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A Political Shift for Southern Baptists?
This is the question Jim Evans asks at Ethics Daily. The changes in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) may not greatly impact the political influence of the Christian Right, but this can only be good news for us who have decried for several decades now the republicanization of the SBC. |
From Evans' article:
For the past three decades Southern Baptists have been, for the most part, faithful political conservatives. Like other believers on the religious right, culture-war issues have made them reliable supporters of the Republican Party. This party loyalty has been especially evident during the annual Southern Baptist Convention. Visits and calls from sitting presidents have become routine. President Bush beamed in this year via satellite.
In spite of all that, however, this year's convention could mark the beginning of a subtle shift away from party loyalty and toward political independence. A moderating group within the fundamentalist ranks of Southern Baptists is seeking to move the denomination to become less political. [ ]
If Baptists are moving away from blind partisan loyalty, it could seriously jeopardize Republican chances of keeping the White House. The margins in the last two elections were razor thin. The defection of a voting bloc the size of Southern Baptists would be catastrophic for them. Republicans will obviously be working hard to keep the sheep in the fold. [ ]
Only time will tell if the pendulum is swinging back towards the middle for Baptists. They will certainly remain conservative theologically. But if they broaden their social concerns to include matters such as poverty and the environment, they could greatly help political discourse in this country move in a positive direction. They may even improve their own image in the process.
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