Baptist Press and Fred Shuttlesworth

Last year, I wrote about the atrocious "reporting" of Baptist Press reporter David Roach. His reporting of the New Baptist Covenant in January was almost as horrific. Back in July, Roach made the trek to Washington D.C. to cover the CBF/ABC-USA joint gathering. One of his columns was titled "Why Care about the CBF?" Roach concluded:

With all of the responsibilities I have in life as a husband, pastor, student and employee, it seems like I have enough to occupy my time without worrying about a group of moderate Baptists with which I am not even affiliated. And with all of your responsibilities in life, it may seem at first glance like reading about such a group of moderate Baptists is not the best use of your time.

Apparently his duties as husband/pastor/student weren't too much to keep him from attending and "reporting" on yet another CBF General Assembly.

Instead of providing a thorough overview of the dozens and dozens of workshops held at the General Assembly and trying to present a fair and accurate picture of the CBF, Roach followed around liberal theologian John Killinger on both Thursday and Friday. I have no intention of linking to Roach's drivel. But I must say - after closely reading his coverage of moderate Baptists for the past two years - I've concluded that David Roach is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed version of Roger Moran. Are there any available "research positions" with the Missouri Baptist Laymen's Association these days?

Roger, you've found your successor.

What's most humorous (pathetic?) about Roach's "reporting" are his attempts to get into the heads of those in attendance at the various workshops. During one of the workshops led by Killinger, Roach writes that the audience "seemed fully convinced of his claims." His nickname over at BaptistLife.com is RoachBoy. That may explain things a bit.

I am curious though as to why Baptist Press gave more coverage to some gender-neutral hymn than to keynote speaker Lauran Bethell who is a well known human rights advocate and minister to vitims of sex trafficking?

One of the most influential civil rights leaders of the 20th century was presented an award during the General Assembly. Instead of reporting on Alabama Baptist minister and civil rights icon Fred Shuttlesworth, Roach was busy trying to paint the CBF in a negative light.

I'm not Roachboy and I can't read his mind. Maybe the subjects of racism, civil rights, the need for racial reconciliation and all that jazz just does not interest Roach. Such subjects have definitely not received a plethora of attention from Southern Baptists in recent years.

And some might think what I'm about to say is crossing the line.

Fortunately, this is my blog and not yours.

But, honestly, I'm left wondering - to echo Kanye West post-Katrina - whether Baptist Press Cares About Black People.

Perhaps if they did, they would have recognized Fred Shuttlesworth as an American Hero. They would have recognized Shuttlesworth's achievements in their extensive coverage of the CBF General Assembly. Heck, they covered everything from all uses of inclusive language to a pamphlet on homosexuality at the Baptist Peace Fellowship booth. But no Shuttlesworth.

How does a ceremony honoring one of the most famous and influential Baptist ministers go unnoticed by Baptist Press? I'm sure at least the African-American readers of Baptist Press would have appreciated the coverage. Meanwhile, EthicsDaily.com, Johnny Pierce of Baptists Today, and Marv Knox for the Associated Baptist Press covered Shuttlesworth.

Typical. Shameful.

Fred Shuttlesworth To Be Honored At CBF

Last week, EthicsDaily.com ran an article of mine about Alabama Baptist minister and civil rights icon Rev. Shuttlesworth who is being presented with the Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society's Courage Award on Thursday, June 19 at 9am in Ballroom E, Memphis/Cook County Convention Center. Here's a snippet from my article:

While not as well known as Martin Luther King Jr., Fred L. Shuttlesworth was the Baptist pastor most responsible for the success of the civil rights movement in the Alabama city known as "Bombingham." Fifty racially motivated bombings between 1947 and 1955 epitomized southern resistance to integration.

Shuttlesworth's biographer, Andrew Manis, recognized the Birmingham minister as the "unsung hero" of the civil rights movement and a "prophet of social justice." Shuttlesworth became an ordained Baptist minister in 1948 and was subsequently the pastor of several Baptist churches in Alabama and Ohio....

As the leader of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Shuttlesworth was the uncompromising confrontational prophet against the evils of segregation. Even some African-Americans questioned his style, but in the end, they admitted that he was a man of "raw courage" who instigated the "public acts that lit the fire in Birmingham."

This event which is being held during the General Assembly of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is free and open to any and all - Baptist and non-Baptist alike. I've personally extended an invitation to 25 or so Baptist congregations from the Memphis area, African-American and Anglo. So, here is your invitation:

The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, one of the great heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, is being honored on June 19th at the Memphis/Cook County Convention Center (9 a.m., Ballroom E) by the William H. Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society. Each year, the society gives a Courage Award to a Baptist who has made a difference for Christ because of his or her courageous faith.

Past recipients include President Jimmy Carter, Rev. John Porter of Birmingham, Molly Marshall of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, and Cecil Sherman, one of the "founders" of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

We are extremely excited to be presenting our Courage Award to Rev. Shuttlesworth this year and we would like to invite you and the members of your congregation to attend.

Our meeting is free of charge; all our welcome. Our meeting is taking place at the site of the annual meeting of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

I personally think the hour with Rev. Shuttlesworth (who will be introduced by Andrew Manis, who has written the definitive biography of him) will be a great experience.

The leaders of our society thought our meeting would be even better if we invited members of Memphis Baptist churches to share this occasion with us.

Please contact me at Doug_Weaver@Baylor.edu if you have any questions. We would love for you and any and everyone from your church to help us honor Rev. Shuttlesworth!!

Blessings,

Doug Weaver, Editor
The Whitsitt Journal

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Associate Professor of Religion
Department of Religion
Baylor University
254-710-7283

Spread the word. Thursday, June 19, 9am, Ballroom E, Memphis/Cook County Convention Center. Remember, it's free. Too often in the past folks see this annual event of the "Whitsitt SOCIETY" advertised and think a membership or ticket is required. Not so.

I'm looking at the list of scheduled CBF workshops that conflict with this one-hour celebration to honor the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. There are some pretty decent workshops scheduled. There are workshops scheduled on all things missional, poverty, mental health, Islam, Film/Discussion on relationships with Jews, Baptist media, and buildinging a distinctively Baptist church.

All great workshops but none compares with a chance to hear one of our nation's most influential civil rights leaders who like my other two heroes, Dr. King and Congressman John Lewis, is a Baptist minister.

Be part of this historic occasion.