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Southern Baptist Ironies

Southern Baptist Ironies

Last updated on: August 2, 2025 at 11:28 am by Roger E. Olson

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Southern Baptist Ironies 2025-08-02T11:28:41-05:00 Roger E. Olson

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I have never been to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, but I have known professors there and I have had colleagues who graduated from there. And at least one pastor who graduated from SBTS. I’ve had communications with the president of SBTS, Al Mohler, a leader in the so-called “fundamentalist take over” of the Southern Baptist Convention.

During the 1980s and into the 1990s, The SBC launched a campaign to replace the trustees of the Southern Baptist seminaries because they were allegedly infected with liberal theology. I read much about the so-called “Baptist Wars,” that focused mainly on the SBC, and kept informed about it/them.

Al Mohler has always been, since becoming president of SBTS if not before, a stalwart conservative if not a fundamentalist. SBC conservatives have long looked to him for leadership and he has taken a leading role in the conservative movement in the denomination.

Years ago I said to someone (and I think I said it here) that when the fundamentalists gain control of institutions there is a pause and then they start fighting among themselves.

If anyone ever seemed safe within the SBC and especially among constituents of SBTS it is Mohler. Someone might not be entirely mistaken to call him the unofficial pope of the SBC. And his conservative credentials have rarely, if ever, been challenged.

However, I just finished watching a Youtube video of a former SBTS professor lambasting SBTS and, at least by implication, Mohler for allowing liberalism to creep in there. I would love to hear Mohler’s response, but so far I haven’t found it.

One thing the former professor says is that Mohler appears to believe that homosexual orientation is inbred in individuals. That is, they are born with that orientation and inclination. He does not give evidence of that but simply says Mohler will not answer questions put to him about that. I know nothing else about that matter.

What I find interesting and very ironic is that ANYONE would accuse Mohler of countenancing or condoning liberal theology! But, given Mohler’s reputation, one might think the chickens are coming home to roost. I’m not saying anything about Mohler’s character which might be absolutely impeccable. However, he has been known to speak out against perceived liberal or even moderate scholarship of the Bible and theology.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that in and of itself! I have done it in Against Liberal Theology. A big problem, issue, point of confusion is what exactly constitutes liberal scholarship of the Bible and theology.

I sympathize with Mohler. I, too, have been accused of condoning if not supporting liberal theology! But I have to say I think such accusation is closer to true in my case than in his! Unless he has changed quite a bit in the last few years and I am not “in the know” about that.

I always have thought that conservatives in the SBC would eventually turn against each other and rumors of such have been circulating for some years, especially about Calvinists and Arminians (who call themselves “traditional Baptists”) having difficulty getting along.

*Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*

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