassroots revitalization of anti-world sentiment amongst his core Christian supporters.
This is most evident in the reality that true Christianity cannot be construed as EITHER pro- or anti- American, rather pro-Jesus. Thus the world is saying to American Christians you are more pro-American than pro-Jesus, and Bush’s Campaign could not survive that level of criticism.
–jeff-perado
Yes. I was being a bit sarcastic with the post. By and large the Bible is at odds with the concept or modern nationalism. The New Testment focuses on spiritual rather than earthly kingdoms.
And yes, this vote yesterday came shortly before President Bush’s address to the convention.