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The Scandal of Southern Baptist Leadership

By Mainstream Baptist	Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:21:14 AM EST
topic: Theocratic Leadership section:Front Page	print this story

There was a time when extremists like Wiley Drake were at the fringe of life in the Southern Baptist Convention. That was before the Fundamentalists took over the SBC. Today Wiley Drake is Second Vice President of the SBC.

Still, it should be scandalous for the SBC to elect a leader who is publicly on record as supporting the assassination of abortion doctors.

Ethics Daily has posted a story about a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center that discusses Wiley Drake's signature on a "Declaration of Support for James Kopp" who was convicted of assassinating an abortion doctor as he was talking to his wife and children in the family's kitchen.

Here's a quote:

Before his election, Drake was best known as a driving force behind the Disney boycott, and for making so many motions at SBC annual meetings that officials changed regulations to limit how many times a single messenger can be recognized.
The declaration bearing his name says: "We, the signers of this declaration, proclaim that we support and stand for righteousness in the defense of the unborn.... We will stand with our brother Jim Kopp. We will support him for his love of unborn children." It ends with a reference to "those who have made the ultimate sacrifice" in defending unborn children.

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The Scandal of Southern Baptist Leadership | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)

Drake.. (none / 0)

It's worth noting Dr. Prescott, that most of Wiley's support comes from the group of so called "moderate" bloggers like Wade Burleson and Ben Cole. These bloggers have been challenging the fundamentalist establishment for the past year.

Burleson even defended Wiley Drake against an attack from James Smith, fundamentalist editor of the Florida Baptist Witness.

by Big Daddy Weave on Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 01:07:56 PM EST

Interesting point, BDW (none / 0)

I don't quite understand what the dynamic is here. I'm assuming they championed Drake because he is from a small church and does not represent the power brokers in the SBC who prefer a more polished mega-church pastor. Drake's social conservatism is appalling of course, but it is admirable the way his church was (is?) housing the homeless.

by Carlos on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 11:14:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

: umm (5.00 / 1)

Seems to me that the public support for the assasination of doctors goes way beyond social conservatism.
If this does not become a scandal in the SBC, that will be the real scandal.

by Frederick Clarkson on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 01:00:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
: No 2nd Term (none / 0)

I think the anti-Paige Patterson Southern Baptists supported Wiley because he's a likeable character. The position of 2nd Vice President has always been an honorary title with no official duties.
The story will be how (and if) Southern Baptists will respond.
The Southern Baptists that I've spoken with via blogs are truly bothered and have requested a response from both Drake and the Executive Committee.
That said, my bet is that no official addresses the issue and come June, a big name establishment fundy will be nominated for 2nd VP and Wiley won't get his 2nd term (which is usually a given)

by Big Daddy Weave on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 10:33:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Wiley left a personal comment (none / 0)

on the Declaration of Support in which he called James Kopp "my brother."

Pastor Wiley Drake
Crusade Radio
Comment: The price of blood is high. Some will pay high, and some will pay low, but pay, we all will for the 40 million babies we have killed.
God bless you my brother as you serve Him, and His little ones.

Drake's applause for this premeditated murder from ambush -- Kopp's shooting of Dr. Bart Slepian in his own kitchen as he heated soup for his children -- has been public knowledge for years.

There is no plausible deniability; no one in the SBC leadership can pretend that they didn't know.

In elevating Wiley Drake, they have endorsed murder.

by moiv on Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:19:42 PM EST

a misnomer (none / 0)

It is a great pity that extremist like these people are called "fundamentalists". The original definition of "fundamentalist" was one who believed the fundamentals of the biblical religion. But these people do not. Their vengefulness shows that they do not beleve in the forgiveness of sin. They do not believe that God forgives them and this shows by the fact they do not forgive those that cross them, and their desire to impose the Law of God on people shows they do not believe what the Bible says the Law is for. And the fear and hatred of these people shows that they do not respond to evil in a biblical and godly fashion - they are men of little or non existent faith Fundamentalism is a misnomer. They are heretics. Calling them fuindamentalists (though this is something I did many years ago when discovering their heresy) is all very well, but if it discredits religion itself (as this site professes not to do) then it is counterproductive.

by strefanash on Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:44:25 PM EST

They think that they ARE following fundamentals (none / 0)

The problem is that the fundamentalists ARE following what they think are the fundamentals of religion- including a literal interpretation of scriptures.

Once you start doing that, all sort of evil is possible- you remove human agency from the picture, and replace it with "God's Commands". Room for human error also gets reduced and the followers don't have to think.

No, fundamentalism is the correct term, and it is appropriate.

by ArchaeoBob on Sat Apr 28, 2007 at 09:38:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

: Sorry, but no (none / 0)

Sorry, but no. Even if they think they are following the fundamentals the logic of the case is that they are not. The verses they quote say one thing, but the verses they ignore show their use of those they quote is twisted, just as context determines interpretation in any document Jesus commanded them to show mercy. The beatitudes are most clear. Blessed are the merciful. Therefore if they are not merciful they are not blessed, unless the repent of their viooence He commanded them to forgive. They do not. if they forgave sin they would not be launching crusades to impose on men a Law noone keeps. I suggest you reread the Sermon on the mount. It is all there. Which is precisely why they ignore this passage. They are Pelagian heretics (do a google search). As legalists they have denied christ (read Galatians). Actually it is a literal intrerpretation of scripture that demolishes them, the fact is they are as good as any they condemn at ignoring scripture or explaning it away as metaphor. Put it this way, I now (a little reluctantly) acknowledge the term fundamentalist as applying to myself. And as a fundamentalist I uttely oppose their blasphemous misuse of the Law of God and their equally blasphemous need to usurp God's prerogative alone of ruling. The church is to serve a Christ did, not to rule as God does. In seeking to rule they sin as Satan did, and Satan I take as a literal and real being

by strefanash on Tue May 01, 2007 at 11:18:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gary North (none / 0)

Gary North, married to Rushdoony's daughter would be proud of Drake.

by wilkyjr on Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 06:00:22 PM EST

The Scandal of Southern Baptist Leadership | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)

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