SHIBBOLETH

I know someone who remarks periodically she is a “Recovering Baptist.” I can identify with that term. I started attending a Baptist church when I was a few weeks old, and grew up to earn degrees at a Baptist university and a Baptist seminary. In my 20’s I became a Southern Baptist pastor and in my 30’s served as a missionary through their Foreign Mission board.

Then in my 40’s I left the Baptist church. For most of the last 13 years I served interdenominational chapels in private gated communities. I also became a United Methodist, and am very delighted to be a member of a local Methodist church now.

I have to admit I still like to hear what Southern Baptists are doing. Yet I fear it is because my carnal nature likes to hear about a good fight. As usual, the Baptists have plenty to fight about. But no longer do Baptists battle much against sin and the devil. They are busy fighting and killing each other (not literally … yet!).

To be accepted now as a Southern Baptist, at least as a pastor, you have to be able to speak a shibboleth. A shibboleth is any word or phrase that can be used to distinguish members of a group from outsiders.

OK, I might be getting too theological now so you can click off this post and go to the next one if you are starting to squirm or are simply bored.

The term “shibboleth” comes from a Bible passage in Judges, chapter 12. The tribe of Gilead had defeated Ephraim. To identify any defeated foe who tried to invade their territory, the Gileadites simply asked any unknown person to pronounce “shibboleth.” The Ephraimite’s dialect lacked the “sh” sound, so they would say “sibboleth” instead. Once identified the enemy was quickly put to death.

The contemporary Southern Baptist leadership has superseded the words of Jesus written in red letters in some Bibles. Their new red letter word, or shibboleth, is INERRANT. This word is used to describe the copy of the word of God they use, though most are honest enough to admit that only the original autographs could be inerrant, and none are known to exist.

Whenever I read recent publications of the Southern Baptists, or hear declarations from their foremost pulpiteers, about the “inerrant Word of God,” I surmise evidently it is no longer theologically acceptable simply to read and believe the sacred scriptures as the Word of God. Even adding “inspired” or “infallible” or “authoritative” is not enough to get you in the gate of Baptist orthodoxy these days.

If a Southern Baptist questions the power ploys of the current “commandos” in control or has courage to take a contrary position, usually the challenger states quickly up front that he (dare a Southern Baptist woman question anything?) believes in the “inerrant Word of God.”

I realize the gatekeepers in power have disheartened and embarrassed hundreds of Southern Baptist pastors and their churches. Many of them have formed other associations to do the work of the kingdom of God.

Along with the great host of Christian believers, I join them to trust and obey the Bible.

As we follow the Truth, may we all …

know the love of God,

grow in the grace of the Christ,

show the power of the Holy Spirit!