What shall we do? He said, Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then Elisha prayed and said, O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see. So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Gen. 38:16. The message is so vital that telling it is like sharing a cure for cancer. Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest Baptist group in the United States, organized at Augusta, Georgia, in 1845 by Southern Baptists who disagreed with the antislavery attitudes and activities of Northern Baptists. We become legally connected with another person through the state, but we often turn to religious leaders to bless the marriage. Because all divorce is sin, remarriage after divorce is adultery. Southern Baptists believe it's the husband's duty to lead, protect and provide for his family. It was leadership based on love., 19 See The Danvers Statement at the Council on Biblical Manhood and http:// cbmw.org/about/danvers-statement/. As a denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention encourages divorced couples to seek reconciliation and reunion with each other and with God. Marriage is an institution that is divinely shaped to serve the needs of men and women; it isnt a capstone to an already-built career. For as Martin Luther said, Our striving would be losing were not the right man on our side. Thus, as we strive for truth, let us remember that we do not strive alone. The Southern Baptist Convention holds its ministers to a high moral standard. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same 1 4:3. Allen earned a bachelor's degree in history and religion/philosophy from Indiana Wesleyan University, a master's degree in humanities from Central Michigan University and completed his graduate studies at Christian Theological Seminary. [32] While these restrictions are consistent with Southern Baptist beliefs that hold marriage to be "God's lifelong gift 'of uniting one man and one woman in covenant commitment for lifetime,'" in their present form, the "Guidelines" are incompatible with military ethics and regulations. At the same time, the Baptist holds to the autonomy of the local church. In 1960, 72 percent of adults over age 18 were married, compared to 51 percent in 2010. After the start of the English Civil War, the Long Parliament voted to abolish the episcopacy and began to consider ways to organize the structure of the Church. A. Hodge,A Commentary(1869). And ite is lawful for all sorts of people to marryf, who are able of judgment to give theirg consent. No one is "born into the church." Baptists teach that people should become disciples of Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. 40 Stennett,Discourses, 447-448. To characterize American Baptist Churches USA as being in favor of gay marriage goes beyond the pale. It is lawful for5 all sorts of people toMarry, who are able with judgment to give their consent; yet it is the duty ofChristians6 tomarryin the Lord, and therefore such as profess the [page] true Religion, should notMarrywith infidels,7 or Idolators [sic]; neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, bymarryingwith such as are wicked, in their life, or maintain damnable Heresie [sic]. As J. Clark Hensley observed, the nineteenth century saw Americans move from an agrarian society to an urban society [and] this has had a major impact on all our institutions, including the family.43 While Baptists enjoyed life on the frontier they were able to maintain views of marriage and family consistent with that of their previous forebears. 34 See also Dearly Beloved, in Plummer and Haste,Held in Honor,68. 10 See, for example,The Schleitheim Confession(1527). Fairchild, Mary. One example of such is in the work of Pastor Samuel Stennett and hisDiscourses on Domestic Duties(1783), which functioned as a family handbook provided to instruct Christian families.38 Rather than seeing families as merely focusing on themselves and their own development, Stennett saw the spiritual health of families as directly related to the spiritual health of the nation. 1 Cor. Do Baptists believe in speaking in tongues? SBTS - Our Beliefs The History of the SBTS Our Beliefs Two confessional documents guide The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. No matter what's happening politically with same-sex marriage, he says, Baptist beliefs about homosexuality haven't changed. Marriage is an institution that is divinely shaped to serve the needs of men and women; it isn't a capstone to an already-built career. First, John Smyths own earlyShort Confession of Faithin 1610 kept the comments about marriage to core definitional issues of monogamy, grounds for divorce, and an admonition for believers to marry believers: The married estate, or matrimony, hold we for an ordinance of God, which, according to the first institution, shall be observed. 1 Cor. As such the statement on marriage remains the same and the Puritan-influenced understanding of marriage and family at church and home continued to shape Baptist churches though now across the Atlantic. And it is the duty of christians [sic] to marry in them Lord, and therefore those that professn the true religion, ought not to marryo with infidels, or idolaters, nor prophanep [sic] wicked persons in their life, nor yet withq any that maintain damnable heresies.r. 33 Haykin and Clary, Baptist Marriage in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, inThe Journal of Discipleship and Family Ministries(Fall/Winter 2012): 28-41. Southern Baptists officially believe in Biblical inerrancy, . To the proponents of this position, the clear teaching of Scripture is that all divorce is sin and all divorcees are prohibited from leadership in the Body of Christ. 3 Nathan Finn, Baptists and the Bible: A History of a History Book, inMinistry By His Grace and For His Glory: Essays in Honor of Thomas J. Nettles(Founders Press, 2011), 4. wicked atheism, and impiety in the world and families; and of the carnal lukewarmness, and ignorance in churches, together with contempt of government; because many professors make so little account, or conscience of performing any duty at home in their own families. 6:14, &c. Thus, with the seventeenth century we see the Baptist perspective on marriage and family still rooted in the Reformation tradition ofSola Scripturaand now expanding more specifically into the realm of family life and also warning ofaberrations that are divergent from the biblical design. The nearer marriages and homes approximate the intent of God, the more blessed they will be, and the more blessed will be all relationships in human community.51. 25The Westminster Confession of Faith(Atlanta: Committee for Christian Education & Publications, 1990). 2:15. The Second Coming:Baptists generally believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ when God will judge and divide between the saved and the lost. 26 B. Warfield,The Westminster Assembly and Its Work(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1932; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2003), 11-12. 17 Leland Ryken,Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were(Zondervan, 1990), 39-56; 73-90. The SBC believes in the permanence of marriage. In 2011, the average age at first marriage for men was 28.7; for women 26.5. 7:39. Statistically fewer people enter marriage at a younger age what some call a foundation model of marriage. [See McGlothlin, 122-23.]. While 54% of Christians support acceptance of homosexuality, only 30% of Southern Baptists believe homosexuality should be accepted. The marriage relationship should never be established until both man and woman understand the intent of God for marriage and home relations and are willing to accept the responsibilities peculiar to their place in the family relationship. My attempt to categorize those under four headings follows: Baptists have sought to define marriage and family according to the Bible, Created by God They preached to slaves to accept their places and obey their masters, and welcomed slaves and free blacks as members, though whites controlled the churches' leadership, and seating was usually segregated. In this task of historical theology we do not want to be Frostian and seek the road less traveled by for while that might make all the difference it is bound to make a difference in the wrong direction. Heb. Parents, and masters, are a sort of subordinate governors, and rulers, in their respective jurisdictions and families; in their respective relative places, according to their capacities, and opportunities; and are engaged from Gods word, to take charge of their families, and rule and govern them according to the word of God, both husbands, parents, masters, and all others concerned in any such relation; and by their godly and religious example, instruct their families; they being found carefully keeping of the sabbath-day, in the holy and religious services of hearing the word preached, with publick and private prayer. Baptists believe marriage is God's creation, and that it is a holy union that reflects the Trinity, but they don't believe it's a sacrament. They encourage churches to offer counseling and mentorship to young couples and even make divorce and remarriage a matter of church discipline. Only those who have personal faith in Christ comprise the true church in the eyes of God, and only those should be counted as members of the church. The grounding of marriage in creation and the biblical account (God is its author and sustainer), the emphasis on monogamy (contrary to broad assumptions that all Radicals were abandoning these norms), the criteria by which it may be dissolved (as defined by the Bible and not the Pope), and the affirmation of an equal yoke among believers are all indicators of identification with the broader Reformation movement away from a sacramental understanding of marriage as defined and maintained by Rome.13 Further, this confession and statement are significant for the Baptist tradition because the early General Baptist leader, John Smyth, sought the confessions republication in 1610 as a means by which to compare his congregation with the surviving Mennonites he encountered in Holland.14 Thus, we see the early Baptist perspective on marriage and family as rooted in the Reformation tradition ofSola Scriptura. This is sometimes called, "Once saved, always saved." For in the spirit of the words of Elisha, we are not to be afraid or downcast for, with eyes to see, those who are with us are more than those who are with the evil one. Southern Baptist leaders are committed to engaging the gay marriage debate, and they show no signs of backing down. It is true, trustworthy, andwithout error. Ge 1:28. These beliefs are interpreted differently from one Southern Baptist household to the next. The history of the Baptist movement in America closely follows the major events that defined America as a nation. It was the first Southern Baptist church in Memphis to allow an African-American family to join in the early 1970s. The statement had many detractors though the Convention adopted it in full. 25:1, 2. "Thus this generation of Southern Baptists is in historic succession of intent and purpose as it endeavors to state for its time and theological climate those articles of the Christian faith which are most surely held among us." 7:2; Eph. While marriage is a secular contract in the modern world, Christians still choose to receive marital blessings and weddings in line with their religious traditions. Christian Post: SBC Declares Same-Sex Marriage is Not a Civil Rights Issue. The Priesthood of Believers:All Christians have equal access to God's revelation of truth through the careful study of the Bible. Ahead of his Tuesday election, new Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton faced pushback from critics for having his wife, Kathy Litton, help him teach a sermon series on marriage.. The Baptist Faith & Message, the beliefs uniting the network of churches, states that homosexuality is immoral and marriage is between one man and one woman. The Confession was not fully adopted until 1660 and was then soon moved out of official use with the Restoration of the Monarchy.29 Nevertheless, the influence of the Westminster Confession was immediate and far reaching. As also requiring and instructing their families and relations, to follow their godly and religious example, in the private and publick exercises of religion; and calling them to an account, how they spend the sabbath, and other times, and mercies they enjoy; especially the reading of the scriptures, and hearing the word preached, with publick prayer with them, and for them, in order to a Blessing [sic] for them, and their families. Mary Fairchild is a full-time Christian minister, writer, and editor of two Christian anthologies, including "Stories of Calvary.". Fairchild, Mary. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent;5 yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;6 and therefore such as profess the true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolators; neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable 7 Ultimately, there are Southern Baptists who will agree and disagree with us, which is expected given our denominations size and vastness. See disclaimer. We think there are biblical wisdom principles that should influence when a couple is prepared to enter marriage, but to assume that a one-size-fits-all standard applies across the board is too heavy-handed. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. J. Wayne Flynt observed, Baptist life in the nineteenth century was rooted in the frontier, rural culture. Answer. Their attitude can be summarized in a simple formula: they accepted the headship of a husband and father as a biblical command and then proceeded to define the nature of that headship in a responsible manner.18, While providing a sample of primary source quotations, Ryken explains that the Puritans pursued the roles of husband and wife along the lines of what contemporary theologians have termed complementarianism.19 Ryken says, In Puritan theory, the counterpart of the husbands headship was the wifes submission . Gen. 29:23. In a Southern Baptist marriage, each partner has distinct duties. The Southern Baptist Convention holds some specific views on marriage, divorce and remarriage. 2023 Southern Baptist Convention. Biblical Literalism Southern Baptists believe that the Bible is the word of God and contains no errors. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,2 for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue,3 and for preventing of 4 In the 1960s, men and women were much more likely to marry in their early 20s. Stennetts work further is helpful to understand the development of the Baptist understanding and practice of marriage and family in that he outlined at length roles of father, mother, and children. Modeled on Christs headship of the church, the husbands headship, according to the Puritans, is not a ticket to privilege but a charge to responsibility. Pastoral leadership positions are reserved for men. The family we have in our eye The father was a wise, affectionate, good man; a sincere disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus The partner of his life, inexpressibly dear to him, had all the charms of which virtue and religion could add to a form that commanded admiration and love. In chronological sequence, first, this paper will give a presentation of how Baptists have articulated marriage and family century by century.7 Second, this paper will aim to draw related observations and make concluding remarks with the intent that it serve both as a galvanizing agent and as a roadblock as needed. This is a betrayal of what it means to be distinctively Baptist. To answer that, youd have to ask Southern Baptists. Evangelical:Southern Baptists are Evangelical, meaning they adhere to the belief that while humanity is fallen, the good news is that Christ came to pay the penalty for sin on the cross. The age of first marriage has gone up dramatically since the 1970s. There are a few differing opinions on the origin of the Baptist church. 39 Matthew Haste, Nurseries of Heaven: Samuel Stennett on Marriage and Family, inChurchman(Spring 2015), 55-70. Baptism:A primary Baptist distinction is their practice of adult believer's baptism and their rejection of infant baptism. Headship did not, for the Puritans, mean tyranny. The home should be the nearest approximation of heaven possible on earth. What Are the Legally Accepted Features of a Hindu? The denomination has, in the past, issued statements lamenting the divorce rates in the United States, particularly among their own denomination. The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination and has been increasingly divided in recent years over a variety of cultural and political issues, including racism, sexuality and white evangelicals' embrace of former President Donald J. Trump. The husband's duties include providing for the family and protecting them from harm. gious beliefs of Southern Baptists with regard to health care. NEW ORLEANS Messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, went on record Wednesday to oppose any attempt by gay rights activists to frame same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue. Allen earned a bachelor's degree in history and religion/philosophy from Indiana Wesleyan University, a master's degree in humanities from Central Michigan University and completed his graduate studies at Christian Theological Seminary.