Short Spots 

                                                                                                             Vol. XVII, No. 2, February 2004

ETS retains open theists: Members of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) voted Nov. 19 to allow open theists Clark Pinnock and John Sanders to remain in the organization, overturning charges that the two scholars hold views on the inerrancy of Scripture not in line with the organization's confessional statement. Pinnock of McMaster Divinity College in Canada received the most support with only 219, or 32.9 percent, of the members voting for his expulsion. A two-thirds vote is required to expel a member, but 432 members voted against ousting Pinnock from the 54-year-old society at ETS' 55th annual meeting. Sanders of Huntingdon College in Indiana skimmed by with 62.7 percent (388 members) favoring his expulsion. He avoided removal by 27 votes in the secret-ballot vote Wednesday evening. "Open theism" is asserts that God's knowledge of the future is limited, that He knows all the future possibilities but does not exhaustively know the choices His creatures may make. [BP] [Editorial Note: Here is anther example of the fact that spiritual warfare will continue until the Lord returns. ETS has failed to stand on the Word. TCP]

NC liberals discuss selective support of BSCNC: “Moderate” North Carolina Baptists met at Greensboro’s First BC 23-24 January and discussed ways to fund selected Baptist causes without supporting the entire budget of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. A statement released by meeting organizers said a major focus will be a discussion about ways churches can continue to support state Baptist institutions like colleges and universities, children's homes, retirement homes, mission organizations, a hospital, foundation and state newspaper. Representatives of these agencies will be invited to attend and participate. "We need to identify ways to support these important ministry partners while not necessarily supporting the entire budget of the state convention," said David Hughes, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. Organizers also have invited representatives of Baptist organizations outside the state -- such as the Baptist World Alliance, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, American Baptist Churches, Baptist Joint Committee, Baptist Center for Ethics, Associated Baptist Press and Baptists Today newspaper. The statement said people attending the meeting will "discuss ways churches can engage in cooperative and constructive mission partnerships as they disengage from polarizing politics" in the North Carolina convention.

     Conservatives have won at least two of the three top convention offices in eight of the last nine years. In elections last November, conservatives handily defeated moderate candidates Hughes, Massey, and Raymond Earp. Those races were widely seen as a referendum on support for the conservative dominated Southern Baptist Convention. But Hughes said moderates have become fatigued and frustrated and have developed a sense of futility.