Sunday, March 9, 2008

Exploring The Christian Faith, Broadway Baptist Church

Well.....
Like the Calvinist said after he fell down the stairs, "I'm glad that's over with."

Fort Worth's Broadway Baptist votes to keep pastor
from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
and a similar story from the Dallas Morning News Religion Blog

I'm a member of a study group called "Exploring The Christian Faith" at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth. We don't hesitate to ask the hard questions. Very few answers are provided. We're just about to finish a series called "Living The Questions". We'll probably do a book study next.

If you've lost touch with your faith, or lost interest in traditional answers to Christianity's difficulties, come join us. There's been some recent controversy about our studying some of the theologians listed in the Spiritual Advisors blogroll to your right. Borg in particular. I hope we're over it now. (See the Star-Telegram link above.)

In the last few months, I've learned that Freedom of Religious Expression is a valuable thing. Lord have mercy, I love this class. All points of view are respected. No one believes me, but meeting in that room is the most Libertarian hour of my week.

If you want to join us, we meet at 9:30 in Room 306 every Sunday morning. 305 West Broadway, Fort Worth, TX 76104.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

For me, Living the Questions was a way back into Christianity, which I'd left decades ago after being raised in a SB church. Glad to hear that a Baptist church in TX is offering this series. If I weren't 2000 miles away, I'd sign up (part 2?).

Like your blog a lot; agree about K. Friedman, etc.

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Ginny,
Yes, we're about to finish part2. Don't know if the group who does this will be able to go back to the well for a part 3.

It's been a life-saver for me.

Thanks for visiting. We Kinky Friedman supporters who are into non-traditional theologians must stick together.

ElhananWinchester said...

Whited S, I am glad to hear that Brett Younger has survived this vote and hopefully Broadway can more fully embrace a progressive xn identity (something I had no idea that Broadway had not fully embraced).
Like Ginny S., I dont' think I can commute 2000 miles to the LTQ series, but it is a fine one.

On a different note, are you following today's election in your native state? Twill be interesting to follow.

I must say that I am fascinated to find a religious liberal who is a fan of Hayek (I assume) and who hail from Mississippi. Amazing

The Whited Sepulchre said...

elhananwinchester,
I think that Obama is going to come out of Mississippi with a huge number of delegates relative to the Clintons, maybe s larger difference than the Clintons will have in PA.

When you look at Hayek's stuff, Road to Serfdom, etc...his overall point is that people prosper when left alone. An idea known as "Classical Liberalism".
The Baptist traditions of Priesthood of the Believer and Autonomy of The Local Church are based on the idea that Christians and their churches will prosper when....left alone. There was a time when Baptists were considered a pretty liberal bunch. (In the Classical Liberal sense....not in the Ted Kennedy/Barbra Streisand sense.)

The jump from distrust of State hierarchy to distrust of Ecclesiastical hierarchy isn't that difficult of a leap.

Community helps, community is good, but I'm slowly developing a Jeffersonian dislike of "Entangling Alliances". I honestly believe that we wouldn't've had as bad a time of it over our church directory if we didn't feel a need for linkages with various Baptist associations, some of whom disagreed with us. And we're the ones giving THEM money....
If you look at how rapidly various non-denominational churches are growing in Ft. Worth, I think you can see that people want to be associated primarily with a local group. They don't necessarily want to be pulled into Disney Boycotts or whatever other insanity the people at denominational HQ can cook up.

BTW, where do you live now? When are you going to come see us? I want to meet someone who can use the word "Twill" in a non-ironic sentence....

Anonymous said...

"I do not believe that Christianity is the only way of salvation, or that the Bible is the revealed will of God, or that Jesus was the unique Son of God."
-Borg

If the resurrection of Jesus cannot be believed except by assenting to the fantastic descriptions included in the Gospels, then Christianity is doomed. For that view of resurrection is not believable, and if that is all there is, then Christianity, which depends upon the truth and authenticity of Jesus' resurrection, also is not believable."
-Spong

"Clearly, somebody went seeking in the Old Testament for a text that could be interpreted as prophesying a virginal conception, even if such was never its original meaning. Somebody had already decided on the transcendental importance of the adult Jesus and sought to retroject that significance on to the conception and birth itself."
-Crossan

This is exactly what Broadway needs....

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Chuck,
Hope to see you Sunday....

"In my Father's house there are many mansions"

-Jesus

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Seriously, Chuck....
I was in a hurry when I wrote my 1st response....
I learned about the things you quote from Crossan while attending seminary.
That, along with the ending of Mark, the absence of "original" texts, errors in transmission, and the origian of the Biblical canon almost shut me down.
There are some problems with biblical texts that require confrontation if you are to take the texts seriously.
The idea that "God said it, I believe it, that settles it" can only take people far.

Perhaps the bigger issue isn't "what Broadway needs" but "what do people need?"

Hope you come see us some time. Seriously. Would love to talk with you.

Anonymous said...

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

The more and more I study the bible the more I realize it can be trusted.

"...you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. "

I take more of a Berean approach to the bible. When I see people claim that they have a new understanding of God that directly contradicts the most basic understanding of the Gospel, that has miraculously transformed lives since the time of Christ, then I am going to respond as the Berean would and reject it.

I can't get past the song that I learned as a child, probably learned in Church at Broadway,

"Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so."

It is a simple truth that my faith compels me to believe.

If I am weak minded because I trust what the bible says then so be it.
God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit is worthy to be praised according to the scriptures.

ElhananWinchester said...

I live close to Asheville, NC. In the 80s I lived in FW while in seminary. When I am in the metroplex, which happens on occassion, I'll have to drop in Broadway. I twill be in Mississippi before I make it to FW.

You are right on that Baptists are a radically autonomous bunch. I think that is held in common by liberal Baptists and fundamentalist Baptists as well. It's one of the reasons I think Baptist DNA is far closer to UCC and Unitarian-Universalist and Disciples DNA than to Episcopalian DNA.

BUT, the liturgy and the ten minute homilies are much better than 30 minute speeches. I mean, if you were in your native state in the Delta, wouldn't you rather attend an 8:00 Rite I service than hear the guest evangelist rant and rave over at FBC. Of course you would. Anyone who picks up on irony knows that the aesthetic of it all is as important as belief. That's why all these intelligent book reading Baptists wind up bending the knee to Canterbury. Their robes are pretty. I agree.

Maybe McCain will pick Barbour.

Anton Seim said...

Consider this blog subscribed to ;)

The Whited Sepulchre said...

Anton,
Glad you like it.
Are you still stomping around Europe, or are you back in The Town Of The Cow?