Ethics Daily has posted a story about how the "SBC President Once Endorsed Women's Ordination." The report quotes from Page's 1980 doctoral dissertation where he concluded:
"Looking at the various viewpoints regarding women in ministry and having dealt with the related biblical passages, this writer agrees with the . . . reasons for the participation of women in ministry, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit," he wrote. "This writer, at least in part, agrees . . . that social distinctions are meant to be transcended, not perpetuated, within the body of Christ. They have been unfortunately perpetuated with a vengeance."
Today, however, on a page from the President on the SBC's website, Page states,
"My belief about women in ministry is consistent with that which is found in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, in Article VI, 'The Church,' This document states, 'That while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of Pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.' I concur with that statement."
This isn't the first time that prominent SBC leaders have appeared to change their theology to further their career ambitions. Al Mohler, now President of Southern Seminary, was also once an active supporter of women in ministry.
10 comments:
Happen to have a link to Mohler's change of heart? That could be interesting.
Nathan,
It is documented in the film: Battle for the Minds.
This film deserves wide circulation and viewing.
I never met the "old Mohler." He was already "in transition" as a Ph.D. student at SBTS during my M.Div. days there. But I hung around with Ph.D. students who remembered his changes (not knowing that more changes would come). They showed me a fullpage ad in the Louisville Courier-Journal that Mohler wrote and got students to pay for in support of Women in Ministry in 1984--right after the SBC resolution against ordaining women. At the time, Mohler's wife had a hyphenated name and called herself a Christian feminist (though I don't think she has ever held a job outside the home).
Mohler's rep was as a theological liberal--during a time at SBTS when professors regularly supervised students with theologies to the left of their own (something that never happens now). He was also known as having HUGE ambition. He changed at the 1985 SBC when "moderates" (a term this baptist radical has never liked) lost every vote. According to David Key, who was in the car, Mohler said on the car-ride back to Louisville from Dallas, "Well, now we know which side we must support if we ever hope to have a future in the SBC." A few months later, Mohler "went forward" at an Adrian Rogers-led revival meeting and claimed that his professors had misled him.
When I knew him, he was a conservative evangelical, but still in contact with mainstream theology--doing a rather unoriginal dissertation on the theology of Karl Barth and its reception among evangelicals. (I argued that this should never have been accepted as a dissertation topic because it was not "an original contribution to knowledge," but merely a review of literature.) I didn't like him, but didn't see him as particularly dangerous.
Then, upon finishing his Ph.D., Mohler got a job as editor of the Christian Index (GA Baptist state paper) and THAT'S when he made his full transition to rightwing demagogue. So, either he was a hypocrite as a student, hiding his true beliefs then. Or, he is a hypocrite now, working hard for far right causes and views just in order to advance his own power agenda.
Look at the revelations Barry Hankins has in Uneasy in Babylon about Mohler. He grew up in D James Kennedy's Youth Groups in the PCA just down the street from him in Ft. lauderdale. didn't take him long to figure his future and get back to his conservative roots, as it were. had heard David Key's story before, but the Adrian Rogers rededication was news to me.
I think I got one that trumps that. Bill clinton got rededicated, walked the aisle and took Ronnie Floyd's right hand of Baptist rededication in Sprindale when the evangelist, last Name Lee, I thank it was, was preaching the summer of 92, when Jennifer Flowers broke.
You can't write movies better than that, and If you can I already have; more on that as things go on, but you Leveller, heard it first here.
check my cross referencey Wade and Frank blog at my foxofbama.
Looking forward Bruce, tomorrow to see what you have to say about Ralph Reed going down in Georgia?
And tell us, did Cecil Staton endorse Reed? and where does that relationship stand.
Like you I saw my fellow Furman alum Staton, hovering around the Smyth and Helwys display at Atlanta CBF; and he should since he owns it.
Interesting character, Staton is, as he goes way back in same neighborhood in Greenville SC as Frank Page's mainstay at FBC Taylors, a Mr. Horton who had a shortlife posting at www.baptistlife.com just before the Greensboro election.
Horton's wife is Frank's executive Sec; Horton himself father of a young Fundy, both of whom claim to be six day creationist.
Gonna be interesting to see how it all plays out for Frank, as his Taylors church is chocked full of public school teachers, Frank was on the Resolutions committee himself this year in Gboro, and now all this is coming out when the hardline fundies like my friend John Killian here in Bama, chair of this year's committee on committees was already suspicious of Frank's "conservative stripes"; fearing he was soft on the Dilday affair.
Killian was seen on statewide tv last night in the background of the fairwell to Wallace political legacy in Bama as George Jr. lost to Country club republican Luther Strange, big fundraiser for Jeff Sessions, here in Bama 54-45%
Killian pastors just up the road from Pleasant Grove, Bama, sight of 97 tornado; Michelle Goldberg's second chapter in Kingdom Coming about a Roy Moore event there last year. Killian supported Moore on Libertarian principals, while the bama fundamentalist Mike Shaw, chair of the Bama SBOM opposed Moore.
Insiders tell me the staff of bama SBOM voted almost unanimously for Page in Gboro.
What the nuances are post Roy Moore and Ralph Reed, I don't know.
What I do know is the Gus Niebuhr endorsed Spirit and Flesh by James Ault is must reading for us all, as I commented just today to Ben Cole and Wade on their blogs.
God Bless you all
Stephen Fox of Alabama
Jim said: Have you ever changed your mind on theological issues? I have.
Yes, and that may be exactly what happened with Frank Page. I don't know him and don't much keep up with the SBC these days--not since I left in '94. My congregation is Alliance of Baptists and I have been employed by American Baptists and Progressive National Baptists and, from time to time, I look in on the CBF--although it too often seems to be trying to recreate the old, pre-'79 SBC for my comfort (the old system was too flawed BEFORE the fundies took it over, imo). So, I guess that Page could just have changed his mind about women in ministry.
I am far more skeptical about Al Molher although it has been suggested that I am too cynical where he is concerned. But my dealings with him over the years have left me with a profound mistrust of almost everything he says. I hope I'm wrong and will try to be more charitable--but I am suspicious about changes that happen to coincide with gains in power--and, unfortunately, that applies to Frank Page, too.
These kind of convenient-timing changes always leave people suspicious. When Jesse Jackson, who had been strongly pro-life, changed his mind just before running for the Democratic candicacy for U.S. president in '84, people were suspicious and rightly so. The timing for this change of heart was VERY convenient. So, it doesn't just work with changes in a conservative direction.
Why does a feminist have to work outside the home? Don't be trapped by stereotypes.
Here is a link to Mohler's comments on Page's and his own change of views. I am not baptist and not familiar with Mohler or Page. Mohler's account sounds sincere to me.
Dan Vestal surely flip flopped on a lot of issues. After he couldn't be president of the SBC, he changed several positions. Why don't you mention that changes of mind occur both directions?
This discussion is resumed at:
Mohler's Rationale for Male Supremecism
Yes, I found this interesting also. It's hard to imagine such a well-written argument in favor of women in ministry by someone who says he didn't know what he was doing at the time. Interestly, I came across a quote by Jerry Falwell in 1965 where he says he couldn't envision getting involved in politics because it would take his focus off preaching the gospel.
People change their views, even though I'm not accustomed to seeing this kind of change. It's usually the opposite.
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