Is It O.K. To Censor?
I wrote a blog about tongue speaking in the SBC on February 15th of this year. I would recommend that you go back and read it. Tongue speaking is becoming a huge issue in Baptist life. It has now created another controversy at one of our seminaries.
On August 29th, a well known African-American Pastor, Dwight McKissic, from Arlington, Texas, spoke during a chapel service at Southwestern Seminary. Pastor McKissic addressed a topic of controversy. Recently, the International Mission Board stated that they would not approve a missionary that said they spoke in a private prayer tongue. This was a slap in the face of the President of the International Mission Board, Jerry Rankin, who has publicly stated he does just that. Pastor McKissic decided to let his feelings be known on the topic. It was not received well by the leadership at Southwestern.
Pastor McKissic acknowledged that he too spoke in a private prayer tongue. He went on to challenge the International Mission Boards decision. He used his chapel service to express his concern for more openness in the SBC. All of this placed him in opposition to the President of Southwestern, Dr. Paige Patterson.
Pastor McKissic and Dr. Patterson are friends. They have both affirmed their friendship in the press several times since this incident. Nevertheless, Dr. Patterson has pulled Pastor McKissic's sermon off the Southwestern website. He disagrees with the sermon's purpose, and does not think it represents the principles of Southwestern Seminary.
So here is the question, "Should have Dr. Patterson censored Pastor McKissic's sermon?"
We live in a society of freedoms. Southwestern Seminary is an institue of higher learning. The question must be asked, is it good to censor an idea that you disagree with?
The answer to this question is that it is absolutely good and right for Dr. Patterson to do just what he did. The SBC, the Seminaries, and the mission boards are not bastions of civil liberties. The same goes for my local church. If a person was invited to preach at my local church and began to address a topic that I thought was out of line, I would censor him immediately. At the very least, Dr. Patterson let Pastor McKissic finish his address.
As the President of Southwestern, Dr. Patterson has been given authority over the sacred desk at their chapel. This authority cannot be taken lightly. He is responsible for every word that comes from that pulpit. The seminary pulpit is one immense importance. It must be guarded and protected. It literally is the face of the Seminary. For those who speak from it represent the Seminary. Thus, I believe Pastor McKissic used the wrong venue to speak his concerns. He has his own pulpit for that. He also has the state paper to do it. You do not borrow a friends pulpit to speak against a friends point of view.
I am sure that those who are in favor of extreme academic freedom will hate this blog. That is fine, but you don't have my permission to write about your opinion here. I have a suggestion, get your own blog. Then you can write whatever you want. Pastor McKissic should take this advice also.
On August 29th, a well known African-American Pastor, Dwight McKissic, from Arlington, Texas, spoke during a chapel service at Southwestern Seminary. Pastor McKissic addressed a topic of controversy. Recently, the International Mission Board stated that they would not approve a missionary that said they spoke in a private prayer tongue. This was a slap in the face of the President of the International Mission Board, Jerry Rankin, who has publicly stated he does just that. Pastor McKissic decided to let his feelings be known on the topic. It was not received well by the leadership at Southwestern.
Pastor McKissic acknowledged that he too spoke in a private prayer tongue. He went on to challenge the International Mission Boards decision. He used his chapel service to express his concern for more openness in the SBC. All of this placed him in opposition to the President of Southwestern, Dr. Paige Patterson.
Pastor McKissic and Dr. Patterson are friends. They have both affirmed their friendship in the press several times since this incident. Nevertheless, Dr. Patterson has pulled Pastor McKissic's sermon off the Southwestern website. He disagrees with the sermon's purpose, and does not think it represents the principles of Southwestern Seminary.
So here is the question, "Should have Dr. Patterson censored Pastor McKissic's sermon?"
We live in a society of freedoms. Southwestern Seminary is an institue of higher learning. The question must be asked, is it good to censor an idea that you disagree with?
The answer to this question is that it is absolutely good and right for Dr. Patterson to do just what he did. The SBC, the Seminaries, and the mission boards are not bastions of civil liberties. The same goes for my local church. If a person was invited to preach at my local church and began to address a topic that I thought was out of line, I would censor him immediately. At the very least, Dr. Patterson let Pastor McKissic finish his address.
As the President of Southwestern, Dr. Patterson has been given authority over the sacred desk at their chapel. This authority cannot be taken lightly. He is responsible for every word that comes from that pulpit. The seminary pulpit is one immense importance. It must be guarded and protected. It literally is the face of the Seminary. For those who speak from it represent the Seminary. Thus, I believe Pastor McKissic used the wrong venue to speak his concerns. He has his own pulpit for that. He also has the state paper to do it. You do not borrow a friends pulpit to speak against a friends point of view.
I am sure that those who are in favor of extreme academic freedom will hate this blog. That is fine, but you don't have my permission to write about your opinion here. I have a suggestion, get your own blog. Then you can write whatever you want. Pastor McKissic should take this advice also.
posted by Foundes Community Church @ 6:43 AM
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