Why Evangelical Leaders Aren't Lovin' On Huck

As a follow-up to Bob Novak's horrendous article on Baptist support of Mike Huckabee, Deborah Caldwell who is the managing editor of Beliefnet.com has a similar article titled "Baptist Civil War Fallout, Or Why Evangelical Leaders Aren't Lovin' On Huck."

Here's her conclusion:

So today, while some Baptists have endorsed him —including Ronnie Floyd—others have not. Judge Pressler is behind Thompson; Patterson is neutral; so is Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (and a Casting Stones contributor).

And while all of these non-endorsing Baptist leaders have good things to say about Huckabee, the fact that they won’t endorse him or act on his behalf is crucial, in my opinion. It’s a signal to other evangelical leaders, such as Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation, who endorsed Romney; Sam Brownback, who endorsed John McCain; Pat Robertson, who endorsed Rudy Giuliani; James Dobson of Focus on the Family who remains officially neutral; and Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, also officially neutral. And I think it tells evangelical voters, particularly Southern Baptists, all they need to know.

It is true that Paul Pressler did not endorse Mike Huckabee. However, Caldwell does not mention that Huckabee has the support of Tim and Beverly LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins of Left Behind fame, Jerry Falwell Jr., Homeschool leader Michael Farris, Don Wildmon of the American Family Association, Rick Scarborough and presumably Christian Zionist John Hagee. All of these men (+ one woman) have huge national followings. And all are about as far outside of the mainstream as one can be. And all undoubtedly wield real influence. And frankly, Huckabee's positioning as the candidate of choice for many Christian Right leaders should be a cause of concern for those of us in mainstream America.

Nonetheless, Caldwell needs to reconsider how many Southern Baptists in the pews are actually influenced by fundamentalist leaders of the past like Paul Pressler. Outside of the beltway, how much influence does Sir Richard Land sling around? If Southern Baptists took their cues from Richard Land and Paul Pressler - I expect Fred Thompson would be doing just a bit better in the polls right now.

Bob Novak: Southern Baptists Not Supporting Huckabee

Forgive me for linking to yet another Bob Novak article! However, in his latest piece, Novak argues that the lack of support for Huckabee from prominent Southern Baptists such as Richard Land and Paul Pressler should cause conservative evangelicals to be concerned.

When Mike Huckabee went to Houston on Tuesday to raise funds for his fast-rising, money-starved presidential candidacy, a luncheon for the ordained Baptist minister was arranged by evangelical Christians. On hand was Judge Paul Pressler, a hero to Southern Baptist Convention reformers. But he was a nonpaying guest who supports Fred Thompson for president.

Huckabee greeted Pressler warmly. That contrasted with Huckabee's anger two months ago when they encountered each other in California. The former governor of Arkansas took issue then with comments by Pressler, a former Texas appeals court judge, that Huckabee had been a slacker in the war against secularists within the Baptist church.

The War Against Secularists Within The Baptist Church?!? First Bob, the "moderates" during the Takeover can hardly be painted as "secularists." Even fans of Pressler like this Southern Baptist blogger would concur. Second, I know you converted to Catholicism ten years ago and may not understand Baptist polity but there is no such thing as "The Baptist Church." Such a description implies a hierarchy. We have no hierarchy in Baptist life. Our local churches are autonomous.

‘More than personality explains why not all his Baptist brethren have signed on the dotted line for Huckabee. He did not join the “conservative resurgence” that successfully rebelled against liberals in the Southern Baptist Convention a generation ago. . . Because no Republican candidate since Pat Robertson in 1988 has depended so much on support from evangelicals, opposition by Huckabee’s fellow Southern Baptists is significant. . . [Pressler] did not go so far as endorsing Huckabee for president, and that sends a strong message to conservative evangelicals.’

I suspect Huckabee will do just fine without the support of Land (who as head of the ERLC shouldn't be supporting candidates anyways) and the increasingly irrelevant Pressler.

What was more bothersome is the fact that Huckabee held his fundraiser at the home of Steven Hotze whom Novak describes as a "a leader in the highly conservative Christian Reconstruction movement." More on Hotze here. Novak has really gone to great lengths to discredit Huckabee. In the same article, Novak implies that Huckabee is not-a-real-conservative yet he has the support of a prominent Christian Reconstructionist!

Novak's friend Ann Coulter critiques Huck here.

Mike Huckabee's Supposed Theology Degree

Baptist minister and Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee seems to either struggle with the truth or has a penchant for exaggeration, Arkansas-style.

After the recent CNN YouTube debate, Mike Huckabee declared in an interview with Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network that he has a theology degree. Huckabee said:

“I’m as strong on terror as anybody. In fact I think I’m stronger than most people because I truly understand the nature of the war that we are in with Islamofascism. These are people that want to kill us. It’s a theocratic war. And I don’t know if anybody fully understands that. I’m the only guy on that stage with a theology degree. I think I understand it really well.”

That's not the first time Huck has made such a claim.

Apparently, Huck is a seminary drop-out. He spent a year at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth before dropping out to work for the televangelist James Robison.

Jim Geraghty of the National Review took Huckabee to task and received the following response from Joe Carter, Huckabee's research director:

Jim,

Governor Huckabee doesn't have a theology degree. He only spent a year in seminary.

-Joe

Back in 2001, the guy in the picture above, former Georgia Tech football coach George O'Leary was hired to coach the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Five days after accepting the job, O'Leary resigned after he was discovered to have lied on his resume. On the resume, O'Leary claimed that he had earned a master's degree from New York University when in fact he only attended the school but never graduated.

Well, Mike Huckabee obviously isn't dropping out of the Presidential race for his theology degree fib. Nor should he. But I guess Huck is quite familiar with the old preacher joke - "Don't mind my facts, I'm just preachin." And of course we know politicians struggle with the complete truth regularly. Nonetheless, it seems that Huckabee has received a complete pass from the media on his little fib.

Rudy G studied theology while in college but you don't hear him claiming that he has a theology degree. You'd think the "secular media" would have jumped all over the Baptist Preacher for stretching the truth on numerous occasions....

Ron Paul - When Fascism Comes To This Country

During an interview on the Fox and Friends morning show, Republican Presidential candidate decided to quote a little Sinclair Lewis in response to Mike Huckabee's Christmas commercial which supposedly has a floating cross in the background. I never saw the much talked about floating cross but then again I always had trouble finding Waldo as a kid. Anyways, Crazy-as-a-fox Ron Paul had this to say:

"When fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."

You can watch the interview with Ron Paul below:

Remembering Rauschenbusch in the 21st Century

And we remember Rauschenbusch by picking up a copy of Christianity and the Social Crisis in the 21st Century edited by Paul Rauschenbush, Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University and great-grandson of the father of the Social Gospel Movement.


Rick Wilson, chair of the Christianity Department at Mercer University, has written a review of Christianity and the Social Crisis in the 21st Century for the latest Baptist Studies Bulletin.

You can watch a discussion of the book at The New America Foundation below.

Bloggin' At The New Baptist Covenant Celebration

Baptists Today Editor John Pierce has the story in the latest issue of the Baptist Studies Bulletin.

Here's a snippet:

Southern Baptists and some other kinds, with political disagreements with Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, have dismissed the program as having a secular political agenda. The involvement of prominent Republicans on the program has not ceased all accusations of
politics.

However, many of us are looking beyond the politic persuasion of individual speakers and seeing a rich, unprecedented, interracial opportunity for worship, fellowship and cooperative ministry that crosses geographical and convention lines. Baptists Today looks forward to being present and to providing timely reports. We have a team of four bloggers lined up to give continually updated information at www.baptiststoday.org.

Online editor Bruce Gourley and guest blogger Aaron “Big Daddy” Weaver will do live blogging as events unfurl. Think of them as doing “play-by-play” reporting of the action.
Contributing editor Tony Cartledge and I will do the “color commentary,” seeking to give interpretation and analysis of the various addresses.

Additionally, we will post or link to the varied news stories coming out of the meeting. So we invite you to keep up with the historical gathering of Baptists Jan. 30 – Feb. 1 at www.baptiststoday.org. We’ll be there whether you can make it or not.

Rob Nash and the CBF Enter Blogosphere

A couple of new blogs worth checking out....

Dr. Rob Nash, Coordinator of Global Missions for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, has entered the blogosphere. His blog is called Musings on the Journey.

See my past post on Nash for more background info.

The CBF has just started an online community over at http://cbfportal.wordpress.com

Their purpose is:

We’ve started this blog for those who are interested in CBF and the ministries associated with it. We hope it will do three things.

1. Allow you to find out about all the work that Fellowship people are doing.

2. Allow you to network with and find other Fellowship people.

3. Allow you to find ministries to which God may be calling you.

Here are some ways you can participate in this online community.

So, check both blogs out and don't forget to subscribe to their RSS feed.

Ambassador To Vatican Blocked by Senate Dems?

A few posts ago, I expressed my belief that a consistent church-state philosophy demands that separationists should oppose any Presidential appointment of an Ambassador to the Vatican. Unfortunately this is a somewhat old issue that has received little attention in recent years. Nonetheless, Baptists from both sides of the aisle like Jimmy Draper and James Dunn have voiced their opposition to an ambassador to the Holy See.

Now, the issue is back in the news. In an Inside Report article by Robert Novak makes the following claim:

WASHINGTON — President Bush’s nomination of Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is being held up in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, raising the possibility that the post may be vacant when Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States in April. The selection of anti-abortion advocate Glendon is opposed by Catholics for a Free Choice. No official holds on her confirmation have been filed, but failure to schedule a hearing blocks her confirmation. She is caught up in blanket Democratic opposition to Bush’s final nominees. Business tycoon Francis Rooney, current ambassador to the Holy See, has resigned and is expected to be gone by the time of the pope’s American visit.

Or perhaps Glendon is being blocked for her reputation as a "theocon" ??

For background, see Frederick Clarkson's past post over at Talk2Action. Questioning why Glendon would receive this nomination in the first place, Clarkson asks: "Why would the U.S. appoint as a diplomat, someone who is or was a diplomat for the sovereign state to which she would represent U.S. interests? "

Interesting question.

Chet Edwards To Receive Religious Liberty Award

My United States Representative, Chet Edwards has been perhaps the strongest advocate for religious liberty in Congress over the past decade. On Saturday, Chet will receive the Abner McCall Religious Liberty Award at Baylor University. Past winners include (1998) Dr. James Dunn, former executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs in Washington, D.C.; (2004) Dr. Edwin S. Gaustad, a 1947 Baylor graduate and noted scholar in religious history in America; and (2005) the late John F. Baugh, founder of SYSCO Corp. and Baylor Alumnus Honoris Causa, who served on the Baylor Board of Regents and received the Founders Medallion, one of the most distinguished honors presented by Baylor.

From Baylor Alumni Association

The Baylor Alumni Association will present the Abner V. McCall Religious Liberty Award to U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, during Baylor University's winter commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Ferrell Center. The award honors alumni or friends of the university who, by their lives and actions, have exemplified the courage and dedication of the late Baylor President Abner V. McCall to the belief in and commitment to religious liberty.

Edwards was elected in 2006 to his ninth term as the congressman representing the 17th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Baylor. As a lifelong person of faith, he has led Congress in the protection of religious liberty by opposing attempts to insert federal influence into the practice of individual faith and by seeking to keep government funding and regulations out of our churches and houses of worship.

For these efforts, Edwards has received numerous recognitions, including the 2006 National First Freedom Award, the 2005 T. B. Maston Christian Ethics Award, the Jordan/Hatfield Courage Award from the Baptist Joint Committee, the Interfaith Alliance Walter Cronkite Award, the Anti-Defamation League's Religious Liberty Achievement Award, the 2003 Associated Baptist Press Religious Freedom Award, and the Congressional Leadership Award from the American Jewish Committee.

A 1974 graduate of Texas A&M University, Edwards worked three years for U.S. Rep. Olin E. "Tiger" Teague, before earning an MBA from the Harvard Business School. In the 1980s, he worked in commercial real estate and was owner and president of Edwards Communications, a rural radio station. From 1983-89, he served in the Texas Senate, where he was named one of Ten Outstanding Legislators by Texas Monthly magazine.

Edwards and his wife, Lea Ann, along with their sons, J.T. and Garrison, attend Calvary Baptist Church in Waco.

Mike Huckabee Refuses To Release Sermons

Mother Jones has the details.

The article nicely sums up some of several of Huckabee's somewhat inconsistent statements regarding faith and politics. A snippet from author David Corn:

Once upon a time Mike Huckabee was a Baptist preacher. Then Mike Huckabee became a lieutenant governor. Then Mike Huckabee became a governor. Then Mike Huckabee became an ex-governor running for president--and a front-runner in the all-important little state of Iowa. And that Mike Huckabee was not so keen on sharing with voters and the media all the glorious words that Mike Huckabee the minister preached.

Since becoming a hot commodity, Huckabee has zigzagged on statements regarding faith and politics. In one speech he said the power of prayer was responsible for his surge in Iowa polls; he then quickly backtracked. In one debate, he indicated he believed in creationism; more recently, he dodged the question. And days ago he hit a rough patch when harsh statements he made in 1992 about AIDS were publicized.

I'm not sure whether Huckabee should release his sermons. Is that info fair game?

Nonetheless, I'd like to read his sermons. As a very conservative Baptist minister, who knows what Huckabee has said along the way? Perhaps an anti-Catholic nugget or two? The typical False Church stuff. Or a few less than generous characterizations of other Christian groups? Maybe some pronouncements against Baby-sprinklin' denominations?

One this is for sure - Huckabee has everything to lose and nothing to gain from releasing his sermons

The Brian McLaren Tour Comes To Dallas

Brian D. McLaren, pastor, author and one of the fathers of the so-called emergent church movement, will be in Dallas in February - the only stop he'll make in the Southwest during 2008 "Everything Must Change" speaking tour.

McLaren will speak at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 (a Friday) and 5 p.m. on Feb. 23 (a Saturday) at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Avenue in Oak Cliff.
McLaren will speak at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 (a Friday) and 5 p.m. on Feb.
23 (a Saturday) at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Avenue in Oak Cliff.

The Price to hear Brian McLaren?

$99 for regular folks - students get the discounted rate of $79!

I've forked out that much to see Jimmy Buffett, Coldplay, 2003 Sugar Bowl and Game 1 of the 1995 World Series, etc. etc.

But a $100 bill to hear Brian McLaren?

Sheesh.

I say the price of the "Everything Must Change" tour needs changin'

Baptist Delegation Meets With The Holy See

A delegation of Baptists representing the Baptist World Alliance recently met the Pope for the second round of Baptist-Catholic dialogue.

Check it out.

VATICAN CITY (CNA) - Baptists leaders from around the world met with Pope Benedict XVI this morning at the Vatican as the second round of Baptist-Catholic talks continued. Saying that the lack of unity among Christians contradicts Christ’s will, Benedict XVI told the Baptist delegation that the world needs “our common witness to Christ and to the hope brought by the Gospel.”

This meeting in Rome is the second round of ongoing discussions that Members of the Baptist World Alliance are holding with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The theme for this meeting is: "The Word of God in the Life of the Church: Scripture, Tradition and Koinonia."

American Baptists participating or observing these conversations include Steve Harmon, Campbell Divinity School, Timothy George, Founding Dean, Beeson Divinity School, Wallace Charles Smith, President, Palmer Seminary, Johnny Hill, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, Forrest Harris, American Baptist College, and Curtis Frereman of Duke Divinity School.

Full text from the Pope's remarks to the BWA Delegation can be found here.

Today, as ever, the world needs our common witness to Christ and to the hope brought by the Gospel. Obedience to the Lord’s will should constantly spur us, then, to strive for that unity so movingly expressed in his priestly prayer: "that they may all be one… so that the world may believe" (Jn 17:21). For the lack of unity between Christians "openly contradicts the will of Christ, provides a stumbling block to the world, and harms the most holy cause of proclaiming the good news to every creature" (Unitatis Redintegratio, 1).

I'm curious as to how the Pope would define "Unity."

Over the summer, I was a groomsman in a Catholic wedding. During the service, the priest stated that it was his belief that within our lifetime Protestants and Catholics would reunite and we, being the predominantly Baptist/Methodist crowd, would return to The Church.

Does the Pope believe that his dream of Unity between Baptists and Catholics can be fulfilled without us Baptists making the trek back to Rome?

And another question. I know its not cool to do so anymore - but why do Baptists of all stripes no longer get offended when the President appoints an ambassador to the Vatican? The Vatican is a Church after all. Why do we as a nation attempt to influence the policy decisions of a Church? Just twenty years ago moderate Baptists and Southern Baptist fundamentalists were pitching a fit each time a new President established formal diplomatic relations with The Roman Catholic Church. So much for real separation of church and state.

He Ain't No JFK

We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It's as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America — the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation "under God" and in God, we do indeed trust.

The original meaning? As opposed to original intent? It's interesting to note that Romney's church-state philosophy parts ways with the "jurisprudence of original intent" promoted by Christian Right leaders since the Reagan era. Everyone from former Attorney General Edwin Meese to the late Chief Justice Rehnquist to nutcases like David Barton have argued consistently that the Founders proscribed the establishment of only a National Church.

According to the Christian Right originalists, the religion clauses of the First Amendment were not intended to apply to the states. Thus, they rejected the historic decision of Everson v. Board of Education which applied (incorporated) the Establishment Clause to each state via the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. With statements like "the founders proscribed the establishment of a State Religion" - Romney seems to part ways with the Christian Right by seemingly siding with ardent Baptist separationists like Hugo Black.

Or does he? Mitt's philosophy is ambiguous at best and inconsistent at worst. You'd think being the Mormon candidate trying to woo the evangelical wing of the Republican Party good ole Mitt would offer some consistency in this area?

And then he claims that those who adhere to the separation principle are seeking to remove religion from the public square. Give me a break.

Religion is cheapened when we try to secularize the sacred.

Does Mitt not realize that the Baby Christ is trivialized when placed next to Santa and Rudolph?

For someone who freely talks about his faith day in and day out, it seems a bit disingenuous to claim that religion has been given the boot from the public life of Americans everywhere.

Read more: Brent Walker of the BJC on Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney and The Mormon Speech

Mitt Romney delivered his "Faith in America" speech this morning at the George H.W. Bush Library in College Station, Texas.

And a snippet from the speech:

Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for president, not a Catholic running for president. Like him, I am an American running for president. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

As governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution — and of course, I would not do so as president. I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

I'm not sure what Mitt Romney accomplished, if anything, with this speech. A large number of Southern Baptists and other very very conservative evangelicals view Mormonism as a cult. Did Mitt relieve their fears and concerns with this speech? Well, out of 2,540 words he only mentioned the word Mormon once.

Overall, Mitt's Mormon speech *may* have been a good tactic. With all eyes on Mike Huckabee, Romney's speech may divert attention away from Huck for at least a day or two. Lots of free press coverage at least. However, I don't think the Mormon questions will cease any time soon.

What do you think?

BGCT Presidents Support New Baptist Covenant

I've posted a letter received via snail mail. Check it out.

November 14, 2007

Dear Big Daddy Weave,

As former Presidents of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, we invite you to participate in an historic gathering of Baptists. We are grateful for the fact that Texas has led the way in so many areas of Baptist witness. In participation in missions, evangelism, social concerns, disaster relief, and so many other areas, we have been in the vanguard of Kingdom of God enterprises.

Thirty-six years ago (1971) we took a major step in working across racial lines by moving all the state conventions in Houston and having an evangelistic rally at the Astrodome. With four National baptist Conventions (African American), the Hispanic Baptist Convention, and the Baptist General Convention of Texas sponsorships, we had more than forty-thousand present and more than eigh-hundred professions of faith.

That seed has taken a long time to germinate. The New Baptist Covenant Celebration at the Georgia World Congress Center January 20 - February 1, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia, is the fruit of that effort and many others like it across the nation. More than thirty Baptist organizations related to the North American Baptist Fellowship of the Baptist World Alliance will represent the majority of Baptists in North America (22 million). The Celebration will center in sharing our best practices in practical ministries that fulfill the mandate of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19. How can we accelerate our work by networking together to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the broken hearted, bring sight to the blind, set the captive free, welcome the stranger, and proclaim the acceptable year of our Lord?

Baptists have been blessed with many persons in leadership in this nation. Dozens of Texas Baptists are included in the leadership of this meeting. This non-partisan program will feature some of the nation's most gifted preachers. Each session begins with "The Bible Speaks" messages on these themes. Testimonies from fellow Baptists like former U.S. Surgeon General, David Satcher, who seved under both Democratic and Republican administration, will witness to God's grace. We will hear two Baptist Nobel Peace Prize recipients, President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Al Gore. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (Iowa) will address the hunger issue as a ranking member of the Senate Agricultural Committee. Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) will speak on the challenging of welcoming the stranger. Mirian Wright Edleman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund, will speak on "What About the Children?" Journalist Bill Moyers will speak on "Unity in Respecting Diversity." President Bill Clinton will bring the closing message.

Our purpose in writing you is to ask you to pray for and participate in this historic meeting. We believe that our day demands not simply resolutions reflecting our sorrow over racial divisions of the past but relationships in service to our Lord.

Plan to come to Atlanta for this pivotal event. Bring someone with you.

Yours in His Family,

The BGCT Presidents:

Phil Line berger, 1989-1990
Dick Maples, 1991-1992
Jarrold McBride, 1993-1994
Charles Wade, 1996-1997
Russell Dilday, 1998-1999
Clyde Glazener, 2000-2001
Bob Campbell, 2002-2003
Ken Hall, 2004
Albert Reyes, 2005
Michael Bell, 2006
Steve Vernon, 2007
Joy Fenner, 2008

Broadway Baptist Postpones Directory Decision

From Sam Hodges of the Dallas Morning-News....

A prominent Fort Worth church continues to struggle with how to handle photographs of gay members in a pictorial directory that's to be part of its 125th anniversary celebrations.

Broadway Baptist Church has debated whether to include gay couples, or gay people as individuals but not as couples, or whether to omit all individual and family photos.

Members were to vote today, following morning worship. But after meeting for about an hour, they postponed any decision until deacons make a recommendation on Feb. 24.

"We will continue to discuss this issue together as a church family," said Kathy Madeja, deacon chair, in a prepared statement. "We do not want to rush to make a decision, but rather to continue to listen to each other and for God's leading for our church."

Read the rest here.

I hesitate to opine in this post. My mere coverage of The Broadway Controversy resulted in a Texas Baptist pastor comparing Big Daddy Weave to "dung" and accused me of supporting a "preversion of the Gospel."

Apparently slanderers are not the best spellers.

Nonetheless, Broadway's decision to postpone seems smart. Not much good can come of a hasty church-wide vote. However, Broadway is in a lose-lose here. One way or the other this directory controversy won't end well for everyone. And I seriously doubt that one simple vote will solve this matter completely. After receiving so much publicity and attention from inside and outside of the Baptist world, I suspect Broadway will ultimately suffer some degree of fall out from their decision and perhaps a bit of Baptist fighting will ensue....

Bob Allen of EthicsDaily.com has the best coverage of The Broadway Controversy here.