Monday, November 03, 2014

Wrote President of the Southern Baptist Convention and officers of the Ashley River Baptist Church and all the members of the Executive Board of the Southern Baptist Convention

I wrote a letter to Dr. Ronnie Floyd, President of the Southern Baptist Convention, all the board members of the Executive Committee as well as all the leaders of the Ashley River Baptist Church concerning the unfortunate decision of Ashley River Baptist Church to host the Sons of Confederate Veterans on their 2014 Reunion.

The letters are still working their way through the mail system as I type this post.

What is interesting is that the neo-Confederate movement has ridiculed the Southern Baptist Convention over their apology over slavery, yet the Ashley River Baptist Church has chosen to lend their facilities to a movement which mocks them.

I sent Dr. Floyd quite a bit of documentation. I think it will be somewhat surprising to the Southern Baptist to read the rather disrespectful and virulent condemnations of the Southern Baptist Church.

The letter sent to Dr. Floyd was sent by certified mail and the others were sent with proof of mailing.

The letter is as follows:

October 27, 2014

                                                                   Edward H. Sebesta
                                                                   

                                                                   edwardsebesta@gmail.com

Dr. Ronnie Floyd
President
The Executive Committee, Southern Baptist Convention
901 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203-3699

Dear Dr. Floyd:

I regret to report that the Ashley River Baptist Church, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, hosted an event for the 2014 National Reunion of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). It is reported in the July 30, 2014 issue of the Times Examiner.  I enclose a copy, and the article can be read online at http://www.timesexaminer.com/historical/1914-2014-national-reunion-of-sons-of-confederate-veterans.

The SCV is a group which promotes what I believe and I think any rational person would believe are extremist and racist beliefs as documented in an article by myself at Black Commentator, http://www.blackcommentator.com/526/526_confederacy_sebesta_guest_share.html. I enclose a copy. I do investigative research regarding the neo-Confederate movement. My research has been published by university presses, peer reviewed academic journals, as well as by Black Commentator. My resume is online at www.templeofdemocracy.com/resume.htm. I enclose a copy.

When churches lend neo-Confederate groups the use of their facilities they not only give them support through the use of their facilities but additionally they lend the prestige and credibility of their individual church and denomination to that group. The church is also party to the enabling the agenda of the neo-Confederates.

I am disappointed in the Ashley River Baptist Church actions. The Southern Baptist churches have had a record of not hosting the national conventions of neo-Confederate groups. For national conventions from 1990 to 2014 only one Southern Baptist church had hosted the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which was First Baptist Church of Columbia in South Carolina.  For 1990 to 2013 I don’t find any record of a Southern Baptist church hosting the national convention of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I enclose tables of hosting churches and bar graphs of the hosting by denomination.  This information can also be found online at the web page www.templeofdemocracy.com/churchesoftheconfederacy.htm.

I had had written the four denominations leading in hosting neo-Confederate national convention services not to host the SCV: Episcopalians (both factions), United Methodist, Presbyterians and Roman Catholics (See again enclosed bar graphs). There were indications that the SCV was having difficulties finding a church.

I did not write any organizations of Southern Baptists in South Carolina since I thought Southern Baptists wouldn’t do such a thing. The Southern Baptist church had seemed to be moving forward on the issue of race with such notable actions as the 1995 apology for slavery. It had seemed that the Southern Baptists comprehended that Christianity was a global effort with no one race or nation privileged over another. Yet this doesn’t seem to be the situation.

The neo-Confederate movement besides bringing back into print nearly every antebellum book defending slavery have also been publishing some modern theological defenses of slavery.

The neo-Confederates have been condemning the Southern Baptist Convention for their apology regarding slavery since the resolution was passed in 1995. (http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/899).  The notorious Southern Partisan had two condemnations published. [2nd Quarter, Vol. 15, 1995, pp. 7 Wesley Pruden; 3rd Quarter, Vol. 15, 1995, pp. 56 Samuel Francis. Documentation enclosed.]

Though the Sons of Confederate Veterans has not directly condemned the Southern Baptists for their resolution, they have strongly promoted and praised the writings that have condemned the Southern Baptists.

Gary Lee Roper has written a book, “Antebellum Slavery: An Orthodox View,” 2008, advocating a pro-slavery theology, in which on pages 281-82 he condemns the Southern Baptist apology and calls those who passed it “pompous ignoramus.” I enclose documentation.

This book is promoted and praised by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in their publication Chaplain’s Corps Chronicles of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. In the April 2008 issue the SCV Chaplain’s Corps praises the book and tells the readers it is a “must read.” Documentation enclosed.  (http://www.scv.org/pdf/chaplains/2008_Apr.pdf ).

The book is also sold in the SCV catalog, SCV’s online store, and in their official publication Confederate Veteran. I enclose documentation.

Walter D. Kennedy has written a book “Myths of American Slavery,” Pelican Publishing Company, 2003. The Southern Baptists are denounced for their apology on pages 88-96 in a section titled “Radical Influence in the Southern Baptist Convention,” in a chapter titled “Abolitionism Versus Christianity.” On page 89 the author states:

“The passing of the so-called Racial Reconciliation Resolution by the assembled delegates defamed and otherwise slandered the good name of Southern Baptists of the past 150 years. The resolution is nothing more than liberal double-speak for an act of cultural genocide against the South.”

Elsewhere on page 89 the resolution is called “infamous” and the author states, “The duped delegates regurgitated on cue the abolitionist (i.e. liberal) propaganda about the institution of African servitude and life in the Old South.” I enclose documentation.

This book is sold in the SCV catalog, SCV’s online store, and in their official publication Confederate Veteran. I enclose documentation.

The Southern Baptists may have apologized over slavery in 1995 but in 2014 it is aiding and abetting an organization that is promoting pro-slavery theology and a neo-Confederate ideology that condemns the Southern Baptist Convention.

One concern I have developed in investigating neo-Confederate groups is how they are enabled by mainstream organizations such as corporations, churches, government bodies and others. So I have decided to ask these groups to reconsider their relations with specific neo-Confederate groups. It is all well and good that I have written on extremist Confederate Christian nationalists for the Canadian Review of American Studies (http://www.templeofdemocracy.com/ConfederateChristianNationalism.pdf), but I have realized that the enabling of a racist historical consciousness in the general public and racist neo-Confederate groups by mainstream churches is as detrimental to America as these fringe churches referred to in my paper. The Christianity advocated by the SCV is largely similar. You can review their Chaplain’s Chronicle online at http://www.scv.org/about/chaplainsChronicle.php and http://chaplain-in-chief.com/.

In the summer of 2013 I had a successful campaign getting corporations to stop supporting the SCV as reported in a Black Commentator article which is available online at a free guest link at http://www.blackcommentator2.com/527_cover_scv_donation_loss_sebesta_guest.html. (Link is also in my online resume.) It took eight days for this campaign to succeed. I regret to say that so far the temples of Mammon were much more willing to give up neo-Confederacy than the churches of Christ.

I ask that the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention not host the events of neo-Confederate organizations.

Finally as other denominations inevitably move away from hosting neo-Confederate groups the neo-Confederate groups will seek alternatives and the Southern Baptist Convention risks being the leading church hosting neo-Confederate organizations. This transition seems to have already started.


                                                                   Sincerely Yours,



                                                                   Edward H. Sebesta

PS: My website is undergoing redesign, but there will be redirects for all the pages that were on www.templeofdemocracy.com and the web pages mentioned should be easily found. The resume will be Curriculum Vitae, etc.

CC:  See the tables on the following pages:


No
Name
Title
Mailing Address
1
Dr. Ronnie Floyd
President
The Executive Committee, SBC, 901 Commerce St., Nashville, TN 37203-3699
2
Michael W. Routt
Chairman Executive Committee
Senior Pastor Circle Drive Baptist Church, 801 N Circle Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
3
John L. Yeats
Vice Chairman Executive Committee
Executive Director Missouri Baptist Convention, 400 E High St, Jefferson City, MO 65101
4
Carol A. Yarber
Secretary Executive Committee
Retired Office manager, Athens, TX
5
Shane B. Hall
Admin. Comm. Chair Executive Committee
Pastor First Southern Baptist Church, 6400 S Sooner Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73135
6
Stephen N. Rummage
Bus. & Fin. Comm. Chair
Senior Pastor Bell Shoals Baptist Church, 2102 Bell Shoals Rd, Brandon, FL 33511
7
Benjamin F. Kelley
CP Comm. Chair
Vice President/Executive Director Baptist Health Care Foundation, Montgomery, AL
8
Debby Akerman
Executive Committee Member
Myrtle Beach, SC, WMU national President. 100 Missionary Ridge Dr, Birmingham, AL 35242
9
Kenneth W. Alford
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Crossroads Baptist Church, 3001 Country Club Dr, Valdosta, GA 31602
10
James W. Averett
Executive Committee Member
Retired Southern Company, Birmingham, AL
11
Mark H. Ballard
Executive Committee Member
President Northeastern Baptist College, Northeastern Baptist College
PO Box 4600
Bennington, VT 05201-4600
12
Tom Biles
Executive Committee Member
Executive Director Tampa Bay Baptist Assocaiton, 1060 W Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612
13
Charles W. Boling
Executive Committee Member
Director of Missions, Williamson Baptist Assoc., 10093 Old Bainbridge Trail, Marion, IL 62959
14
Wilma J. Booth
Executive Committee Member
Retired teacher, Elgin, IL
15
Tim W. Brasher
Executive Committee Member
CEO, Scottsdale, AZ
16
Charles R. Chambers
Executive Committee Member
CFO Consultant, First Baptist, Toledo, OH
17
M. Kent Choate
Executive Committee Member
Community Groups Pastor, The Church At, Broken Arrow, OK SEND VIA HEADQUARTERS
18
Tony L. Crisp
Executive Committee Member
Eastanalle Baptist Church, 482 County Road 725, Riceville, TN 37370
19
B. Scott Davis
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Pitts Baptist Chuch, 140 Pitts School Rd NW, Concord, NC 28027
20
Eddie W. DeHondt, Jr.
Executive Committee Member
Minister Rose Park Baptist Church, 5560 Buncombe Rd, Shreveport, LA 71129
21
Procopio U. DeLeon
Executive Committee Member
Senior Scientist, Laurel Springs, NJ.
22
David O. Dykes
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Hwy, Tyler, TX 75701
23
J. Paul Fleming
Executive Committee Member
Executive Pastor Forestville Baptist Church, 2 Old McElhaney Rd, Greenville, SC 29617
24
Robert O. Freshour
Executive Committee Member
Pastor First Baptist Church-South Lyon, 60820 Marjorie Ann St, South Lyon, MI 48178
25
James W. Gregory
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor First Southern Baptist Church,1400 N 3rd E, Mountain Home, ID 83647
26
Ron F. Hale
Executive Committee Member
Senior Adult/Pastoral Care, West Jackson Baptist Church, 580 Oil Well Rd, Jackson, TN 38305
27
David A. Hall
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor, Oak Grove Baptist Chuch, 2106 Churchville Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015
28
David E. Hamilton
Executive Committee Member
Pastor West Heights Baptist Church, 336 W Oxford St, Pontotoc, MS 38863
29
Ted I. Haney
Executive Committee Member
Financial Planner, Lynn Haven, FL
30
Bedford F. Hanson
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Mountain View Baptist Church, 4250 Poison Spider Rd, Mills, WY 82604
31
Phil Harper
Executive Committee Member
Accounting Professor, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
32
Phillip Herring
Executive Committee Member
Minister of Education, First Baptist Church, 312 Kempsville Rd, Norfolk, VA 23502
33
Timonthy Hight
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Grace Life Baptist Church, 1640 Peppers Ferry Road, Christiansburg, VA 24073
34
Mike Holloway
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Cook Baptist Church, 2000 Cooktown Rd, Ruston, LA 71270
35
Rebecca S. Illingsworth
Executive Committee Member
Legal Secretary/Recruiting Assistance, Royse City, TX
36
Ralph Jenkins
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Airway Hieghts Baptist Church, 12322 W Sunset Hwy, Airway Heights, WA 99001
37
William E. Kinchen
Executive Committee Member
Semi-retired insurance, Jackson, MS
38
David W. King
Executive Committee Member
Rancher, Stanley, NM
39
Bobby L. Kirk
Executive Committee Member
Farmer, Real Estate Broker, Doddsville, MS
40
Franklin D. Kovaleski
Executive Committee Member
Retired NFHS, Anderson, IN
41
Michael L. Lawson
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor First Baptist Church, 400 S. Travis St., Sherman, TX  75090
42
Steven W. Loggins
Executive Committee Member
Director of Missions, Mount Olive, AL
43
R. Ron Madison
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Mount Zion Baptist Church, 228 Mt Zion Rd, Huntsville, AL 35806
44
Timothy D. Maynard
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Fruit Cove Baptist Church, 501 Florida 13, St Johns, FL 32259
45
Paul E. McPherson
Executive Committee Member
Retired CPA, Magnolia, AR
46
Christopher D. Metcalf
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Lihue Baptist Church, 3223 Elua St, Lihue, HI 96766
47
Terry H. Montgomery
Executive Committee Member
President/CEO Charlotte, NC
48
John H. Moore
Executive Committee Member
Retired Physician, Associate Pastor Branson First Baptist Church, 400 S Sunshine St, Branson, MO 65616
49
D. Wayne Myrick
Executive Committee Member
CEO, MG Design & Construction, Verbena, AL
50
Robert Neely
Executive Committee Member
Pastoral Associate/Sales, Spartenburg, SC
51
Timothy A. Ohis
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Believers Southern Baptist Church, 13909 West 21st St N, Wichita, KS 67235
52
L. Douglas Passmore
Executive Committee Member
Pastor First Baptist East, 3302 SE Lee Blvd, Lawton, OK 73501
53
Jeff L. Paul
Executive Committee Member
Pastor First Baptist Church, 302 S Missouri St, Archie, MO 64725
54
Pat J. Pavlian
Executive Committee Member
Mortgage Banker, Highland, CA
55
David C. Perdue
Executive Committee Member
Business, Memphis, TN
56
Michael E. Pope
Executive Committee Member
Dentist, Somerset, TN
57
Bill Price
Executive Committee Member
Vocational Evangelist, Covington, GA
58
James A. Ray
Executive Committee Member
Banker, Clearwater, FL
59
Charles Rhinehart
Executive Committee Member
Engineer, Youngsville, LA
60
Wayne Robertson
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Morningside Baptist Church, 425 Connell Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602
61
Lovina K. Rush
Executive Committee Member
Retired Commerce Bank, Holt, MO
62
Cheryl S. Samples
Executive Committee Member
Retired Educator, Dallas, GA
63
Michael L. Scifres
Executive Committee Member
Retired pharmacist, Eufaula, OK
64
Jay F. Shell
Executive Committee Member
Attorney, Batesville, AR
65
John Mark Simmons
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Highland Hills Baptist Church,  615 College Dr, Henderson, NV 89002
66
Danny S. Sinquefield
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Faith Baptist Church, 2775 Shelby St, Bartlett, TN 38134
67
Rotland E. Slade
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Meridian Southern Baptist Church, 660 S 3rd St, El Cajon, CA 92019
68
John E. Smith
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Munfordville Baptist Church, 501 N West St, Munfordville, KY 42765
69
Roger L. Spradlin
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Valley Baptist Church, 4800 Fruitvale Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93308
70
Robert E. Stennett
Executive Committee Member
Attorney, Scott Depot, WV
71
Michael R. Stone
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Emannual Baptist Church, 217 W Carter Ave, Blackshear, GA 31516
72
Dale R. Suel
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Amherst Baptist Church, 100 Willow Ridge Dr, Amherst, NY 14228
73
Robert D. Summerlin
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Lone Oak First Baptist Church, 3601 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42003
74
Stephen K. Swofford
Executive Committee Member
Pastor First Baptist Church, 610 S Goliad St, Rockwall, TX 75087
75
Thomas B. Tucker III
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor Sisk Memorial Baptist Church, 115 Massey St, Fort Mill, SC 29715
76
G. Harris Waner Jr.
Executive Committee Member
Attorney, Calloway, VA
77
Jeffrey B. Watson
Executive Committee Member
Attorney, Winston-Salem, NC
78
Stanley J. Welch
Executive Committee Member
Senior Pastor West Asheville Baptist Church, 926 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
79
Bradford M. Wheeler
Executive Committee Member
Pastor Capitol Hill Baptist Church,  525 A St NE, Washington, DC 20002
80
Bill D. Whitaker
Executive Committee Member
Retired Pastor, Glasgow Baptist Church, 401 S Green St, Glasgow, KY 42141
81
Andy H. Wilson
Executive Committee Member
Executive Leader -- Ministry & Operations, First Baptist Church, Springdale, AR. 1709 Johnson Rd, Springdale, AR 72762
82
Rev. Dave Patterson
Senior Pastor
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
83
Rev. Ron Shearer
Pastor of Education
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
84
Rev. David Martin Sr.
Pastor of Worship
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
85
Rev. Kent Williams
Pastor of Youth and Missions
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
86
Ms. Lauren Thomas
Director for Children's Ministries
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
87
Mr. Albert Jenkins
Ministry Assistant for Finance
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
88
Ms. Lynn Chamberlain
Ministry Assistant 
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
89
Mrs. Veronica Rodoski
Ministry Assistant
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
90
Mr. Fred Lane
Head of Maintenance Department
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
91
Ms. Heather McDonald
Child Development Director
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407
92
Mrs. Lindsay Welch
Child Development Assistant Director
Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407




Continued next page.





No.
Denomination
Officer
Title
Address
1
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
Dr. Jerry Young
President Elect
Pastor Dr. Jerry Young, New Hope Baptist Church,  5202 Watkins Dr., Jackson, MS 39206
2
National Baptist Convention of America International Inc.
Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr.
President Elect
National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., 777 S R L Thornton Freeway, Suite # 210, Dallas, Texas 75203
3
National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
Dr. Nehemiah Davis
National President
NMBCA, 6925 Wofford Dr., Dallas, Texas 75227
4
Progressive National Baptist Conventions, Inc.
Dr. James C. Perkins
President  
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC., 601 - 50th Street, NE , Washington, DC  20019
5
Full Gospel Baptist Church
Bishop Paul S. Morton Sr.
Presiding Bishop
Bishop Paul S. Morton Ministries, 3350 Greenbriar Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30331, United States of America
6
Full Gospel Baptist Church
Bishop John W. Walker III
Presiding Bishop-Elect
Bishop Joseph Walker Ministries, P.O. Box 330374, Nashville, TN 37203



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