Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, believes the lack of invitation to the 9/11 memorial service at the National Cathedral represents an example of “tragic intolerance toward Protestants and particularly toward evangelicals.”
Carl Trueman responds:
I think the Rev. Page has misunderstood the reason for the exclusion: it seems the powers that be in Washington understand the implications of the biblical evangel better than some evangelical leaders. Rather than lamenting the situation, the Southern Baptists should be delighted that the organizers had the sensitivity and foresight not to place them in the grim position of having to turn down such an invitation in order to avoid compromising their orthodox, Protestant identity. The public relations disaster that would have followed this elementary stand for biblical truth and exclusivity would have been spectacular. After all, how could one maintain that one is taking seriously 1 Timothy 2 while sharing prayer time with a real-life incarnate lama?
The Southern Baptists need to stop feeling disappointed that such a well-intentioned but theologically incoherent gathering does not want their presence and they should instead remember the wisdom of Marx—not Karl, but Groucho: you should never want to join any club that would have you as a member.
