I have noted many times on here that from the Vatican on down the Catholic Church is noting the shifting population demographics to the American South in many ways. Therefore it is interesting to see the Southern baptist are going in the opposite direction. that is North of the mason Dixon line. There is a controversy as this good piece at Get Religion points out.
See Northern exposure for Southern Baptists
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
As the Catholics Look South the Southern Baptist Look North
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2 comments:
I recall you have mentioned your own Southern Baptist background am I right?
Although I no longer consider myself Southern Baptist I can speak to this issue having joined a Southern Baptist church in New York during college and graduate school.
I have mixed thoughts/feelings. On the one hand Southern Baptist deserve major kudos for their missions/ministry efforts in the northern United States.
At a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship meeting (to some extent an offshoot from Southern Baptists) I remarked that the CBF is more *southern* than the SBC. People were not happy with me for saying that but it's true.
And "Southern Baptist" churches in the north to a large extent reflect the local culture. It ain't just about transplanted Southerners hankering for corn bread and black eyed peas any more.
On the other hand sometimes I was irritated by the "oh dear this poor wittle town in upstate New York doesn't have a *Southern Baptist* church we need to do something!" attitude. As if without Southern Baptists you ain't got biblical Christianity. Others have noted this pattern.
So on the one hand I commend the SBC for their awareness of and concern for the northern United States. But I share the concern expressed about *pulling* funds from extant ministries. Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Oh Yes I was raised a SOuthern Baptist
I agree with your thoughts on the SOuthern Baptist Church. Also there has been a lot of transplanted people from outside the SOuth that have become SOuthern Baptist partly because of migration of people to the SOuth and MidSOuth and from such things as all the military bases down here.
I have always wondered if the SOuthern Baptist will do a "name change" one day but I guess it does not hurt some Lutherans.
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