NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Baptist Faith and Message

Part of a series on Southern Baptists

Background Christianity Protestantism Anabaptists General Baptists & Particular Baptists Landmarkism Conservative/Fundamentalist Ascendance The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States-based cooperative ministry agency serving Baptist churches around the world. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Wycliffe Tyndale Â· Luther Â· Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Wycliffe Tyndale Â· Luther Â· Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box: Protestantism encompasses the forms... Anabaptists (re-baptizers, from Greek ana and baptizo; in German: Wiedertäufer) are Christians of the so-called radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. ... Baptists were first identified by the name General Baptists in 17th century England. ... The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination but instead is a description of the churchs theological leaning. ... Landmarkism is a ecclesiological viewpoint held by some Baptists concerning the origin and nature of the church. ... Conservative Resurgence/Fundamentalist Takeover are terms used to describe a major controversy within the Southern Baptist Conventionâ€”the largest association of Baptists in the US. Conservative Resurgence is the term preferred by supporters and Fundamentalist Takeover is the descriptive used by detractors. ... Baptist theology London Confession, 1689 New Hampshire Confession, 1833 Baptist Faith & Message The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith was written by Calvinistic Baptists in England to give a formal expression of the Reformed and Protestant Christian faith with an obvious Baptist perspective. ... In 1833, Baptists in the United States agreed upon a confession of faith around which they could organize a missionary society under the Triennial Convention. ... Doctrinal distinctives Biblical inerrancy Autonomy of the local church Priesthood of believers Two ordinances Individual soul liberty Separation of church and state Two offices Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box: Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... The priesthood of all believers is a Christian doctrine based on several passages of the New Testament. ... Baptist ordinances, the term for the sacraments within Baptist theology, are the Lords Supper and Believers baptism. ... Soul competency is a Christian theological perspective on the accountability of each person before God. ... Separation of church and state is one of the primary theological distinctions of the Baptist tradition. ... Baptists generally recognize two Scriptural offices, those of pastor-teacher and deacon. ... People
Deceased John Spilsbury \| Lottie Moon \| B. H. Carroll W.A. Criswell \| Herschel H. Hobbs \| Adrian Rogers E. Y. Mullins \| Jerry Falwell \| Gaines S. Dobbins John Spilsbury was an English Baptist minister who led the Particular Baptists during the Eighteenth Century. ... Lottie Moon Lottie Moon (1840-1912) was a missionary to China who spent 40 years helping the Chinese - weighing only 50 lbs at her death having given away all she had to aid the starving Chinese. ... Benajah Harvey Carroll (1843-1914) was a Baptist pastor, theologian, teacher, and author. ... W.A. Criswell,Ph. ... Adrian Rogers Adrian Rogers,Th. ... Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. ... Living Billy Graham \| Rick Warren \| Duke K. McCall Richard Land \| Paige Patterson \| Albert Mohler This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Duke K. McCall (b. ... Dr. Richard Land is the president of Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public policy entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, a post he has held since 1988. ... Patterson after hunting in Africa. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Related organizations Cooperative Program North American Mission Board International Mission Board LifeWay Christian Resources Women's Missionary Union Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Baptist Press Canadian Convention Cooperative education is a structured method of combining academic education with practical work experience. ... The North American Mission Board (NAMB) was founded in 1997 out of the roots of the Home Mission Board. ... The International Mission Board (or IMB) is a missionary sending agency affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention which opperates in virtually every nation except the United States and Canada (these nations are serviced by the SBCs North American Mission Board). ... LifeWays headquarters, One LifeWay Plaza, are located in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Womens Missionary Union is an auxiliary of the Southern Baptist Convention that was founded in 1888. ... The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is the public policy agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. ... Baptist Press (BP) is a religious news service based at the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists - the Canadian ministries arm of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). ... Seminaries Golden Gate Midwestern New Orleans Southeastern Southern Southwestern Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) is one of six official seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention. ... The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, located in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. ... Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) is a seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, whose stated mission is to provide theological education for individuals engaging in Christian ministry. ... This box: view • talk • edit

The Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M) is the Southern Baptist Convention confession of faith. It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Scriptures (Bible) and their authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation, the purpose of the local church, ordinances, evangelism, Christian education, interaction with society, religious liberty, and the family.^[1] The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States-based cooperative ministry agency serving Baptist churches around the world. ...

1 History
2 Revisions
3 Criticisms
4 Role in Baptist life
5 References
6 See also

History

Although the Southern Baptist Convention was organized in 1845, no formal confession of faith was adopted until 1925, when the SBC formulated the Baptist Faith and Message. The BF&M closely parallels the New Hampshire Confession of Faith of 1833. 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New Hampshire Confession of Faith was drawn up by the Rev. ... Year 1833 (MDCCCXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Revisions

The BF&M was revised in 1963, amended in 1998, and again revised in 2000. The 1998 amendment and the 2000 revision are nearly identical.^[2] Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Criticisms

Both the 1998 and 2000 revisions were particularly controversial in the following three respects:^[3]

Gender Based Roles

For the first time in Baptist history, provisions were added to define gender rolese in both the ministry and in marriage.

In ministry

The Baptist Faith and Message now explicitly defines the pastoral office as the exclusive domain of men — thus prohibiting female pastors.

Article VI. The Church. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

While this language is indeed new to BF&M, it does not necessarily represent an innovation in Southern Baptist thought since, at the time the Baptist Faith and Message was revised, only .08% of all SBC churches were pastored by women.^[4] (By contrast, 6.2% of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) churches and 9.1% of American Baptist Churches, USA (ABC-USA) churches are pastored by women.)^[5] Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc. ... ABCUSA American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a group of Baptist churches within the United States; headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. ...

In marriage

Additionally, the 2000 BF&M now defines the family in an explicitly patriarchal way, with a wife expected to be "graciously" submissive to her husband.

Article XVIII. The Family. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to his people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

Homosexuality

The 2000 BF&M is also noted as taking a stand on the issue of a homosexual lifestyle.

Article XVIII. The Family. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.

Exegetical Standard

Third, the 2000 revision of the BF&M removed the assertion that the person of Jesus Christ was to be the exegetical standard by which the Bible was to be interpreted, over concerns that some groups were elevating the recorded words of Jesus in Scripture (or, more often, what Jesus did not say) over other Scriptural passages (the traditional SBC view is that all Scripture is equally inspired by God).^[6] This revision was particularly objectionable to the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the largest state convention. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Christ is the English term for the Greek word (ChristÃ³s), which literally means The Anointed One. ... Exegesis (from the Greek to lead out) involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a holy scripture, such as of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Quran, etc. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. ...

Role in Baptist life

In Southern Baptist polity, actions by the Convention are nonbinding on local churches which are considered autonomous. Therefore, an individual church may choose to adopt the BF&M as its local Statement of Faith or Statement of Doctrine (though many do in lieu of creating their own Statement. Despite the fact that the BF&M is not a creed, faculty at SBC owned seminaries and missionaries who apply to serve through the various SBC missionary agencies must affirm that their practices, doctrine, and preaching are consistent with the BF&M.

References

^ BGCT's new fund for missionaries, chaplaincy board expands SBC rift, February 27, 2002, accessed January 20, 2007.
^ The Baptist Faith and Message, accessed January 20, 2007.
^ >Smith, James A., Sr. "A confession of faith worthy of support." Editorial, Florida Baptist Witness, April 25, 2002. Accessed July 11, 2007.
^ Tammi Reed Ledbetter. "SBC and Women Pastors, Comprehensive Report Does Not Sustain Inflated Statistics (October 2000)." Available online: http://www.baptist2baptist.net/b2barticle.asp?ID=228 Baptist 2 Baptist Website. Accessed 07-19-07
^ Campbell-Reed, Eileen R. and Pamela R. Durso. "Assessing Attitudes About Women in Baptist Life (2006)." Available online: http://www.bwim.info/index.php/html/main/welcome.html Baptist Women in Ministry Website. Accessed 07-18-2007
^ Article I, The Scriptures

Contents

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