The RADEN Report                                             January 15, 2003

Rome And Daughters Ecumenical News

[SBC special edition]

Leaders of Baptist General Convention of Texas welcome Ecumenism’s “Trojan Horse”

Leaders of the nation’s largest Baptist state convention will meet this week with representatives of the Texas Conference of Churches, an ecumenical communion of 13 Protestant, Catholic, and Greek Orthodox denominations. The meeting is billed as a search for “ways to improve the lives of Texans by speaking with a united voice” regarding social issues, and to “increase our visibility as Christians.”

In fact, this “social issues vehicle” is the same “Trojan Horse” employed in other ecumenical efforts. Revealing the true goal of the Texas Conference of Churches, TCC executive director Dr. Carol Worthing said of this week’s gathering,

“What is emerging at this moment of history is our interest in Christian unity. The Holy Spirit is gathering the churches back together – not in any organic uniformity – but certainly in our understanding that we are all one Christian family.”

Really? Please note that several denominational groups that make up the Texas Conference of Churches officially promote a sacramental system of belief historically rejected by Southern Baptists. Is the Holy Spirit truly leading Southern Baptists to recognize as Christians those who trust in a sacramental system of belief? While such a broad theological inclusiveness is the position proposed by the modern ecumenical movement, this is not the historic position of Southern Baptists. Official records from the very beginning of the SBC clearly reveal that a very prominent issue leading to the establishment of the convention and its agencies was a desire to better counter the spread of sacramental belief. The issue of presenting the biblical Gospel, which is antithetical to sacramental faith, continues to be relevant to the overall mission of the SBC and to evangelical believers throughout the world.

Referring to Wednesday’s planned ecumenical meeting, Dr. Charles Wade, executive director of the moderate-led Baptist General Convention of Texas, assures everyone, “Our convention has as deep a conviction as other faith groups about our doctrines and our faith. We are not looking to change those.” Dr. Wade ignores the fact that the very premise to this cooperative effort with this ecumenical organization is the common recognition of all participants as Christians. This is most certainly the public impression of such meetings between groups claiming to be Christian churches or organizations. To give the impression that sacramental faith has validity is a compromise of biblical truth. Such action indicates a change has already taken place, at least at the leadership level of the BGCT.

Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Pfeifer is the recent past executive director of the Texas Conference of Churches. Pfeifer says of this week’s meeting and the Conference’s ongoing relationship with the BGCT, “It’s of great importance because we’re taking the first step in realizing the prayer of Christ that we all be one.” Twisting of this particular Scripture, part of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21, is the hallmark of the modern ecumenical movement. Regardless of whatever good intentions some ecumenists may have, Jesus did not pray for His disciples to pursue a unity with those who trust in a corrupted gospel; He prayed for the unity of His followers in the one true Gospel. Rather than to embrace the false unity promoted by the modern ecumenical movement, Christians are commanded to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). Sacramental faith, i.e., a belief that justification before God may be assisted or merited through a person’s participation in religious works, is soundly refuted in Scripture. (See Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia.)

Regarding ecumenical involvement and the theological differences between Southern Baptists and Roman Catholics, Phil Strickland, director of the Christian Life Commission for the BGCT said, “In Texas, it’s never been an issue.” Perhaps for Mr. Strickland and other moderate leaders, such foundational theological concerns are not an issue, but for Southern Baptists in Texas who are serious about reaching friends and family members who trust in a deceptive and false sacramentalistic system of belief, there is no issue of greater importance.

To say that this theological battleground has never been an issue in Texas is to ignore the efforts of thousands of Southern Baptists of that state who have in the past voiced their opposition to ecumenical involvement. As recently as 1995, leaders the Mexican Baptist Convention of Texas, along with the leaders of thirty Hispanic Southern Baptist Fellowships in Texas, raised grave concerns over the endorsement of an ecumenical document by two SBC agency presidents. This document was entitled EVANGELICALS AND CATHOLICS TOGETHER: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium, and has been referred to as “the defining symbol of the new ecumenism” by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, jr. president of the SBC’s Southern Seminary.

Individual churches throughout Texas, even entire associations, reacted strongly to the revelation of this ecumenical involvement. A HMB trustee from Texas, Bill Streich, led in efforts to oppose the ECT. When HMB trustees refused to require their president to withdraw his endorsement of the document, the membership of the First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas, sent a stern letter to SBC leaders saying, in part,

“Our Church has historically supported the Home Mission Board through the Cooperative Program because of its mission emphasis. EVANGELICALS AND CATHOLICS TOGETHER distorts that mission. Our future mission cooperation must be with those who clearly proclaim the true ‘Gospel,’ and that protect it with all their might. Given our position against the document and the Home Mission Board's position for the document, a dilemma exists which must be resolved. We prayerfully wait for and expect a prompt response from your leadership.”

Obviously, Mr. Strickland is mistaken. For thousands of Southern Baptists in Texas the theological compromises inherent in ecumenical involvements are an issue of vital importance.

Indeed, even in advance of this week’s meeting, BGCT leaders seem to be trying to head off criticism of their leadership in a direction that is inconsistent with the historic stance of Texas Southern Baptists and of Southern Baptists in general.

Over the past several years SBC leadership has increasingly reflected the conservative theological positions of the majority of Southern Baptists. Accordingly, convention leaders have moved to disengage from ecumenical involvements and have refocused on helping churches and individuals present the Gospel in a manner consistent with Scripture and true to the historic stance of Southern Baptists. In spite of their claims to the contrary, BGCT leaders seem to be headed in the opposite direction.

-  Jerry Moser, editor RADEN Report

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The RADEN Report is a news and commentary service purposed to inform and educate the body of Christ regarding the dangers of ecumenism. For our purposes, ecumenism is defined as cooperative ventures of an evangelistic nature with individuals and/or groups which promote errant doctrine. Much of the New Testament was written to oppose the false doctrines of men who claimed to be Christian teachers, yet were bringing in "destructive heresies." According to Jude we are to "earnestly contend for the Faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints." This we aim to do and to encourage others in this part of God's work. If we can be of assistance to you in this way, please let us know. Additional copies (hard-copy) of RADEN are available, as well as other resources. Why not pass RADEN on to a friend? If you would like to read the ECT document, click here.  We also have the ECT put together into booklets, if you would like for us to send you one or more, request it by email.   Please include your home address and how many you would like.

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