Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., a Southern Baptist, told Associated Baptist Press that he supports the Baptist principle of autonomy of the local church. However, he also supports the Southern Baptist Convention’s new Baptist Faith and Message statement against women pastors.
In a far-ranging interview on the floor of the Republican National Convention, Lott said: “One good thing about the Baptist convention… is that all the churches are autonomous. There’s no binding rules. We don’t dictate what you do at First Baptist Nashville” or at other Baptist churches.
Despite that, Lott said he agrees with the SBC statement against women being pastors. He joked, “My wife doesn’t agree with that, but she’s Presbyterian.”
Lott said he participates in a weekly Bible study group that includes at least on Democratic senator, but he didn’t want to talk about specifics of something he considers a private matter. “We don’t talk about that,” he said.
He also said the Southern Baptist controversies have probably been “greatly exaggerated” by the national media “who as usual don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“I do believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, and I feel very strongly about my faith and my denomination. Now those that want to do things a different way, they’ve got that right. They can go do it another way,” Lott added.
Proposed measures
Lott also discussed congressional measures involving religion and voiced support for funding of faith based social service programs.
He said the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act- recently approved in both houses of Congress- was not as strong a bill as he desired but is still helpful in land-use regulations that churches face.
The measure would require state and local governments to show a compelling reason before substantially burdening religious exercises through zoning regulations.
Lott also endorsed the American Community Renewal and New Markets Act. The bill was approved in the House and “has a chance in the Senate,” Lott said, “but it’s late and we have very limited time in which to do things.”
The measure- also supported by President Clinton- is designed to boost impoverished communities. It includes a controversial measure known as “charitable choice” to allow tax dollars to flow to houses of worship to provide social services, such as drug rehabilitation programs.
“You have to be worried about regulations and some of the faith based organizations… may be worried about that also,” Lott said. But the religious community is helping people in places “where there’s nobody else trying to help.”
(ABP)
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