Calvinists Under Fire in the SBC

Baptist Press is reporting that SBC Executive Frank Page has formed an ad hoc committee to offer the convention advice about Calvinism.

This is just the latest sign that tensions have mounted between more evangelistic and mission-minded Southern Baptists and the save-the-culture-minded Calvinists within the convention.

Page has a reputation for opposing Calvinism. Al Mohler, president of Southern Seminary and a member of Page's ad hoc committee, has filled many faculty positions at Southern Seminary with Calvinists.

From the sidelines, this looks like another struggle for the soul of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Neither side of this new struggle distinguished themselves as trustworthy during the fundamentalist takeover of the SBC during the 1980's and 1990's.

Neither side was willing to compromise with moderates to maintain unity during the fundamentalist takeover.

Both sides proved themselves to have coupled an arrogant sense of self-righteous entitlement with a strong will-to-power.

Ultimately, I doubt that Page's ad hoc committee will prove any more successful at maintaining unity than was the peace committee that was formed in the mid-1980's.