SUMMARY OF SBC HEADLINES
by Charlie C. McLaughlin
Tom Elliff was elected president of the SBC during June’ s convention in New Orleans. Elliff, a former missionary to Africa, has been pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Oklahoma, since 1985. It was reported that last fall, a group of about 80 leaders met in Atlanta and selected Elliff, who was elected without opposition.
By controlling the presidency, fundamentalists influenced the process of selecting trustees for all convention agencies and institutions. Elliff succeeds Jim Henry, pastor of FBC Orlando, Florida. When Henry delivered his final message as president of SBC on June 11, he warned that the “conservative” movement that carried him to power is in danger of going too far.
“We are making strides in widening the participation level across a wider range of our Southern Baptist family, but there are a few who demonstrate a need to continually manipulate the procedures for denominational service and control beyond the call extended to Southern Baptists several years ago to return us to biblical authority,” stated Henry. He continued, “If it exceeds the original intent, let us expose this for what it its—political manipulation that freezes the work of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ.”
Some fundamentalist leaders reportedly complained that Henry’s appointments were too soft on moderates. When Elliff was asked if he had any words for moderates who still identify with the convention, he replied, that anyone who “does not hold to the inerrancy of Scripture” should “repent.”
Regarding the possibility of appointing non-inerrantist to a convention post, Elliff said, “is like asking me if I would have in our U.S. army someone who would not say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country.”
The SBC gave final approval for denominational downsizing. A new agency, the North American Mission Board, will replace three current entities: the Home Mission Board, Brotherhood Commission, and Radio-Television Commission. Severance, relocation and implementation costs for this are estimated at $4.1 to $5.7 million.
Five agencies will be eliminated: The Southern Baptist Foundation, The Historical, Stewardship and Education commissions, and the Commission on American Baptist Theological Seminary, an African- American school in Nashville. It is unknown how many jobs will be eliminated in the downsizing.
The messengers to the SBC voted in favor of a motion to boycott the Walt Disney Co. The resolution asks Southern Baptists to stop buying Disney products or visiting its theme parks because the company has abandoned its wholesome image for an “anti-Christian, anti-family” agenda and in part because of the company’s alleged support of homosexuality.
Disney responded in a statement, “We find it curious that a group that claims to espouse family values would vote to boycott the world’s largest producer of wholesome family entertainment.”
Another action creating controversy was the resolution targeting Jews for evangelism by Southern Baptists. Jewish leaders have responded using words such as “insult,” “extremely shallow,” “naive” and “insensitive” to describe this “great setback” in Jewish-Christian relations.
Rabbi James Rudin, inter religious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, speaking to the New York Times regarding the resolution stated, “By singling out Jews as a target for conversions, it’s a great disservice not just to Baptist-Jewish relations, but to Christian- Jewish relations.”
13,706 messengers registered for the meeting in New Orleans. This was the lowest total since 1981. Last year 20,658 registered for the meeting in Atlanta, marking a 33 percent decrease.
August 1996