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| Graham was identified with the Southern Baptists, but was raised Presbyterian. He was a minister registered, at different times, with the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists - if I recall correctly. But this takeover is another category altogether. |
Is Calvinism or Reformed Doctrine Taking Over Your Church?
https://traditionalbaptistchurch.com/is-calvinism-or-reformed-doctrine-taking-over-your-church/
Many pastors are closet Calvinists who know that their congregations are not yet ready to understand Reformed doctrine, that is, until they can instill certain half-truths that must be accepted before a church becomes Calvinistic.
It is certainly inevitable that any pastor who reads theology, who has connections, who has a theological degree, will have become aware of Calvinism at some point along the way. At the very least every pastor will be asked at some time, by someone, somewhere, “What is Calvinism?”or will be given a little booklet by an advocate for Calvinism. In fact, any pastor or elder who is unfamiliar with the threat of Calvinism is dangerously ignorant and is not adequate to defend the flock against error.
Calvinism or Reformed theology is very popular. All popular systematic theologies and commentaries on Romans are written by Calvinists.
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| The only debate among the "conservative" Lutherans is whether to use the ESV edited by a Calvinist or the outrageously bad NIV. The KJV and updates are never mentioned, in spite of its ties to Luther - or because of its ties to Luther. |
Memo: How to smoke out a Calvinistic pastor in your church
https://founders.org/2010/03/05/memo-how-to-smoke-out-a-calvinistic-pastor-in-your-church/
Yesterday I was sent the following 3 documents that have been circulating in Western Tennessee among some Southern Baptist Churches. It seems that they were distributed at seminars being held for churches to teach “how to find out if any of your staff are Calvinists and how to get rid of them.” Since receiving them I have communicated with others who have verified that they are being made available to Southern Baptist churches in Tennessee, not by any official denominational worker, but by zealous people who view the doctrines of grace as heresy. I am trying to contact one or more of those persons in hopes of better understanding what has provoked this mission.
The first document is in the form of a memo and is entitled, “Reformed Red Flags.” It contains a list of 16 “behaviors” to look for when seeking to smoke out Calvinistic pastors. Number 3 on the list is “use of the ESV Study Bible.” Someone should alert Crossway immediately. Founders made the list, as did John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, RC Sproul, James White and the first Southern Baptist confession of faith (which is still used at Southern and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries, and which even the famous non-Calvinist Paige Patterson has signed), the Abstract of Principles.
To read the documents in a larger size, click on them.
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The FAQs: Southern Baptists, Calvinism, and God’s Plan of Salvation
What's the controversy?
Two weeks ago a group of current and former Southern Baptist leaders signed and posted a statement which attempts to draw a clear line between Calvinism and what they call the “traditional Southern Baptist” of soteriology. The document has attracted a considerable number of supporters and critics and sparked a vocal debate about the role of Reformed theology within the Southern Baptist Convention.
If I'm not a Southern Baptist, why should I care about this debate?
Because the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the largest Protestant denomination in America, both the controversy and the debates about Calvinism are likely to spill into other non-reformed denominations and parachurch ministries and have an influence on the larger evangelical community.
What is the document and how was it introduced?
On May 30, the original signers of the statement, titled “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation,” posted the document on the website SBC Today.
As SBC Today notes, the format and subject matter of the statement is similar to that of the Together for the Gospel statement, which was signed or affirmed by some Southern Baptist leaders who embrace Reformed views.
Who signed the statement?
The document was originally endorsed by six former SBC presidents (Morris Chapman, Jimmy Draper, Paige Patterson, Bailey Smith, Bobby Welch, and Jerry Vines), two seminary presidents (Chuck Kelley of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and former SBC president Paige Patterson, who now serves as the president of the denomination's largest seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary), and five state executive directors (Jim Futral of Mississippi, David Hankins of Louisiana, Mike Procter of Alaska, John Sullivan of Florida, and Bob White of Georgia).
To date, over 350 Southern Baptists serving as denominational leaders, pastors, evangelists, church staff members, Baptist seminary and college personnel, and lay leaders have also added their names to the statement.
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GJ - I became aware of this conflict only a few months ago. I always thought of Calvinism (Reformed doctrine) being antagonistic toward the Baptists, so a switch would not be likely.
Wheaton College asked me if I was Calvinist, Arminian, Cal-Arminian, etc. I thought the labels rather droll, especially Cal-Arminian.
These various groups are antagonistic toward Luther's Biblical Christianity and the German Reformation's exegesis of the Bible. Lutheran Objective Justification is a smooth way to introduce Calvinism into the Lutheran Church without giving notice of intent.
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| A chameleon can turn every color but one - white. |
