It is true that most of our reporting focuses on the Southern Baptist Convention.  This is because the “conservative resurgence” has moved the convention away from these principles.   Adopting the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, as an “instrument of accountability” was an abrupt departure from the anti-creedalism of our forefathers.  Many have tried to explain to me why this new document is not a creed but have failed.  If it is a document of commonly held beliefs of Baptists but not binding in any affairs of the Convention it is not a creed.  If it is a document of commonly held beliefs of Baptists that must be accepted and to which one must conform to participate in the organizational life of the convention, it is a creed and takes precedence over the Bible.

As a result of the new creed, other principles are compromised.  Baptists have historically defended the priesthood of the believer.  Every Christian has the ability and right to approach God for himself or herself, and to seek the Holy Spirit’s leadership in reading the Bible.  No one needs to interpret for them what God is telling them through the scriptures.  But to participate in the organizational life of the convention, a Southern Baptist must accept the instrument of accountability.  It has been made the authoritative interpretation of the Bible, overruling individual interpretation, and effectually supplanting the Bible itself as the final authority.

The instrument of accountability also compromises the autonomy of the local church, for it states who may serve as the senior pastor of a local church.  If a church acts autonomously, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and calls a female to be senior pastor, the church is no longer acceptable in the organizational life of the convention. 

Finally, individual Southern Baptists and the convention as a whole seem to be backing away from the separation of church and state.  Two late high profile Southern Baptists, W.A. Criswell and Jerry Falwell, have both been quoted as dismissive of that separation.  Criswell called the separation of church and state the creation of some infidel.  (Actually, it was the creation of colonial Baptists.)  Falwell’s statement was, "The idea of separation of Church and State was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country."  The convention as a whole indicated this change of direction by withdrawing support from the Baptist Joint Committee For Religious Liberty.  Some political commentators have described the Southern Baptist Convention as the religious right wing of the Republican Party.

Therefore, most of our reporting has been about Southern Baptists.  But we aspire to be evenhanded and fair in spotlighting any group of Baptists who veer from the sole authority of the Bible, the priesthood of the believer, the autonomy of the local church and the separation of church and state.  You can help us by alerting us of any group, church or individual Baptist who is compromising our historic principles.