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Both Merritt and Graham later defended Vines and his statements, but it was pointed out that Vines was not speaking on behalf of the denomination and that his comments were not official SBC action.

Asked for a response to the demand by the Council on American-Islam Relations for an apology from the SBC, Richard Land, president of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said "We don't get our instructions from [them]." Some denominational leaders conceded that Vines's statements were imprudent, given the war on terrorism, and inopportune. Reports of his sermon overshadowed attempts to redirect the denomination to evangelism and family issues.

The Executive Committee rolled out two initiatives, neither of which was explained in much detail. One in particular seemed to grow from outgoing President Merritt's concern that the denomination is losing its evangelistic zeal. Southern Baptists' annual baptisms, which peaked in the mid-1950s, have never surpassed 450,000, even as the membership has climbed steadily to 16 million. The result is a widening current member-to-new convert ratio, a figure that at 38 to 1 last year, worries baptism-minded leaders.

Merritt expressed a sense of urgency on leaving office. "I am very concerned about our future. If this convention continues to do business as usual, its best days are behind, not ahead." Incoming president Graham expressed more optimism.

With the internal battle over inerrancy and denominational control ended, SBC leadership seems to be reaching for terminology that will rally local churches and believers in an era characterized as post-denominational. Several ideas were floated, but none were especially well articulated. The "people of the book" appeared hopeful about their next chapter, but uncertain what it is. One long-time observer concluded, "We've decided what we believe about the Word; now we have to decide what we're going to do with it."

Another summarized, "It's easier to be against something than for something."

In convention business, messengers rejected a motion, which would have granted exemption to current missionaries who have refused to sign the Baptist Faith and Message, a doctrinal statement that was revised in 2000 to say that a wife should "graciously submit" to the leadership of her husband. It was estimated that 150 missionaries have not endorsed the statement of SBC beliefs, but Graham said the number is less than that. Graham said missionaries should not accept denominational support if they cannot sign "an instrument of doctrinal accountability."

Concerning the Today's New International Version Bible, the convention passed a resolution expressing "profound disappointment with the International Bible Society and Zondervan Publishing House for this inaccurate translation of God's inspired Scripture." Critics fault the TNIV translators for frequently using "they" or "them" instead of "he" or "him" and "obscuring" references to "father," "son," and "brother." Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler criticized the TNIV for its use of the dynamic equivalence method of translation. "If we really believe in verbal plenary inspiration, then words are important. None of us is without the responsibility to check our cultural context and to try our best to make sure we are not driven by extra-biblical considerations."

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June (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46