FIRST BAPTIST DALLAS LEADERSHIP - DESERTING CHURCH'S ROOTS

In this newsletter we have reprinted the famous sermon of George W. Truett, Baptists and Religious Liberty. delivered on the steps of nations capitol on May 15, 1920. It is a powerful message for us in our day. We print it for several reasons.

First are the well documented ties between SBC leadership and the Religious Right movement growing in our country. As we celebrate the 4th of July, it is good to read Truett clearly explaining historically how Baptists have been the champions of religious liberty, freedom of the individual, and democracy both in government and within the church.

In light of fundamentalist control of the SBC, and their effort now to control state conventions and local churches from the “top down,” especially note the sub-sections “Baptist Churches Are Pure Democracies” and “Absolutism vs. Individualism.”

Second is the tremendous influence of First Baptist Church Dallas, its current pastors and some of its past and present members in the fundamentalists takeover of the SBC. We want you to read George W. Truett and reflect on just how far from Truett the leadership of this church has moved over the last fifty years.

We are uncomfortable singling out a local church for criticism, and are only speaking of certain leaders. We know there are many wonderful traditional Baptist members of FBC Dallas. We would not write this if W.A. Criswell had not been, and continues to be, so outspoken regarding “liberals.” We would not write this if the new pastor, O.S. Hawkins, was not making statements encouraging Baptists to split. But in light of their visibility, they must be challenged.

Look briefly at the ties between FBC Dallas and current SBC leaders.

Jimmy Draper, president of the Sunday School Board served on staff at First Dallas.

Richard Land, director of the SBC Christian Life Commission was at Criswell College.

Paige Patterson, president of Southeastern Seminary was president of Criswell College.

Ralph Pulley, chair of the Southwestern Seminary Board that fired Russell Dilday, is a member of First Dallas.

Joel Gregory was pastor of First Dallas when he headed the search committee of the Foreign Mission Board.

This church has a tremendous influence on the new SBC. And Dr. Criswell, with his statements about the “separation of church and state being the figment of an infidel’s imagination,” that “the pastor is the ruler of the church,” and his sermons about liberals, skunks, and infidels at SBC Pastor’s Conferences, has been the spiritual godfather of the modern fundamentalist movement. (Compare the above statements to George W. Truett).

And now their new pastor, O.S. Hawkins, arrives back in the state from Florida and has an opinion on everything. He leads the ridiculous sideshow attacking Cecil Sherman on the Virgin birth, attempting to take the eyes of Texas Baptists off the firing of Dr. Dilday.

CBF has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening in Texas Baptists life. There is a movement toward freedom, not toward alliances with the SBC or CBF. Local churches are being encouraged to exercise their autonomy, a historic Baptist principle, not choose between the SBC, CBF, or anyone else.

Furthermore, the Virgin Birth is certainly a non-issue in Texas. We have no doubt that not a single religion professor at a BGCT related institution doubts the Virgin Birth, or would be allowed to teach if they did not believe in the Virgin Birth.

Hawkins is quoted as urging Southern Baptists to split calling the SBC vote to not accept funds from CBF as “expediting the inevitable.”

Texas Baptists Committed would like to make clear to Dr. Hawkins that we do not appreciate him coming back to Texas and urging our family to split. What we need in Baptist life is not division, but “respect for the different viewpoints within the family - both nationally and in Texas.” We are happy to respect First Dallas and its pastors, as long as they do not try to tell the rest of us how to believe and what to do.

We take Galatians chapter two VERY LITERALLY where Paul confronted Peter when Peter sided with the legalist. If you come to Texas, and try to push legalism, we will confront you. We do not want legalism in Texas. We want freedom to be obedient to the Word of God as local churches and individuals. In short, we want to be Baptists in the spirit of George W. Truett.

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