The history of Southern Baptist History: restructuring and the new SBHS.

On February 20, 1995, Mark Brister, chairman of the program and structure study committee (PSSC), delivered a report to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The report recommended a major restructuring of the convention, including the dissolution of the Historical Commission. The report was adopted with little discussion and placed on the agenda of the annual convention meeting to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, in June. (1) Two years later, on June 19, 1997, the dismantling of the Historical Commission, along with several other agencies, was completed and the restructuring of the largest non-Catholic denomination in the United States appeared to be history.

Historical Overview

To comprehend the developments that resulted in the dissolution of the Historical Commission and the resulting challenge to those who were not content to allow the demise of the ministry of Baptist history, it is important to understand efforts within the denomination in preserving and communicating Baptist history. In 1938, the Southern Baptist Historical Society (SBHS) was organized. (2) The work was located on the campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. The denomination was approaching its centennial anniversary in 1945. W. O. Carver, H. I. Hester, and like-minded individuals organized an independent, voluntary society committed to preserving and communicating Baptist history. A primary task was to begin collecting historical materials, publications, and museum pieces related to Southern Baptists. The SBHS also worked toward the publication of the first history of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was a task that took much longer than expected, but finally The Southern Baptist Convention by William Wright Barnes was published in 1953. (3)

The SBHS served as the "historical commission" of the SBC from 1947 to 1951. It received limited financial support for secretarial and administrative functions. (4) In 1951, the Historical Commission was established as an agency of the SBC. The work was located in Nashville, Tennessee. The SBHS became an auxiliary of the Historical Commission, and received a new charter from the state of Tennessee in 1954. (5)

From the very beginning, the work and assets of the HC and the SBHS were mingled in a way that the two were inseparable, and continued so until the dissolution of the Historical Commission. Quarters and library personnel initially were provided by the Sunday School Board. During it's existence from 1951 until 1997, the Historical Commission had four executive directors: Norman W. Cox (1951-59); Davis C. Woolley (1959-71); Lynn E. May Jr. (1971-95); and myself, who served as interim executive director (1995-97).

The Historical Commission continued to gather Baptist historical and archival materials, which were finally moved to a permanent home in the new SBC Building in January 1985, (6) where the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives is now located. The commission, along with the Southern Baptist Historical Society, began publication in 1965 of the scholarly journal Baptist History and Heritage, as well as providing for many years historical articles in The Quarterly Review. The first two volumes of the four-volume Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists were published in 1958. The Sunday School Board, now named the Lifeway Christian Resources, no longer publishes this very important work but has assigned the copyrights of the Encyclopedia to the SBHS.

The commission also produced four important pamphlet series, three video series, and a sesquicentennial video for use in churches. The Church History Resource Kit is an invaluable reference source for churches and others who need help in researching, writing, communicating, and celebrating their histories. The copyrights to all of the Historical Commission's publications and products, except those related directly to the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, were assigned to the SBHS by action of the trustees of the commission during their last official meeting in May 1997. (7)

1995-1997--Restructuring and Dissolution of the Historical Commission

Without question the restructuring of the Southern Baptist Convention must be interpreted in the context of what has been called "the Controversy." The Controversy arose on the foundation of earlier issues, such as the crisis at Midwestern Seminary in the early 1960s over the publication by the Sunday School Board of Ralph Elliott's Message of Genesis (1961) and continued with the board's publication in 1969 of volume 1 of the Broadman Bible Commentary. It accelerated into an identifiable movement in 1979 when fundamentalists in the convention succeeded in electing Adrian Rogers, pastor of the Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee, as president. (8) A fundamentalist committed to the agenda of the movement has been elected in every convention since 1979, with the possible exception of Jim Henry.

The Historical Commission under the leadership of Lynn E. May Jr. was committed to doing its work with integrity while avoiding involvement in the controversy. As the controversy increased, I began serving as a trustee of the commission, a position that I occupied for eight years until I became interim executive director in June 1995. Commission and SBHS programs and publications included speakers and writers who had the credentials and who did quality research, regardless of political involvement in the Controversy.

I know of only two instances of conflict during this time between the commission and the Executive Committee of the SBC, which rose to the apex of power in the convention. In 1993, the commission published a pamphlet in its Understanding Southern Baptists series entitled "Who Are Southern Baptists." Following a strong and supportive statement on the Cooperative Program as a means of providing resources for denominational causes, the pamphlet mentioned a historical fact that some Baptists had chosen other means, such as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), to support Southern Baptist causes. The CBF had provided as much as $10,000 to the Historical Commission in terms of designated gifts during previous years. The commission was soon informed that "numerous complaints" (an undefined number) had been made to the Executive Committee about the pamphlet.

During the 1993 SBC meeting in Houston, Texas, a trustee of the Historical Commission heard two trustees of the Executive Committee discuss the pamphlet. One stated that if the commission did not withdraw the pamphlet, the Executive Committee would cut the agency's funding. The Executive Committee recommends Cooperative Program distributions to the convention for approval, so this was no idle threat. (9) Choosing not to fight at this point, I as chairman of the trustees and Dr. May reluctantly agreed to recommend the withdrawal and rewriting of the pamphlet, eliminating the statement at an estimated cost of around $1,500 (not an insignificant amount to a small agency).

A second disagreement arose when the Executive Committee requested that trustees of convention agencies give an opinion on whether funds received from the CBF should continue to be accepted. The commission's trustees in Memphis in 1994 voted with only two dissensions to continue accepting the funds. They emphasized continued commitment to the Cooperative Program approach, acknowledged the sacred right of all Baptists to give as they felt led, and opposed any attempts to do harm to the Cooperative Program. During the next annual SBC meeting in Orlando, Florida, in 1994, the convention voted by a 4,730 to 3,342 margin to ask the agencies to discontinue receiving funds. (10) The Historical Commission trustees yielded to the convention's request and notified the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that it would no longer accept the organization's contributions at the end of the agency's fiscal year.

At the SBC annual meeting in 1993, C. B. Hogue of California made a motion to have the president of the convention appoint a committee to study the program statements of the agencies and institutions of the convention. The chairman of the Executive Committee of the SBC appointed a seven-person committee called the Program and Structure Study Committee (PSSC). This action placed the PSSC under the authority of the Executive Committee. (11)

As the PSSC began its work in relation to the Historical Commission, it asked for a written report on the work of the commission and had one general visit to the agency which lasted about an hour. No further contact was made with the executive director, Lynn E. May Jr., and no contact was ever made with the trustees of the Historical Commission until well after the PSSC Report was adopted in February 1995. (12) The PSSC report, titled "The Covenant For a New Century," recommended dissolving the Historical Commission, assigning the SBHLA to the proposed Council of Seminary presidents, and assigning the Sunday School Board to print historical curricula. (13)

During the annual meeting of the SBC, held in June 1995 in Atlanta, messengers approved the "Covenant for a New Century" by a 64 to 36 percent margin. They also approved for the first time a renaming of the agencies in the convention's Bylaw 15. This would require a second vote during the next convention. (14) As these developments were taking place, President Albert W. Wardin Jr. was actively working to obtain a revised charter returning the Southern Baptist Historical Society to an independent, voluntary status. This was necessary because upon completion of the restructuring the society would no longer be an auxiliary of the dissolved Historical Commission.

In February 1995 the Executive Committee announced that an Implementation Task Force (ITF) would be appointed to coordinate the implementation of the restructuring. The ten-member task force was appointed in September 1995. Robert Reccord, pastor of First Baptist Church, Norfolk, Virginia, was appointed chairman. Ted Warren, chief operating officer for the Baptist Sunday School Board, and Sarah Maddox, homemaker, conference speaker, and women's consultant, were assigned to work with the Historical Commission, (15) which was represented by interim executive director Slayden Yarbrough, trustee chairman Ronald Martin, trustee Elizabeth Wells, and Bill Sumners, director of the SBHLA.

Sessions with the task force representatives were open and discussions were frank. As a participant, I felt at times that the task force representatives assumed more authority titan they actually had in light of the trustee system of convention agencies. When agreeing to strategies and terms of the dissolution, I would always leave the door open for inclusion of new information and revision and for approval by the trustees of the commission, which I acknowledged as the only authority to which the commission staff was responsible.

In June 1996, during the annual meeting of the convention in New Orleans, Bylaw 15, which names the convention's agencies, was approved upon a second vote. (16) For all intents and purposes, the "Covenant for a New Century" was now a reality. It would still require another year and another vote to fully implement the changes in the convention, in particular the changes to the charters of all of the organizations being affected. During this time the SBHS voted to move the society to Oklahoma Baptist University and elected me as the executive director. I returned to my teaching position at OBU in the fall of 1996, while continuing to serve as interim executive director of the commission until its dissolution and also as executive director of the society.

During the final meeting of the Historical Commission in April 1997, the trustees voted to approve changing the charter to meet the requirements of the "Covenant for a New Century," approved transfer of computer and office equipment, endowment funds, copyrights and inventory of most of the publications and productions of the commission, and funds to move the inventory and equipment to Oklahoma. (17) On June 11, 1996, the charter changes were approved. The charter of the Historical Commission was revised and the name changed to the Council of Seminary Presidents (CSP). The SBHLA was placed under the authority of the CSP, and the ministry to the churches and affiliated organizations and publication of Baptist History and Heritage were assumed by the SBHS. (18)

A few weeks later, I moved the inventory and equipment to Shawnee, Oklahoma, in a U-Haul truck pulling an added trailer. With this move, the Southern Baptist Convention no longer had an official agency to promote, communicate, and interpret Baptist history. What would be available to the churches and interested Baptists and their organizations would be provided by the SBHS, which was again an independent, voluntary organization committed to the cause of Baptist history. The "society" methodology had returned to Southern Baptist life again in the area of Baptist history.

Concerns Related to Restructuring for the Historical Records

As a concerned Baptist and Baptist historian, I was probably involved more than most--perhaps all--persons, in the entire scope of restructuring in terms of its effects on the Historical Commission, the SBHS, and the teaching, communication, and preservation of our heritage. Because of this perspective, I recognize the need to cast a critical eye on the developments during recent years. I am biased. I am subjective. But I believe that my training as a historian, my commitment to the integrity of Baptist history, and my central role in most that occurred provides me with the experience and credentials to make the following statements and observations in as an objective a manner as possible.

First, the PSSC included one member who, perceived or real, had a conflict of interest. Dr. R. Albert Mohler was president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The dissolution or merging of agencies resulted in financial savings that could then be divided among surviving entities. To have a person on the committee whose institution could financially benefit from closing sister organizations was inappropriate and should not have been allowed.

Second, and this is among my most important concerns, the PSSC was a committee appointed by the Executive Committee of the SBC, served under its authority, and submitted its final report for consideration to the Executive Committee. Failure of the PSSC and the Executive Committee to involve the trustees of the Historical Commission prior to the release of the PSSC Report appears to be in violation of Bylaw 20, section (I) of the SBC, which states that the Executive Committee is "to maintain open channels of communication between the Executive Committee and the trustees of the agencies of the Convention...." (19) Not communicating with or involving the trustees of the Historical Commission during the study phase and prior to the vote of the executive committee on restructuring violated the legal foundations of the convention and the spirit of the relationship between the executive committee and the respective trustees of the convention's agencies.

During the February 1995 meeting of the executive committee, I attended the meeting of the PSSC with the Inter-Agency Council, which was comprised of agency executives. As chairman of the trustees of the Historical Commission, I was permitted to ask why the trustees of the Historical Commission were not consulted. I was told by a member of the PSSC that there was not enough time to communicate with everyone.

Third, the failure to have a second vote on the PSSC report in New Orleans in 1996 violated the action of the SBC messengers in Atlanta in 1995 in adopting the PSSC report for the first time. The PSSC Report, which was amended in relation to the WMU and the Home Mission Board prior to the first vote in Atlanta, (20) stated clearly in the "Implementation" section that "upon final approval of the Report by the Southern Baptist Convention (June 1996), the Executive Committee will implement the changes required by the Report on behalf of the Convention." (21) If the SBC was not going to vote a second time, then the report should have been amended in Atlanta before final approval. The PSSC, the executive committee, and legal counsel for the convention all failed to realize what the messengers approved.

A fourth concern of mine was the failure to provide adequate time to discuss the "Covenant for a New Century," which was recommending the most comprehensive and radical restructuring in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention. Repeatedly, prior to the SBC meeting in Atlanta in 1995, Southern Baptists were told that "we would take all of the time needed" to discuss the restructuring report. President Jim Henry, just a week prior to the convention, pledged "to give the people the opportunity to discuss the recommendation and to ask questions." (22)

I reviewed and timed the video of the business session when the report was discussed. With an extension of five minutes, a total of sixty-five minutes was given to the report. Approximately forty minutes were spent explaining and promoting the report of the PSSC, including a very well-prepared video presentation and efforts on the platform to accommodate concerns related to the Home Mission Board and the WMU. Most of the remaining time was spent on parliamentary and procedural questions.

Only four and one-half minutes were spent discussing the agencies affected by the recommendation. My motion to save the Historical Commission (three minutes) and the response by a member of the PSSC (one and one-half minutes) comprised the only discussion on the content of the PSSC report other than the pre-arranged compromises with the WMU and the HMB. (23)

Messengers attempting to address concerns related to other agencies were left standing at microphones wanting to be heard. The very limited discussion of four and a half minutes does not exactly qualify for "all the time we need" in my book.

A fifth concern was the careful control that prevented agency trustees, administrators, supporters, and friends from having meaningful communication with the PSSC and/or the executive committee. After the adoption of the report by the executive committee trustees, PSSC members offered to meet with the trustees of the affected agencies and explain the report. But there was no opportunity to negotiate or dialogue. The Historical Commission trustees turned down this invitation.

Requests by representatives of various agencies, such as the Brotherhood Commission and the Radio-TV Commission, to address the executive committee were unheeded. (24) The WMU and the HMB were given the opportunity to negotiate just prior to the Atlanta convention, although the chairman of the PSSC stated unequivocally that the report would stand as presented with no changes and would be accepted or rejected by the vote of the messengers. (25)

Why the change of heart? Why were other smaller agencies not given the same opportunity? I can only conclude that the WMU and the HMB represented many more votes than the smaller agencies. The inconsistency of this action related to the fact that smaller agencies with fewer supporters were not given any opportunity to negotiate, even though some requested to appear before the executive committee in its pre-convention meeting. What was particularly offensive and absurd was the request for unanimous approval of the PSSC report by the trustees and staff of all convention agencies, including those agencies being dissolved.

The only hope for changing the report was on the convention floor during the debate on the PSSC "Covenant For a New Century." That did not happen, and only the Historical Commission was able to take its case before the messengers. The vote against continuing the commission was estimated at 60 percent to 40 percent. (26) In a little over two years, the "mandate from the people" was carried out.

Current Issues and Status

The ministry of the Historical Commission did not die with the dissolution of the agency. In fact, it is very possible that when the dust settles the work of Baptist history will be much stronger. The Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives continues to be located in Nashville in the SBC Building. Bill Sumners was named to continue as the director of the SBHLA. Four former staff members of the Historical Commission were assigned to the SBHLA. An increased budget was provided to the SBHLA, including additional funds to add a librarian who has been hired.

A major concern is that so many people think that the SBHS has been assigned the work of the SBHLA. That is not the case. The SBHS is not in the archival, library, or documents business. We don't have the staff nor the inclination to do such a work. At the same time, we continue to get calls and to receive materials sent by Baptists who really need the services of the SBHLA.

The Southern Baptist Historical Society voluntarily has picked up the ministries related to the communication and interpretation of history resulting from the dissolution of the Historical Commission. Baptist History and Heritage is now published in an expanded form three times annually. The society also publishes the newsletter, Baptist Heritage Update. The SBHS has assumed the marketing, sale, and distribution of historical products, including pamphlets, videos, church history resource kits, and books. It provides complimentary anniversary certificates and distributes information and resources to churches needing assistance. It also plans the annual meeting of the SBHS.

In the spring of 1999 the SBHS had as its staff a part-time executive director, a part-time administrative assistant, and had one student worker until the end of the Spring semester at Oklahoma Baptist University. Jim Taulman will continue to serve as managing editor of the journal, which is now edited by Merrill Hawkins and is located at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The PSSC report assigned the Sunday School Board the task of producing curricula materials of an historical nature. This does not, however, fill the void left by the dissolution of the Historical Commission. In fact, the program assignment stated for the BSSB in the "Covenant for a New Century" did not mention the work of Baptist or church history. (27) I might add that early efforts of cooperation with the Sunday School Board in producing new products revised from the Church History Resource Kit never materialized after the unexpected down-sizing of the Church Media Department.

Consequences and Challenges for Southern Baptist History in the Twenty-first Century

The work of Baptist history in the future is needed more that ever as Baptists continue to hear "uncertain sounds" in terms of who we are. Cherished beliefs and practices are being set aside so easily, especially with no historical agency presence not only to communicate our rich heritage but also to interpret that heritage. The challenge before Baptists who care about our history and heritage is enormous and, I might add, sometimes very emotionally and physically tiring. These circumstances demand that a number of issues or directions must be considered and addressed.

First, the mantel has been passed to the SBHS. This is the principal organization that will determine whether or not direction and resources of a historical nature are available for future Southern Baptists. This organization must struggle for every dollar it can to try and do its work well. It is without question not a profit-making organization. But that does not eliminate the need that is there. Currently, the SBHS can anticipate annual income of about $100,000. That is very good considering where we started. It is not sufficient to do all that needs to be done. We should have at least double that amount in the year 2000. Individuals, churches, state conventions, and institutions all need to help. I have said frequently that the SBHS doesn't want the support of every church--only those who have a history!

Second, state historical organizations are going to have to carry a greater responsibility in order to assure that the ministry of history is not neglected in the churches. Making the work known, insisting on adequate funding, and cooperating with and supporting the work of the SBHS are all important concerns. Our people have a right to know from where they came in order to know where they are going. State convention leadership and historical programs have the responsibility to make sure that Baptists do know!

Every Baptist, every church, every association, every state convention, every agency has a history! Each of these histories is a part of the larger history of the people called Baptists, a part of the history of the people called Protestants, a part of the history of the people called Christians. Those of us who know and care about our history have an obligation to make sure that the rest of us have a rich history from which to draw.

Third, whether we like it or not, we must recognize that the restructuring of the SBC has resulted in a return to the society method for financial support. The SBHS has actively sought the contributions of state conventions, colleges and universities, churches, associations, and individuals. Cooperation is still essential in terms of ministry and support. Now, however, many entities like the SBHS are no longer restricted by rules related to the Cooperative Program and must go directly to Baptist organizations for support and survival. The validity of the society's mission and purpose is confirmed by the support of so many.

Fourth, the SBHS must be aware of the danger inherent in expending too much energy in fighting old battles. The controversy has resulted in many wounds and scars. It will continue to be evaluated, analyzed, condemned by some and praised by others. Who we are today as members of the SBHS has been shaped more by the controversy in the convention than by any other development during the last two decades. Nothing else is even close. As historians, we must be cognizant of what has taken place. We must build on the foundation of these events. We must learn from them and reevaluate who are and what we should be doing. I often use the phrase that "we should seek the high ground." We cannot do that while wallowing in the mud of past conflicts. We cannot put the genie back in the bottle.

But we can shape the future of Baptist history. The SBHS's mission statement focuses on the important issues before us rather than rehashing the negatives of the past. The statement is characterized by a renewed commitment to doing Baptist history with integrity. It recognizes the need of all Baptists to know their heritage and our responsibility to ensure that they have resources available to fulfill this need. It calls for the SBHS to practice freedom and recognize diversity in Baptist life. It advocates dialogue rather than monologue. It calls for cooperation rather than confrontation. That is the Baptist way.

Restructuring did not end on June 19, 1997. The SBHS has responded to denominational changes by finding new ways of financial support, by refocusing on its purpose, and by relying on the commitment of people who care about our heritage and who practice the Baptist principle of voluntaryism. The SBHS has the opportunity to meet the challenge of carrying the torch for Baptist history proudly into the future. I am confident that our organization is doing and will do the best work it has ever done. Historians of the future will confirm that prediction.

Endnotes

(1.) Minutes, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, 20-22 February 1995, 89.

(2.) John S. Moore, "A 50th Anniversary of the Southern Baptist Historical Society, 1938-1988," Baptist History and Heritage 23 (April 1988), 5.

(3.) Ibid, 7; and William Wright Barnes, The Southern Baptist Convention 1845-1953 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1954).

(4.) Moore, 7-8.

(5.) Ibid., 8.

(6.) Ibid.

(7.) Minutes, Trustees of the Historical Commission of the SBC, 22 April 1996, 3.

(8.) Jesse C. Fletcher, The Southern Baptist Convention: A Sesquicentennial History (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, Publishers, 1994), 253-55.

(9.) Conversation with Lynn E. May Jr., August 1993.

(10.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1994, 103.

(11.) Minutes, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, 8 June 1996, 12.

(12.) The PSSC reported to the Executive Committee that it had obtained written reports and recommendations from chief executives from each of the convention agencies and had conducted a personal interview with each one. No mention was made of official contacts with the trustees of the agencies. Minutes, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, 8 June 1996, 13.

(13.) Covenant for a New Century, The Report of the Program and Structure Study Committee, February 1995, "Preserving the Denominational Heritage," n.p.

(14.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1995, 45-47; 151-76.

(15.) Minutes, SBC Executive Committee, 8 June 1996, 8.

(16.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1996, 36.

(17.) Minutes, Trustees of the Historical Commission, SBC, 21 April 1997, 2.

(18.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1997, 37.

(19.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1995, 14.

(20.) Annual, Southern Baptist Convention, 1995, 45-46.

(21.) "The Report of the Program and Structure Study Committee: Implementation," Covenant for a New Century, February 1995.

(22.) "Henry Will Allow Debate on Restructuring," Western Recorder, 6 June 95, 10.

(23.) The four and two minutes were based on a study and timing of the tape of the session by Slayden Yarbrough during the summer 1995.

(24.) Based on personal observations of the author during the Executive Committee meeting prior to the SBC annual meeting in Atlanta, June 1995.

(25.) Mark Brister, PSSC chair, responding to a request from the WMU to amend the report that the PSSC voted unanimously to "stand by our report;" "Brister Committee Turns Down WMU amendment Proposal," Christian Index, 18 May 1995, 16.

(26.) These figures are based on a personal estimate and observations of others who were present during the voting on the recommendation.

(27.) "The Report of the Program and Structure Study Committee: Summary of Ministry Assignments: Sunday School Board," Covenant for a New Century, February 1995.

Slayden Yarbrough is Dickinson Professor of Religion, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahoma.