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EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of the ongoing discussion involving Resolution 9, “On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality,” from the 2019 SBC Annual Meeting, members of the 2019 Resolutions Committee sought to shed light on both their purpose in addressing the topic and the process by which the resolution was developed, with the goal of clarifying any misconceptions. What follows is a brief comment from the committee about their overall experience and a Q&A with Baptist Press, as well as an FAQ from the 2019 Resolutions Committee.
About a year ago, we were asked to serve on the Resolutions Committee for the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. Serving on the committee was a great experience, and gave us a deeper appreciation for the incredible gifts and biblical convictions that mark our Southern Baptist family.
We accepted this responsibility for one reason: to help the Convention speak with biblical clarity on theological, social, and practical topics in order to advance our cooperative witness and mission. The convention adopted 13 resolutions on a wide range of topics including gains in the pro-life movement, sexual abuse in the church, local church autonomy, sexuality and personal identity, religious persecution, and a cutting-edge genetic technology called “germline editing.” It was truly an honor to serve the messengers in 2019.
Much discussion has surrounded Resolution 9, “On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality” (CRT/I).
Since June, we’ve discussed concerns that people have raised through private conversations, including fruitful interaction with the pastor who submitted the original resolution. We want to address some questions that we have answered privately, but do so in a more public way, with the hope of bringing clarity to our deliberation.
Q: Resolution 9, “On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality,” continues to be an ongoing discussion which has caused concerns among some Baptists. Why did the committee choose to address the subject?
A: We did not begin our work with any desire or plan to speak to this issue, but we appreciated the concerns expressed by the pastor who submitted the original resolution, we recognized the influence that CRT/I has had in our society, and we shared concerns within the SBC that these theories could undermine the Gospel and the church’s mission. And so, we proposed a resolution that we hoped would reflect how the Christian church for 2000 years has applied the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture with ideas that emerge from sources outside the Bible. We were seeking to help our convention address an issue some Southern Baptists were already concerned about.
Q: One of the concerns raised over the resolution is the origin of these theories. Does the committee acknowledge this concern? Does the committee or the resolution endorse CRT/I?
A: Yes, we understand the concern, and have benefitted from discussion with individuals who have expressed it. We want to be clear that we acknowledge CRT/I originates from people who are not Christians and hold views that oppose the Gospel. No one is claiming that CRT/I is Christian or that all of its cultural applications are in line with Scripture.
At the same time, as with other secular theories, not every observation is wrong, sinful or unhelpful. But even insights that describe the social dynamics of our society accurately remain insufficient to address the sinful heart of man.
For example, we know from our missionaries, who work throughout North America and even to the uttermost parts of the world, that it is crucial to understand the social dynamics where the Gospel’s power to reconcile all things is desperately needed. We affirm without reservation that we must rely exclusively on biblical theology for understanding God’s plan for His world and the power of the Gospel to accomplish His plan.
This is why the resolution rejects embracing CRT/I as a worldview and calls us to place any descriptive insights under the authoritative and sufficient Scriptures. One of the resolved statements reads, “That we deny any philosophy or theology that fundamentally defines individuals using categories identified as sinful in Scripture rather than the transcendent reality shared by every image bearer and divinely affirmed distinctions.”
Q: Some question that the 2019 Resolutions Committee was unclear about embracing the sufficiency of Scripture. What is the committee’s response to that?
A: The resolution appeals directly to the sufficiency of Scripture and does so by using language from the Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M). Article 1 of the BF&M states: “all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.” We affirm that the Bible is the authoritative standard for belief and practice, and further, it teaches that Christ, Himself, is the subject of Scripture, not a human theory.
The resolution expresses clearly that the sufficient Scriptures govern all our own ideas as well as the use of ideas from any and all non-biblical sources. This affirmation reflects precisely how the Christian church for 2000 years has interacted with ideas that emerge from sources outside of Scripture.
Q: There has been a real concern that this resolution’s adoption is an illustration of creeping liberalism in Southern Baptist life, or even an attempt to nudge the SBC in that direction. How does the committee respond to this?
A: The committee has been accused of bad motives. Some have compared the resolution to building a “Trojan horse” or letting liberalism into our Southern Baptist tent. This was not the goal of any member of the committee, and there is nothing about our work to indicate that it was our intention. We sought to provide clear biblical parameters to engage ongoing conversations about race in society.
This resolution was never intended to divide us or to harm our convention. It was presented to address concerns that were being raised and provide a basis for unity. However, confusion about the resolution’s content and our motives has brought division. We appreciate the genuine critiques that have been expressed. At the same time, we have watched misunderstandings spread and people’s reputations maligned due to misrepresentation. We are grieved by this, and we believe it grieves the heart of our Lord.
Source: Christian Headlines
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VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Perhaps the last thing one would expect booming from the speakers of a Vatican-sponsored event is “Scream & Shout” by Will.i.am and Britney Spears. But the Catholic Church teamed up with sports celebrity Tim Tebow on Tuesday night (Feb. 4) and set formalities aside to give people with special needs a night to remember.
“I don’t think God gives us strength so we can lift things; I think he gives us strength so we can lift other people,” said Tebow, the 6-foot, 3-inch, 200-pound former NFL quarterback, in an interview with Religion News Service.
“That’s what we want to do. We want to lift other people and share the love of Jesus with them.”
The sixth installment of the event, called Night to Shine, took place for the first time in the Eternal City with the patronage of the Pontifical Academy for Life, a Vatican think tank aimed at promoting discussion and research on questions surrounding human life.
The Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum on the outskirts of Rome hosted the prom night, where people with disabilities had their photos taken on the red carpet, enjoyed a pizza-filled buffet and danced the night away with pop songs selected by a DJ.
Wheelchairs skirted and drinks were dropped as everybody let loose on the dance floor, before each participant was named prom king and queen.
“It’s the first time we attend a party like this,”…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
Franklin Graham said he will seek out alternative venues for a United Kingdom tour this spring after all eight venues reneged on plans to host the evangelist, saying his views on homosexuality are incompatible with the values of the British people.
Graham, who was in London on Thursday (Feb. 6) to rally churches to his tour, said seven venues canceled their contracts with him and an eighth backed out after agreeing in principle.
“This attack on me is an attack on religious freedom and freedom of speech,” Graham told Religion News Service by phone. “For any Christian group that wants to rent a venue that believes the Bible is the Word of God, they’re in danger of being canceled.”
He said he would sue all seven sites where he signed contracts and expected to win.
On Wednesday, the Utilita Arena in Newcastle upon Tyne became the seventh venue to cancel Graham’s scheduled appearance. Venues in Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield and London have also canceled.
The tour was scheduled during Pride Month in the U.K., which falls in June.
“Franklin Graham’s views are wholly inconsistent with our city, which is preparing to welcome huge celebrations and tens of thousands of people this summer for UK Pride,” Ste Dunn, chair of the Northern Pride group, said on a petition site calling for an end to Graham’s tour. The petition had more than 5,700 signers.
Graham, who has spoken out against same-sex marriage and transgender people, insisted he does not preach against homosexuality; he only calls it out as sin.
“I believe marriage is between a man and woman,” he said. “That’s the same position that the Queen of England has, that the Church of England has.”
Source: Religion News Service
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Dennis Haysbert’s unmistakable voice may be as well-known as his face. That’s what happens when your voice is heard on popular Allstate ads and shows like Meet the Press.
It’s also a reason the creators of a new TBN series, Inexplicable: How Christianity Spread to the Ends of the Earth, wanted him as the narrator.
Haysbert – who played President David Palmer in 24 and more recently a medical doctor in the faith-based film Breakthrough – told Christian Headlines he was “blessed” with a memorable voice.
“Everybody has a great voice in my family,” he said, laughing, while referencing his eight siblings and father.
The six-part Inexplicable series opens in the first century and examines the spread of Christianity across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It includes interviews with historians, faith leaders and other experts. Haysbert narrates it.
The series, Haysbert said, doesn’t use “kid gloves” when telling the story of Christianity’s history. Some of the episodes, he said, are “bloody” and even “scary.”
“There are billions of Christians out there. This is a story they need to see,” said Haysbert, who calls himself a lover of history. “… We absolutely have to learn [history] in order to get through this life. What you forget – or what you don’t know – you’re doomed to repeat.”
Viewers aren’t the only ones learning, though….
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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
As if rallying around the apostles’ declaration that “We must serve God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), Christians continue to boldly share the Gospel in the streets of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Witnesses who share their faith openly not only face possible infection from the dangerous respiratory disease caused by the virus, but also could be subject to potential persecution by authorities, as well.
Despite the potential dangers, CBN News Asia correspondent Lucille Talusan reports that Christians in Wuhan are meeting needs created by the crisis and by doing so are creating opportunities to share the Gospel.
The believers, often operating underground to avoid persecution and prosecution by Communist authorities, are taking advantage of the need for surgical masks. In addition to helping prevent contracting the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus, the masks also help shield the identity of the witness.
Talusan reported that a “very courageous” group of Christians in Wuhan have hit the streets to distribute the protective facemasks. As they hand out the masks, Talusan said, “They say that they are Christians and they share the love of Christ and point to Jesus to bring hope to them and their families and the whole of China. … This is really a breakthrough.”
Talusan said that the uncertainty of the crisis has helped heighten the…
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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
Kirk Douglas died Wednesday at the age of 103. He was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York. He changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the US Navy during World War II.
He was the only son of seven children born to illiterate Russian immigrants. In his autobiography, he reported that his father was a “ragman,” trading in old rags, pieces of metal, and other junk. As a child, Douglas sold snacks to mill workers and had more than forty jobs in his youth. As a young adult, he once spent the night in jail because he had no place to sleep.
He recited the poem “The Red Robin of Spring” in kindergarten and received applause, an experience that caused him to aspire to become an actor. After graduating from college and studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, he joined the Navy in 1941 and was medically discharged three years later for war injuries.
He then returned to New York City, where he found work in radio, theater, and commercials. He became one of America’s biggest box-office stars in the 1950s and ’60s, eventually appearing in more than ninety movies. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981, an honorary Academy Award in 1996, and the National Medal of Arts in 2002.
Douglas and his wife of sixty-five years donated multiplied millions of dollars to various schools and up to $55 million to an Alzheimer’s treatment facility in California. After a near-fatal helicopter crash in 1991 that took the lives of two other men, he returned to the Judaism of his roots and even celebrated a second Bar-Mitzvah in 1999 at the age of eighty-three.
Media attention has been focused on Douglas, the growing coronavirus epidemic, and the continued controversy surrounding the Iowa caucuses. Meanwhile, a less-reported event was held yesterday in Washington, DC, that deserves our attention…
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We think this episode is unique because of its specificity. Over the course of today’s episode of Rainer on Leadership, Thom and Sam debate the pros and cons of keeping pastoral candidates’ identities confidential until being formally presented.
Highlights:
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:
Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.
For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.
The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers…
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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.
50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and other fans of Kobe Bryant are not happy with Gayle King for bringing up the late NBA icon’s 2003 rape case in a CBS interview, while she says she is “mortified” and “angry” with her own network for distributing what she said was an “out-of-context” clip.
Kobe, 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California earlier this month. Since then, several people have posted on social media about how the athlete was charged with sexual assault in 2003. The criminal case was dismissed after his accuser refused to testify, and he later settled a civil lawsuit with her.
King recently interviewed retired WNBA star Lisa Leslie about her relationship with Kobe for CBS This Morning. A clip of her asking the athlete about Kobe’s rape case was posted on the show’s Twitter page on Tuesday.
Snoop Dogg slammed King in an Instagram response video, posted on Wednesday, and even appeared to issue a threat.
“Gayle King,” he said, shaking his head. “Out of pocket for that s–t. Way out of pocket. What do you gain from that? I swear to God, we’re the worst. We’re the f–––– worst. We expect more from you, Gayle. Don’t you hang out with Oprah [Winfrey]? Why ya’ll attacking us? We your people. You ain’t coming after f–––– [producer] Harvey Weinstein, asking them dumbass questions. I get sick of ya’ll.”
“How dare you try to tarnish my m–––––––– homeboy’s reputation, punk m––––––––?” he continued. “Respect the family and back off, bitch, before we come get you.”
Snoop later posted a few photos of King with Weinstein, who is currently on trial for alleged rape.
LeBron James, a close friend of Bryant and fellow L.A. Lakers player, tweeted, “Protect @LisaLeslie at all cost! You’re a real Superhero!! Sorry you had to [sit] through that s*%#!!! We are our own worse enemies! #Mamba4Life”
In the interview, King tells Leslie, “It’s been said that his legacy is complicated, because of a sexual assault charge that was dismissed in 2003, 2004.”
“It’s not complicated. You just said it was dismissed,” 50 Cent commented while watching the clip, as seen in a video posted on his Instagram page on Wednesday.
“Is it complicated for you, as a woman, as a WNBA player?” King asks Leslie in the interview.
“It’s not complicated for me at all,” Leslie replies in the interview. “I just never see- have ever seen him being the kind of person that would be- do something to violate a woman or be aggressive in that way. That’s just not the person that I know.”
“But Lisa, you wouldn’t see it though,” King tells Leslie. “As his friend, you wouldn’t see it.”
“Then how would you see it, Gayle?” 50 Cent commented. “How the f–k would you see it, bitch?”
Following the backlash over the video, King herself said in an Instagram video on Thursday, “I’ve been up reading the comments about the interview I did with Lisa Leslie about Kobe Bryant, and I know that if I had only seen the clip that you saw, I’d be extremely angry with me too. I am mortified. I am embarrassed and I am very angry. Unbeknownst to me, my network put up a clip from a very wide-ranging interview, totally taken out of context, and when you see it that way, it’s very jarring.”
CBS News said in a statement to E! News, “Gayle conducted a thoughtful, wide-ranging interview with Lisa Leslie about the legacy of Kobe Bryant. An excerpt was posted that did not reflect the nature and tone of the full interview. We are addressing the internal process that led to this and changes have already been made.”
SOURCE: E! News
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As if rallying around the apostles’ declaration that “We must serve God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), Christians continue to boldly share the Gospel in the streets of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Witnesses who share their faith openly not only face possible infection from the dangerous respiratory disease caused by the virus, but also could be subject to potential persecution by authorities, as well.
Despite the potential dangers, CBN News Asia correspondent Lucille Talusan reports that Christians in Wuhan are meeting needs created by the crisis and by doing so are creating opportunities to share the Gospel.
The believers, often operating underground to avoid persecution and prosecution by Communist authorities, are taking advantage of the need for surgical masks. In addition to helping prevent contracting the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus, the masks also help shield the identity of the witness.
Talusan reported that a “very courageous” group of Christians in Wuhan have hit the streets to distribute the protective facemasks. As they hand out the masks, Talusan said, “They say that they are Christians and they share the love of Christ and point to Jesus to bring hope to them and their families and the whole of China. … This is really a breakthrough.”
Source: Christian Headlines
All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source
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