Wade,
I know this is late for a comment about Brother Green. You speak of "Spooky Fundamentalist." I was a Pastor around Ft. Worth around twenty years: Southside, Denton; FBC, Springtown; FBC, Watauga. Even in the sixties the Seminary was caught in the war between FBC, Ft. Worth and FBC, Dallas. Not a week went by we were not attacked visciously by Bob Jones, John Rice, Jerry Falwell, Lee Roberton, Jack Hyles and the likes. We laughingly called them "The Fightin' Fundies" or the "FunDAMmentalist." When I saw we were willing to allow Falwell into the SBC with nary a word, we opened the doors for every reactionary under any Baptist garb to come inside our house.
I am sixty-six years old, had three heart attacks, spent seventeen days in ICU, had five bypasses but lost one in my last heart attack, my church loves me, my wife loves me, one of my dogs loves me. I have no drums to bang, but mark my words; the "Fightin' Fundies" will tear this Convention to pieces.
I am a conservative. I am so conservative that the "Fightin' Fundies" appear liberal when it comes to interpretation of the Scripture; however, I do not hold to all that is called conservatism as it is now popularly called in the SBC. I see what has happened in the Sunday School Board and I wonder. I see what is happening in IMB and I wonder. I see what is happening at my home Seminary (SWBTS) and I wonder. What in the world was wrong with Hemphill? Was he liberal, too? I see what is happening in the historical position of Baptist on Separation of Church and State and I wonder sometimes whether we are Baptist any more or not.
I will try to keep standing up here in Norman working with Zero U as I loving call it for my C&C group of kids.
You keep standing up. You will be run over. But maybe a few of us will join you at the stake. Heck, since I'm Heaven bound, it might be interesting to see what a little fire feels like.
Phil.
