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What People are Saying |
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The Betrayal The hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention and a missionary’s fight for Freedom in Christ by John W. Merritt |
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Many who suffered through the Southern Baptist ‘holy war’ and came away with some heavy scars may think there is not much more which needs to be said about it. If you are among those, I suggest that you at least take a little time to read this belated but informative indictment of inerrantists who engineered the ‘takeover’ or ‘reformation” of the Southern Baptist Convention by a career Southern Baptist missionary and appeal to the churches to take back their convention and to restore it to its original purpose—to discharge the Great Commission. “John Merritt, with his wife Elizabeth a missionary for 34 years and General Secretary of the European Baptist Convention from 1972 until 1996, is well-qualified to speak out. I will confess here that I have more than casual interest in what he has to say because he has anchored his cause in the SBC Foreign Mission Board’s precipitious defunding of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Rüschlikon, Switzerland, in 1991, ostensibly because my teaching there at the invitation of the faculty ‘proved’ their suspicion that the seminary faculty were ‘liberal.’ As one would expect, given his role at the time, Merritt was not a detached bystander in all of this. As General Secretary of the EBC, he made a strong effort to have the FMB reverse its decision and, afterwards, he went to great lengths to help restore the FMB’s relationship with the European Baptist Federation. Unfortunately, the Board not only refused to change their initial decision; led by Paul Pressler, they also repudiated an apology for it made by their representatives in a meeting with representatives of the EBF. “As the title itself suggests, The Betrayal is not simply a history of the defunding incident. John Merritt wants to get Southern Baptist churches to realize how severely the present leaders of the SBC have damaged the mission work of the convention. Watching the continuing swing to the far right in both political and religious realms in the United States, I’m not as optimistic as he that the churches will pay heed to his pleas, despite the near reverence many Southern Baptists have for missionaries. His book, however, has lasting value in his documentation of the defunding of Rüschlikon, the reaction of European Baptists, and fundamentalists insider correspondence about the decision.” —E. Glenn Hinson, Professor Emeritus, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond “A 34-year missionary veteran, Merritt recounts with frankness the impact of the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention on foreign missions. Writing as a participant rather than an observer, he traces in great detail those developments that have forever changed the face of denominational missions. “In the course of reporting events and actions, Merritt takes the reader on an autobiographical journey of his missionary service in Europe. His passion for missions and his love for the church are evident not only in this personal account, but also in the informational sections. “From the introductory chapter, ‘Southern Baptist Roots,’ to the final chapter, ‘A New Vision for A New Future for Southern Baptists,’ readers will note the author’s dedication to fulfilling the Great Commission even in the midst of great disappointment and hurt within his denomination.” —Baptists Today “John Merritt provides a missionary and international perspective for the Southern Baptist Convention’s controversy. His insight brings into focus radical changes that have occurred in the SBC and the tragic consequences for missions in general and missionaries in particular. Since missions was the generative and cohesive force of the Convention before the ‘ultra-conservative takeover,’ this viewpoint is extremely important. “Merritt has strong credentials, bringing a lifetime of commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and unquestioned belief and practice. This book is instructive and should be read by those wanting to understand how the controversy has impacted the very nature of the SBC and its mission program.” —R. Keith Parks, President of the Foreign Mission Board, SBC, 1980-1992 “I have finished reading your excellent book. It is a tremendous work you have done and while reading it I thought, ‘Oh, many should read this and not block off their minds.’ Thank you for writing this courageous book which will belong to the libraries as an historic document.” —Karl Heinz Walter, General Secretary, European Baptist Federation, 1989-1999 “John Merritt describes the Southern Baptist Convention amid a quarter century of struggle. Its experience is not unique, but another sad installment in a centuries-long conflict that has plagued the Church Universal: the conflict between freedom and authority. “The Church must outgrow the tendency to turn on and consume itself with doctrinal rancor. The starting point for restoration to wholeness is humility. We are all human beings with limited knowledge. We look to Scripture for guidance. Once a group sets in stone the idea that its interpretation of Scripture is the sole authoritative one, and denies the validity of any conflicting interpretation, then it has entirely abandoned freedom and enshrined authority in the heart of the Temple. “The Church, if it is to carry out its high calling as an agent of reconciliation, must abandon rigid legalism. We are called to give a free response to God’s grace in Christ. That response begins by acknowledging that we are limited in our ability to understand fully the divine will. “Merritt's depth and breadth of experience bring perspective to the current Southern Baptist controversy between authoritarianism and liberty. His long association with Baptist institutions, historical perspective, and deep, personal involvement place him as an eye witness to this struggle. The depth of feeling and conviction he displays enhance the sound of his voice, which rises to the level of prophetic calling.” — Edward L. Bleynat, Jr., author of The First Three Gospels: “I have just finished reading your spell-binding book. I could not put it down. It is so well written and documented.” —Jasper McPhail, former SBC missionary doctor in India “I was an IMB missionary in Togo 1985-1994. I have suffered many personal losses as a result of the controversy and I am also interested in other people’s perspectives on the situation.” —Paula Settle, former SBC missionary to Togo “I’ve just finished reading your book. I want to go back and re-read some of the chapters. It has really enlightened me about the controversy that has been going on for some years and I would only hear bits and pieces and never really know the whole story. The book is really a masterpiece and so well written.” —Jimmie Mason, school teacher, retired “The book tells a sad story. … but I am pleased that someone of John’s wide experience and gracious character has put on record the tragic happenings of recent years.” —Bernard Green, former General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain “The ‘takeover’ has been covered by other books, but none have dealt with the controversy from the unique perspective of European Baptists and missionaries. The way the SBC has distanced itself from its former overseas ties and from the Baptist World Alliance through hurtful accusations and outright falsehood is an amazing chronicle of merciless tactics and un-Christian behavior. I was a loyal Southern Baptist for 45 years. It is hard to break ties such as these but to do otherwise would be to compromise both faith and reason.” —Richard L. Atkins, aeronautical engineer, retired “The truth does shine. Baptists need to hear this story. Since this book comes from an eyewitness, it will carry even greater weight. Thank you for capturing these events in print.” —James Heflin, former General Secretary, European Baptist Convention, “The book was informative and upsetting. Thanks for your candor, courage and integrity.” —Eldridge Brock, LTC, U.S. Army, retired “We’ve finished the book and found it worth passing on to our friends. Since we know most of the players, we expected it to be interesting but found it to be deeply spiritual also. May God use it to wake up the people in the pew!” —Doylene and John Wilkes, former Southern Baptist missionaries in Europe “You’ve done a great job with your book. It’s hard-hitting and right on target.” —Landrum Salley, pastor and college teacher, retired “Based on my interpretation of your comments in the book, you have been scorched far more often and deeply than I. I applaud you for taking the stand you have taken down through the years in your missionary work as well as the stand you have taken in the book. Thanks, too, for offering constructive criticism and your suggestions for improvement concerning SBC leadership. In my opinion you did it fairly, lovingly, honestly and from your heart.” —B.J. Hankins, crop physiologist and voluntary missionary in Europe |
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