Earlier today in my Baptist History course, the professor provided a chart that compared and contrasted the fundamental theological, moral, political, and denominational differences between Conservative and Moderates in the Southern Baptist Convention. I thought this was a helpful chart because I have a hard time remembering exactly where each Baptist group generally stands on such issues.
This chart was originally produced by SEBTS President, Danny Akin. Check it out:
CONSERVATIVES:
Theologically:
*Affirm the inerrancy of the Bible. Find no errors in the autographs philosophically, theologically, scientifically or historically.
*Bible is the Word of God.
*Emphasize the necessity of theological integrity.
*All are creationists (though not all are “young earthers”).
*All affirm soteriological exclusivism (people are saved only through faith in Christ).
*Affirms Scripture as the foundational source of religious spiritual authority.
*Affirm congregationalism with strong pastoral authority/leadership.
*Oppose women as pastors: (complementarians in the home/church).
*View autonomy as a precious check against both hierarchicalism and connectionalism.
*Affirm the eternal continuation of both heaven and hell.
*See the priesthood of all believers as guaranteeing direct access to God for all believers and as a doctrine of responsibility.
*Discover no contradictions or internal inconsistencies in the Bible when it is properly interpreted.
*Affirm historical-grammatical interpretation.
*Find no mythological elements in Scripture.
*Emphasize the transcendent truth of Scripture.
Moral:
*Almost all are pro-life.
*All see homosexuality/lesbianism as sin and a choice of lifestyle.
Political:
*Most tend toward the Republican party (political right).
*Emphasize peacemaking together with a strong military.
*Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that government neither establishes religion nor interferes with its practice.
Denominational:
*Identifies the other as “moderates,” “liberals,” or “neo-orthodox.”
*View creeds and confessions instruments of doctrinal accountability though always subject to Scripture.
*Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate with confessional integrity.
*Intensely evangelistic and missionary.
*Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with evangelical groups like IVF, Campus Crusade, Promise Keepers and Wycliffe Translators.
MODERATES
Theological:
*Affirm the authority of the Bible in matters of salvation. Some find errors in areas such as science and history.
* Bible contains/becomes the Word of God.
*Emphasizes the necessity of theological diversity.
*Many are theistic evolutionists.
*A number affirm soteriological inclusivism (some in other religions may be saved).
*Affirms Scripture, along with reason, experience, and tradition as sources of religious/spiritual authority.
*Affirm congregationalism with strong congregational authority and democratic process.
*Affirm women as pastors: (egalitarians in the home/church).
*View autonomy as the right of every church to do or believe what it wishes and not have its fellowship questioned associationally or denominationally.
*Some embrace the idea of the annihiliation of the wicked.
*See the priesthood of all believers as a doctrine which guarantees the right of every individual to interpret Scripture as he/she sees fit
*Many discover contradictions and internal inconsistencies in the Bible.
*Affirm historical-critical interpretation.
*Open to mythological elements in Scripture.
*See much of the Bible as culturally conditional.
Moral:
*A number are pro-choice.
*Some see homosexuality/lesbianism as an acceptable lifestyle and a pre-disposed and unavoidable orientation.
Political:
*Most tend toward the Democratic party (political left).
*Emphasize peacemaking with many affirming pacifism.
*Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that the church has little impact in and through government.
Denominational:
*Identifies the other as “fundamentalists.”
*View creeds and confessions as potentially inappropriate intrusions upon the conscious of the individual believer.
*Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate with limited or no confessional restraint.
*Inclined more toward “social ministries.”
*Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with groups like the CBF, BJC, and mainline denominations.
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The information used to compile this chart was gleaned primarily, though not exclusively, from the following works:
Nancy Ammerman, Baptist Battles, Rutgers, 1990.
Thomas Bland, Jr., ed., Servant Songs, Smyth and Helwys, 1994.
Robert Ferguson, ed., Amidst Babel, Speak the Truth, Smyth and Helwys, 1993.
Walter Shurden, ed., The Struggle for the Soul of the SBC, Mercer, 1993.
*It should be noted these are moderate/liberal sources.
