The Anniston Star's H. Brandt Ayers Scolds Southern Baptist Convention

My regional paper, The Anniston Star, provides a rare Progressive voice down here in my wilderness. H' Brandt Ayers, boss hoss for the paper, delivers "Faith of my father" that rightly demonstrates why many of "the best and the biggest Baptist colleges and universities" are breaking their ties with the Southern Baptist Convention. He also writes "thoughtful Christians began to drop away", serving up examples like Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter as Exhibit A. I especially like this:

This cleavage between faith and reason, between a doctrine of godly perfection and an intelligent, fallible Christian's struggle to find his way in a sinful world shouldn't be black-and-white choices.

I'm thinking hope in the new President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Frank S. Page, is a bit optimistic but I'm sure Mr. Ayers hangs out with a different set of Baptists than I do. Down here, and in my family I fear, they've seemingly swilled the Fundy Kool-Aid. Peace ... or War!