Anti-Heritage: Views of a CBF Leader

 by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                     Vol. XIII, No. 2, February 2000


Do the beliefs of the leaders of a theological enterprise make any difference? I mean, if a pastor or denominational executive is nice, well-spoken, friendly, cares about people, and hard-working, shouldn't we just go along and not be concerned with his theological views? Does it really matter whether he believes Jesus was born of a virgin, that He is the only way of salvation, that adherents of any other faith are tragically headed for eternal separation from God? In the final analysis do his beliefs really matter?

Surely your reaction as a Baptist Christian is, "Of course it matters. Christianity is the only, the unique way to attain a personal relationship with God. It is about Jesus, who said, 'I am the way, the truth, the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.'"

Consider the following. On 21 October 1999 there was a Baptist/Jewish relations forum in Louisville, KY, sponsored by the Kentuckiana Interfaith community. The forum featured Ron Sisk, pastor of Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville. Sisk is a former member of the CBF Coordinating Council. (The Coordinating Council is roughly analogous to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. It is the most powerful CBF organism.) He was joined by panelists Carey Newman, former professor of New Testament at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and by Rabbi Joe Rapport, who serves The Temple in Louisville. About 150 people attended the forum, held in Broadway Baptist Church which is dually aligned with the SBC and CBF.

During the discussion Sisk said, "I certainly don't believe that any one tradition has an exclusive corner on God. I would never limit God's salvation to those who share my own perspective or my own understanding. I would respect the traditions of others, both Christian and non-Christian, for the truth which they reveal. I would say Christ's spirit operates in places where Christ's name is not known."

Sisk repeatedly objected to the biblical standard of an exclusive gospel, which means Jesus is the only way to salvation. He espoused a belief in "the cosmic Christ" who he said "goes beyond any name or any theology or any community and is found at work in the same way" that the universal God of Judaism is at work. "To the degree that a person's life puts them into touch with that spirit of Christ, they have a relationship with God as genuine as my own," Sisk said. [BP]

Commentary: Pastor Sisk evinces a serious lack of understanding the Christian faith. Read again his statements quoted in the two preceding paragraphs and note carefully his perspective. Throughout it is on "I". He does not accept that it is God who establishes the parameters of salvation. Note also the subtle implication that those who do believe Jesus is the only way to salvation do not "respect the traditions of others"; he fails to distinguish between respect and acceptance. And in the last quoted sentence note the reliance on works, "a person's life puts them in touch with that spirit of Christ". It is not that a good life "puts us in touch" with the good God, but that our acceptance of God's free gift (a) cleanses us through Jesus' blood and (b) produces a transformed mind and regenerate life, making us profitable servants.

The primary issue here is not Pastor Sisk, for he is of only passing interest to Virginia Baptists. However, the CBF should be of considerable interest to Virginia Baptists ... and Baptists throughout the entire country. Once SBC liberals became convinced that they could not win votes in the annual SBC convention they established CBF as an alternative route to funnel their funds, interests, and activities. Though eschewing the "denomination" title, in effect CBF is a shadow denomination with affiliated seminaries, press agency, ethics agency, publishing house, foreign and home missionaries, budget, annual meeting, et cetera.

CBF frequently asserts that all Baptists ought to work together no matter their views on specific matters of theology. Indeed, it is this perspective that is behind the word "Cooperative" in their name. they present themselves as just an alternative mission funding mechanism.

But there is a fatal flaw in their reasoning. Nowhere in Scripture are believers told to work with other religions. Treat them nicely ("Do unto others ..."), yes. But accept them and work cooperatively with them on the basis that their religion is equal to Christianity, definitely not ("How can two walk together unless they be agreed?").

CBF as an organization has carefully avoided issuing statements on most specific doctrinal points, preferring instead to mouth catchy tag lines such as "Free and faithful Baptists". Unfortunately, mere slogans do not explain free from what, faithful to what. And yet the questions from what? and to what? are crucial to any serious Christian. On the other hand, time after time men and women holding very responsible CBF posts take positions contradicting Scripture as did Rev. Sisk.

Every Southern Baptist and every local church should insist on getting full answers to such questions before contributing one dime to the CBF. Do you want your contributions going to an organizations with leaders who believe Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism are paths to God?