There is a restaurant near my house that is renowned for its Southern, family style cuisine. It is a good place to feed a large group a hearty meal on a tight budget. There was a time when I ate there often and recommended it to others. Then I discovered that the proprietor used his profits to bankroll the political machinations of the most outspoken Christian supremecists in the state of Oklahoma. I don't eat there any more. Neither do I recommend it to others. In my mind, it would be poor stewardship to give financial support to someone dedicated to repealing the First Amendment and creating a theocracy.
I thought about that restaurant when I read Bob Allen's report about the proprietor of Smyth & Helwys publishing organizing rallies to endorse and support some of the most outspoken Christian supremecists in the state of Georgia.
There was a time when I not only shopped at Smyth & Helwys and recommended it to others, but willingly endured criticism and loss of financial support within my church for encouraging Sunday School teachers to use their literature. In my mind, it was poor stewardship to purchase Southern Baptist literature that was undermining religious liberty for all and other bedrock Baptist distinctives.
There were early signs that the proprietor of Smyth & Helwys had a different mission in life than most moderate Baptists. Early on, it was certainly disconcerting to watch him roll up to hotels at CBF General Assemblies in chauffeured stretch limousines. Especially when I knew how much money CBF was giving his publishing house to produce materials suitable for our churches.
Cecil Staton has made his money. Now he is acquiring power. It appears that he will be as arrogant and elitist with power as he is with money.
Smyth & Helwys still produces some good literature, but now my conscience is disturbed every time I buy anything from them. I am buying less from them and recommending them less every day. In my mind, it is a matter of stewardship.
Strategically, it doesn't make sense to read books about liberty of conscience from a publisher who is using the profits to destroy it.
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New Twist on Stained Glass
6 hours ago
3 comments:
My sentiments exactly.
Bruce,
I've read your blog for a number of months now and generally I agree with your perspectives. But I don't think you are correct or fair about Cecil Staton. I've know him for a number of years and have called him personally when I have heard some of the BCE stuff previously.
I think BCE unfairly slants their reporting on Smyth & Helwys as they are competitors in our end of Baptist life, or at least BCE would like to be in the Sunday School business.
I live in Georgia and Staton has been a good state senator for his area. Last year, he helped Mercer get an extra million dollars for their medical school program from the State. I asked a friend who is an administrator at Mercer and he said Staton was a good friend and supporter of the school.
If you check the state ethics web site, as I have done, you will find among his largest financial contributors people like Dr. Kirby Godsey, now chancellor of Mercer, and Ms. Emily Myers, who is head of advancement. Also you will find many of the business leaders in middle Georgia. Cecil has been a good and effective leader for our area.
I attend a church that is CBF related and gives a great deal to CBF of Georgia and the national organization, but I can assure you there are lots of Republicans in our church. I hope our efforts as thinking Baptists are not going to exclude people just because they are politically active as either Republican or Democrat. We need good people in both parties.
I have talked to Cecil. He personally supports financially orgs like BTSR, Wake Forest Divinity, and BJC. I think Cecil is one of the best leaders Baptists have produced.
Perhaps you should call him too if you have questions.
Bruce--
Thanks for taking down that post by Michael Westmoreland-White. That was, as my British friends would say, over the top and not true as it related to Cecil Staton and Mercer.
I work for Mercer and we continue to have a great working relationship with Cecil Staton, our state senator.
He has helped us with our Medical School and is currently working on funding for trauma care for Georgia that would also help the Medical School and our Medical Center.
I have found that ideology plays much less of a role in the state legislature on most day to day issues.
Mercer has no problem with Sen. Staton. He is certainly a Baptist leader in middle Georgia. We value his service with Mercer and his contributions over 11 years to our school and Mercer Press.
We have no plans to compete with Smyth & Helwys.
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