741:. The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
701:
family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.
672:
For the first time in SBC history, provisions were added to define male-headship gender roles in both the ministry and in marriage. Regarding ministry, the BF&M now explicitly defines the pastoral office as the exclusive domain of men—thus prohibiting female pastors. While not stated in the 2000
725:
was to be interpreted, and replaced it with the last sentence in the quotation below. The change was made over concerns that some groups were elevating the recorded words of Jesus in
Scripture over other Scriptural passages (or, in some cases, claiming that Jesus' silence on an issue held priority
810:
Traditional
Southern Baptist churches generally do not have elders; therefore, the issue of women elders is not generally an issue within those congregations. However, for more contemporary churches which have elders, the interpretation has been extended to this office as well, thus prohibiting
700:
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to his people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his
218:
660:, raised 12 controversial points about the 2000 revision. The most controversial points were in the areas of male priority (in marriage and in ministry, specifically the pastorate), the exegetical standard by which the
636:
Addresses issues of contemporary concern—soteriological inclusivism (Section IV), family (Section XVIII), gender (Section III), sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, and abortion (Section
692:
role, not as an autocrat). Nothing in the BF&M prohibits or discourages the wife from holding outside employment, nor the husband from doing household duties traditionally considered those of the wife.
133:
165:
66:
415:
The BF&M includes 18 topics which are position statements of the SBC. Each article or position is followed by
Scripture which they use to support their position.
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The text of the original assertion, which was the last sentence in the section, was: "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ."
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Regarding marriage, the BF&M added
Article XVIII to specify the husband is the head of the household (though it is to be understood in a
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403:), amended in 1998 (with the addition of Section XVIII on The Family), and again revised in 2000 under the chairmanship of SBC President
746:
388:, revised at certain points, and with some additional articles growing out of present needs," it was intended as "a reaffirmation of
385:
380:
Although the
Southern Baptist Convention was organized in 1845, no formal confession of faith was adopted until Baptist theologian
769:
The 2000 BF&M has been criticized for including a specific list of contemporary sins, which could lead to endless additions.
684:
While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by
Scripture.
798:
300:
856:
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translation, and has a pop-up box to show the actual text (except for a couple of cases where entire chapters are referenced).
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407:; the 2000 revisions incorporated sociological as well as theological changes and were considered the most controversial.
183:
886:
778:
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Editorial changes, such as the use of gender-inclusive language, considered improvements of the form of the statement.
627:
333:
197:
190:
112:
19:
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over other passages explicitly discussing a topic, an example being homosexuality). The traditional SBC view is that
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293:
357:
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389:
361:
105:
1002:
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Some of the changes that were particularly well received by some
Baptist theologians include the following:
393:
978:
Comparison of 1925, 1963 and 2000 Baptist Faith and
Message (the 1963 version contains the 1998 amendment)
750:
661:
640:
Clear expressions about the future direction of the SBC under the "conservative resurgency" leadership.
677:, being a pastoral office of the church, and will not ordain women or allow them to serve as deacons.
592:
There was both praise and criticism for the significant changes to the BF&M in the 2000 revision.
91:
931:
381:
369:
232:
147:
830:
689:
605:
345:
119:
98:
608:" was not inserted into the section on Scripture. Some were concerned that it would be included.
912:
927:
657:
653:
616:
60:
250:
51:
860:
623:
140:
126:
55:
853:
400:
986:
619:. Apprehension had been expressed that such views might be espoused in the revisions.
404:
225:
40:
353:
33:
612:
45:
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led the denomination to adopt the original BF&M in 1925. Described as "the
365:
829:
Those words are commonly referred to as the "red letter words", based on the
943:
Smith, James A., Sr. "A confession of faith worthy of support." Editorial,
890:
972:
718:
337:
977:
749:, the largest SBC state convention, which had previously split between
349:
714:
674:
854:
BGCT's new fund for missionaries, chaplaincy board expands SBC rift
797:
The official SBC website, when referencing the
Scripture, uses the
722:
711:
341:
329:
622:
Inclusion of a statement that
Baptists honor the principles of
973:
Baptist Faith & Message (2000, with Scripture references)
399:
The BF&M was revised in 1963 (under the chairmanship of
392:," which was deemed necessary because of "the prevalence of
710:
The 2000 revision removed the assertion that the person of
887:"The Baptist Faith and Message, accessed January 20, 2007"
673:
BF&M, some churches also apply this interpretation to
633:
Reaffirmation of most historical Baptist convictions.
745:
This revision was particularly objectionable to the
396:in the modern teaching and preaching of religion."
932:An Analysis of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000
368:, Christian education, interaction with society,
352:, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of
934:, centerforbaptiststudies.org, USA, April 2001
863:, February 27, 2002, accessed January 20, 2007.
736:
695:
679:
301:
8:
915:, christianitytoday.com, USA, Aug 9, 2000
611:No inclusion of more restrictive views of
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294:
15:
947:, April 25, 2002. Accessed July 11, 2007.
212:Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
923:
921:
348:, the nature of God as expressed by the
846:
790:
18:
874:Historical Dictionary of the Baptists
759:Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
656:of the Center for Baptist Studies at
7:
664:, and a catalogue of specific sins.
876:, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 62
747:Baptist General Convention of Texas
604:The controversial use of the word "
557:The Christian and the Social Order
360:, the purpose of the local church,
913:Do Good Fences Make Good Baptists?
336:(SBC). It summarizes key Southern
14:
386:New Hampshire Confession of Faith
799:Holman Christian Standard Bible
757:, with the latter forming the
493:Baptism and the Lord's Supper
134:Separation of church and state
1:
166:List of SBC-affiliated people
340:thought in the areas of the
184:North American Mission Board
106:Autonomy of the local church
998:Baptist statements of faith
993:Southern Baptist Convention
779:List of Baptist confessions
628:priesthood of all believers
334:Southern Baptist Convention
198:LifeWay Christian Resources
191:International Mission Board
1024:
765:Catalogue of specific sins
698:Article XVIII. The Family.
662:Bible is to be interpreted
956:Article I, The Scriptures
739:Article I. The Scriptures
322:Baptist Faith and Message
85:Baptist Faith and Message
831:20th century use of such
811:women from being elders.
525:Evangelism and Missions
205:Woman's Missionary Union
945:Florida Baptist Witness
682:Article VI. The Church.
477:God's Purpose of Grace
453:C. God the Holy Spirit
127:Individual soul liberty
113:Priesthood of believers
67:Conservative resurgence
743:
721:standard by which the
703:
686:
390:Christian fundamentals
872:William H. Brackney,
178:Related organizations
1008:1925 in Christianity
706:Exegetical standard
411:Position Statements
382:Edgar Young Mullins
233:Founders Ministries
148:Nashville Statement
893:on October 9, 2003
859:2007-04-10 at the
833:in Bible printing.
668:Gender-based roles
573:Religious Liberty
439:A. God the Father
372:, and the family.
330:statement of faith
99:Biblical inerrancy
928:Russell H. Dilday
734:inspired by God.
658:Mercer University
617:dispensationalism
585:
584:
401:Herschel H. Hobbs
370:religious liberty
318:
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219:State conventions
92:Believers' Church
61:Reformed Baptists
20:Southern Baptists
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861:Wayback Machine
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624:soul competency
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501:The Lord's Day
446:B. God the Son
424:The Scriptures
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895:. Retrieved
891:the original
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793:
768:
744:
738:
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596:Affirmations
591:
549:Cooperation
541:Stewardship
517:Last Things
509:The Kingdom
414:
398:
379:
325:
321:
319:
280:Southwestern
268:Southeastern
84:
58: /
54: /
34:Christianity
897:October 11,
613:eschatology
485:The Church
263:New Orleans
141:Two offices
46:Anabaptists
987:Categories
841:References
719:exegetical
648:Criticisms
615:, such as
533:Education
469:Salvation
394:naturalism
366:evangelism
362:ordinances
256:Midwestern
245:Seminaries
28:Background
751:moderates
652:In 2001,
606:inerrancy
588:Reception
358:salvation
328:) is the
857:Archived
773:See also
626:and the
326:BF&M
275:Southern
732:equally
675:deacons
581:Family
376:History
350:Trinity
338:Baptist
332:of the
251:Gateway
79:Beliefs
52:General
715:Christ
578:XVIII.
160:People
56:Strict
785:Notes
723:Bible
712:Jesus
538:XIII.
498:VIII.
354:grace
342:Bible
911:CT,
899:2003
753:and
637:XV).
570:XVII
562:XVI.
546:XIV.
530:XII.
490:VII.
461:Man
458:III.
432:God
356:and
344:and
320:The
728:all
554:XV.
522:XI.
506:IX.
482:VI.
466:IV.
429:II.
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