Ed Litton is the senior pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Ala. | Facebook/Redemption Church
The Southern Baptist Convention’s first and only black president, Fred Luter, has nominated Alabama Pastor Ed Litton to become the denomination’s next president, setting up a brewing ideological clash on race with prominent candidate and seminary head Albert Mohler.
“I have known Ed Litton for over 20 years. Our relationship started when we preached for each other as part of the SBC Racial Reconciliation Sunday during the month of February,” Luter told the Baptist Press.
“From there, our relationship developed to more than just colleagues to bring races together. We both shared the hope of drawing people closer to a relationship with Jesus Christ and then growing disciples for Christ. In both of our churches, our focus has been the same all of these years.
Coronavirus Challenges Continue for Clergy
Thursday, January 21st, 2021
The pastoral skills and mental health of clergy were pushed to the limits in 2020, and nothing much has changed in the first few weeks of 2021, according to a report from Baptist News Global.
Research shows that leading congregations through the traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic was more than many ministers could take.
Barna Research found pastors often had to become tech experts, diplomats, and expert fundraisers while doubling down on pastoral ministry to counsel distressed people.
One survey conducted with the American Bible Society found that 73 per cent of Protestant pastors said they were only “somewhat” equipped in helping others deal with significant crisis.
On the Left: Are white evangelicals really Christians? Part 2
Jack Batson: On the Left
Let’s continue my understanding of white, conservative evangelical Christianity – well described by the book, “Jesus and John Wayne,” by Kristin DuMez.
Evangelicalism by the 1980s had become overtly political with Jerry Falwell and his Moral Majority, declaring, “Get saved, get baptized, get registered.” Falwell encouraged a fighting faith, saying we are “fighting a holy war” and that the church was an “army equipped for battle.” “Jesus was a man with muscles; Christ was a he-man,” he avowed.
Evangelical men by the 1990s were reacting badly to the woman’s movement and working spouses. A rash of books emerged to rectify what was seen as unbiblical trends. One group introduced the idea of “complementarianism,” that God made men for headship and wives should be submissive. The Southern Baptist Convention adopted that position. A whole cultural men’s movement began.
CRT includes the concept that racism is systemic.
From Baptist Press, Seminary presidents reaffirm BFM, declare CRT incompatible:
In a statement adopted in the council’s annual session, the seminary presidents assert that as “confessional institutions,” the SBC’s six seminaries stand “together in this classic statement of biblical truth.” Additionally, the statement declares that while condemning “racism in any form,” the seminaries agree that “affirmation of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message.”
…
“As this statement demonstrates, our convention leaders affirm without reservation not only our historic Baptist theological confessions, but also a biblical view of justice, which I also affirm and applaud,” [SBC President] Greear said. “While we lament the painful legacy that racism and discrimination have left in our country and remain committed to fighting it in every