SBC (1845-2005)

The Southern Baptist Convention is considering changing its name.

The convention began in 1845, in a rift among American Baptists over the matter of slavery — hence the "Southern."

But the SBC points out that their fellowship today is a global association, present and growing in the dozens of different countries to which it has spread from its base in the American South. The convention's name, they say, should therefore reflect this new, larger-than-regional reality:

"We are no longer a regional influence,'' the Rev. Jack Graham, Southern Baptist president, told the group's executive committee last month. ''We are a network of churches, which circle the planet.''

Graham said he was forming a committee to explore a name change. A report is expected at the denomination's 2005 annual meeting, which will be held in Nashville.

That's from this Tennessean report.

Reporter Brian Lewis notes that, while slavery may have ended within 20 years of the SBC's formation, it seems still to be on the mind of many of those who have written the newspaper in response to its story on the convention's proposed name change:

Robert McMullen, a member of an independent Baptist church in northwest Arkansas, recommended the name ''Scalawag Baptist Church.''

''They wouldn't even have to change their acronym, initials or stationery!'' McMullen wrote.

His e-mail signature also included the words ''Southern Patriots never forget'' and quotes from several leaders of the Confederacy including Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee.

Another respondent, K. Steven Monk of First Southern Baptist Church in Atlanta, said that Southern Baptists should call themselves ''Well, duh, I reckon Southern Baptists.'' He also identified himself as a member of the Eli P. Landers Camp 1724 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and included a link to the ''Confederate State of America Project.''

We don't believe these e-mails represent the majority of our readers or members of the Southern Baptist Convention, but they are the majority of responses we received.

Seems like 1845 is still seen as the good old days by some of the good old boys in the SBC.

My own suggestion for a new name would be the NCC: the Nashville Catholic Church.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as the Baptist Church — only Baptist churches. That's due to one of the core beliefs of Baptists — "soul freedom" — which means, among other things, that you can't tell me what I'm supposed to believe and vice versa.

That's why there is no Baptist hierarchy, no bishops, archbishops or popes. And it's why Baptists do not insist on adherence to the traditional creeds of the Christian churches.

Yet the SBC has adopted an ever-growing series of "statements of faith" to which it demands an unquestioning loyalty. (These statements, by the way, tend to be far longer and farther-reaching than the simple, economical creeds.)

Enforcement of these statements of faith is conducted by rigidly hierarchical would-be Cardinals like Al Mohler — guys who make Torquemada look like Roger Williams. All they're lacking are the robes and funny hats.