The Changing Scene . . .

BACK TO BACK CONFERENCES ON FREEDOM

They may not have been called that, but freedom was what they were all about. When Church of Christ folk get together and observe the Lord’s Supper on Saturday morning, listen to their women lecture on lively issues, and enjoy fellowship with a leading Baptist theologian one can only conclude that we have reached the bend in the road and made a turn (to the left no doubt!) toward Freedom, a city stranger to us than the New Jerusalem. A reckless freedom some might say, but considering the destitution of our self-imposed deprivation I will settle for a reckless freedom. History probably teaches us that there is no other kind, just as there is no painless way to follow after God in our kind of a world.

Since I sat on the committee that planned the conference for changing Churches of Christ at Central Church of Christ, Irving, Texas, I know something of the difficulties involved. Such a difficulty as getting out the word since no “orthodox” Church of Christ journal would carry a notice of the conference, even though it was unique to our history and eminently newsworthy. Then there was the risk of appearing sectarian in calling a conference of “liberal” or “freer” or “more open” churches, so we decided to describe what we had in mind and allow the reader to decide for himself if the conference was for him. While we invited certain ones in particular, we did not exclude anyone, and the Central church was careful to invite all the Churches of Christ in their area of the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex.

We all prayed fervently for the daring venture and so we had positive expectations, albeit modest ones considering the risks involved. But the Lord surprised us with all signs on “Go” from the very outset, including glorious weather, which is always in question in a Texas January. If the Cotton Bowl had ice and freezing weather, we had a spring-like weekend, and upwards of 200 inquiring souls registered from far and near, even from Oregon and California and Pennsylvania and Michigan. Speakers and panelists shared their experiences with “the Lord of the winds” as they told of storm centers in their churches and gave “local weather reports” from their areas. Breaking into groups of ten or twelve, we had lots of honest talk about the church and the world, the nature of worship, the ministry of women, the values of our heritage, the problem of exclusivism. And we asked some hard questions, such as whether our people are really hearing good news and whether we are going to admit our denominational status.

It was intended to be a problem-solving conference, and the groups reported to the plenary sessions what could be called answers to tough questions. We agreed that steps must be taken to enhance the ministry of women, such as the conference itself did, even if women should not yet, if ever, serve as elders and pulpit ministers in Churches of Christ. And we must get with it in reference to social issues and help change our world rather than to let the world change us. We must be more creative in our corporate worship: suggestions included responsive readings, special music, and confessional statements, along with more praise and meditation. And we were told why our freer churches are inclined not to grow, one reason being that we lock in to a negative reaction to what has happened to us, and another being a lack of positive leadership and a following of leadership.

The greatest blessing of the conference was that folk who hardly knew others like themselves even existed were able to be together and encourage one another. I overheard one young minister say, “I am amazed that there are so many who see these things as I do.” Folk from the freer churches needed to discover each other and this was their chance.

The two most unique features were the presence of four women on the program, with assignments equal to those of men, and a Communion service at the close of the conference. The women, all as humble as they were articulate, were at least as effective as the men, and their presence gave a liberating flavor to the affair. We heard no negative comments about their presence, and we are confident that the majority of our people are ready for this kind of break-through for our sisters. The serving of the Supper, as deeply spiritual and moving as it was, caused some trepidation and there were some who accepted Jim Carter’s (minister at Central and director of the conference) invitation to abstain if they felt uncomfortable in breaking bread other than on Sunday. But Jim explained that “the Scriptures are not dogmatic as to the time.”

Most of those present not only celebrated the Supper together (by filing down front and taking the bread and cup from the Central elders) but considered it the high point of the conference. It was punctuated not only by moving hymns but by tears and embraces as well.

The Central elders were elated by the obvious success of the conference as was the Central church as a whole, and they are already talking about making it an annual affair. I consider it the most significant event in recent Church of Christ history and one that holds great promise for the future of our people.

The unity meeting sponsored by the Central Church of Christ in Conway, Arkansas followed the Dallas conference, and several of us proceeded to central Arkansas to be a part of it. While the Dallas affair was for Church of Christ folk only, the Conway meeting included several denominations. We were especially delighted with the presence of Dale Moody, longtime professor at Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. I knew we were in for excitement when he introduced himself with “This is the seventh denomination I have been with in recent months, if you admit that you are a denomination.” Rather well-read in our history and an admirer of Alexander Campbell, he told us that he agreed with Campbell on everything he taught except two things: his doctrine of the Holy Spirit (“He was too rationalistic”) and his eschatology (“He was a postmillennialist”). As the conference wore on I accused him of being more of a Campbellite than the Campbellites themselves.

Moody would have been disarmed in the Dallas gathering where the speakers and participants referred again and again to “the other denominations.” I told him that Campbell regularly referred to “other denominations,” that it was being a sect that he could not accept. “You cannot call us a sect,” he told Mr. Rice in their debate, “for ours is a catholic plea. We have a catholic book, a catholic baptism, a catholic name, and serve a catholic table.” Moody was intrigued by such eloquence.

I was of course pleasantly surprised to see that he had not only read my The Stone-Campbell Movement but even chided those present who had not read it. “How many of you have read this book?,” he would ask, implying that they would know more about what they were supposed to believe as “Campbellites” if they had. He told me he especially appreciated my treatment of Barton W. Stone, whom he sees as the brightest star in our constellation. He seemed surprised when I told him that if we chose but one person as “the epitome of the Movement” it would have to be Stone.

Dr. Moody went so far as to say he agreed with Walter Scott’s “five finger exercise” (faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, Holy Spirit), and when a brother who had studied at Seminary asked him if he agreed with Prof. Jack Cottrell that salvation has its source in grace, is appropriated by faith, and takes place in baptism, he said he agreed but would add one word, usually. Pointing to Campbell’s Lunenburg Letter, Moody explained that we cannot hang hard and fast rules on God, for even in the New Testament, as with Cornelius, some received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized.

The professor also shared with us some Baptist politics, which included the Arkansas Baptist Convention passing a resolution against him, which, along with other pressures, caused his seminary to ease him off the faculty a little before his time. It is his position on the possibility of apostasy, which was recently set forth brilliantly in his The Word of Truth, that has made him a burr under the Baptist theological saddle.

But some of our folk had no problem in identifying with church politics and pressure, including a former ACU professor who was fired some years back because he would not join others on the Bible faculty in signing a creed. The professor has since served and been honored by a “denominational” school —that did not ask him to sign a creed! The Baptists are not the only ones who kick out their ablest and most courageous sons.

The Conway conference has now moved to the place that it is practicing Christian unity and no longer simply talking about it. To sit with Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians and share in the search for truth is what unity is all about. We are all grateful to Harold and Roxie Thomas and the College Church of Christ in Conway for causing such things to happen. Harold has announced that the third such conference will be held next year. You should plan to join us. —the Editor

History is the story of man’s struggle to be free. -Hegel