Confession of Faith

I must disagree with your evaluation of the 2000 Alabama Baptist Convention’s resolution on doctrinal heritage and confessions of faith (Nov. 23 “Comments”).

You wrote, “The only doctrinal positions affirmed by the messengers … were contained in the final clause of the resolution which stated ‘we reaffirm our historic commitment to the Bible, God’s totally true and trustworthy Word, as our sole authority for faith and practice and that we reaffirm our basic belief in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.’”

This was clearly not all that was affirmed.

The resolution affirmed our entire doctrinal and confessional heritage as Southern Baptists. Confessions of faith are, by definition, doctrinal statements and we voted “to affirm Southern Baptists for their doctrinal heritage and confessions of faith then and now.” I delight in the fact that we voted to celebrate our doctrinal heritage. Southern Baptists have always been willing to take clear doctrinal stands. We did so in 1925, 1963, 1998 and 2000. These confessions do not contradict one another. They build upon one another, each speaking uniquely to the issues of its day.

You also wrote, “The resolution adopted by Alabama Baptists said nothing about hot-button issues such as women as pastors or submission.” Again, I do not think that the facts concur with that analysis. The issue was whether Alabama Baptists affirmed the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message statement, which was approved at the 2000 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Fla. This was made clear when one messenger made a motion to amend the affirmation of the 1998 and 2000 Baptist Faith and Message out of the resolution. The convention spoke with a resounding vote to affirm the 1998 and 2000 Baptist Faith and Message statements by leaving them in the resolution. Those who spoke in the floor discussion were not confused. They knew what was at stake.

David E. Prince
Homewood, Ala.

Editor’s Note: Resolutions Committee chairman James Bruton concurred that the resolution in question “affirmed Southern Baptists.” The reasons given for affirming Southern Baptists were their doctrinal heritage and their statements of faith then and now. That is not the same as affirming the statements of faith. Concerning removing references to the 1998 and 2000 Statements of Faith, most messengers evidently agreed with the committee chairman who pointed out the reference simply acknowledged historical fact. Acknowledging the Baptist Faith and Message was revised in 1963, 1998 and 2000 is not the same as affirming the revised statements.