Im a Southern Baptist Here to Dispel Stereotypes

[DC Al Fine]

One of the lesser know downsides of increasing secularism is that many people don't understand the difference between Westboro Baptist, Southern Baptist, and So-Liberal-We're-Episcopalians-Without-The-Hats-Baptist. I'm afraid people will be agreeing with those stereotypes more and more

Anyway here are my questions:

1) I notice that the SBC has a pretty strong northern contingent, including ~100 congregations in Canada. My own PCA is in a similar situation. We got most of our northern churches from absorbing a northern based denomination and conservative PCUSA churches, with church plants making up the rest.

The SBC hasn't merged with anyone that I know of, and you don't have a larger liberal denomination to steal from. How did you guys get all of those northern churches? Was it all church plants or something else?

2) Could you provide a guesstimate of the size of the various SBC factions. I'm most interested in the size of the Calvinist party, but the size of liberals/conservatives, traditional/contemporary, or anything else you can think of would be interesting as well.

[DC Al Fine]

One of the lesser know downsides of increasing secularism is that many people don't understand the difference between Westboro Baptist, Southern Baptist, and So-Liberal-We're-Episcopalians-Without-The-Hats-Baptist. I'm afraid people will be agreeing with those stereotypes more and more

The main thing I've learned when I started educating myself on Protestantism was that there seems to be more variation (both theologically and politically) within each denomination than among various denominations. It did come as a surprise.

I'd dispute that. I'm sure Silent Cal and I could find plenty to fight over

Seriously though, you're right. You can blame the fundamentalist-modernist controversy for that.

[DC Al Fine]

I'd dispute that. I'm sure Silent Cal and I could find plenty to fight over

Kinda ironic that he'd be a Baptist, considering that the full name of the guy his username references is "John Calvin".

That's not a reference to Calvin Coolidge?

Seriously though, you're right. You can blame the fundamentalist-modernist controversy for that.

Yeah. I actually wish Christians could finally reach a consensus on this controversy and move over to issues I think are a lot more interesting and could be more helpful to society at large. Of course my idea of what that consensus should be is very different from yours, so that doesn't really help matters much. But still, I think a change of emphasis in the issues that are debated could be mutually beneficial.

I know you're not trying to offend, but this is a bit like me suggesting you and a libertarian compromise about the appropriate size of the welfare state. It's kind of missing the point.

[DC Al Fine]

Oh, Cal I've got another one. How much does the SBC enforce their standards and/or church discipline?

[DC Al Fine]

That's not a reference to Calvin Coolidge?

His full name was John Calvin Coolidge, wasn't it?

Cool, you learn something new every day.