Dr. David Dockery - Baptist Olive Branches

I really, truly like David Dockery. He is a great match for the Union University community and the mission/goals/vision for the school. I hope that the trustees recognize the jewel that they have at the helm and support and encourage his ministry in leadership.

Dr. Dockery has stepped up to the plate to mend fences and extend olive brances within the ranks of Southern Baptists. His efforts are commendable. I hope that his most recent foray into Baptist diplomacy doesn't pull him too far from his focus at Union. I say that in all sincerity and know from experience and history that a misstep in any direction can be disasterous. We Baptists still tend to bury our wounded.

The following is a quote from a recent Concerned Tennessee Baptist news story, "Dockery calls for consensus on theological issues of primary importance":

Dockery traced his own experiences growing up as a Southern Baptist in the 1950s, when being Southern Baptist carried a cultural and programmatic identity no longer seen today. Instead, in recent years, Dockery said the Southern Baptist Convention has become a gathering of loosely-connected groups – including fundamentalists, evangelicals, revivalists, purpose-driven churches, quasi-charismatics, culture warriors and Calvinists, to name a few.

Dockery acknowledged that tension may exist between some of these groups – as tension exists in some basic Christian doctrines. But he said tension doesn’t have to lead to fragmentation or division.

“It is possible to hold hands with brothers and sisters who disagree on secondary and tertiary matters of theology and work together toward a common good to advance the kingdom of God,” Dockery said. “But we need to be of like mind on first-order issues, issues such as the authority and truthfulness of the Bible, the deity and humanity of Christ, the Holy Trinity and the exclusivity of the gospel.”

I feel pretty confident that Dr. Dockery's statement, "But we need to be of like mind on first-order issues" is something that most every Baptist would agree to. It may, however, be naive (and un-Baptist-like) to believe that his list of first-order issues will gain consensus in light of on-going debate over the Baptist Faith and Message (choose your version). I wish Dr. Dockery godspeed in his quest and will be watching for the wings of his words.

Refugee Baptists have affirmed Dr. Dockery's status as a Baptist... there is the burning question of whether or not he believes that fried chicken is the concensus Baptist bird. It is a first-order, Baptist fellowship issue, isn't it?