SBTS doctoral student reflects on Luter’s election in BP Ledger

Communications Staff — July 3, 2012

In the July 2, 2012, edition of BP Ledger, Baptist Press published Toby Jennings’ thoughts about the recent election of Fred Luter as Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president. Jennings, an African-American, is a Ph.D. candidate at Southern Seminary.

In the article, dated June 19, 2012 (the day that Luter was elected), Jennings offers several points of reflection: 1) he compares Luter with Protestant reformer Martin Luther, referring to each of them as pioneers for gospel change during their respective eras; 2) he notes the differences between Luter’s election and Obama’s election as the first African-American United States president; 3) he explains how the election shows that SBC members trust in a power beyond themselves; 4) he highlights Luter’s election as fruit of repentance in the SBC; and 5) he says that the election is a sign that the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ directs his church (and the SBC) to act justly.

Jennings states the following:

In reflection on this historic SBC election, I certainly have no desire to herald any distinct ethnicity as being in need of discriminating attention to any disregard of another; for the tapestry of humanity portrayed in Revelation 5:9 by its Creator trumps any creaturely attempt at any such preference. The significance, however, of a body of God’s image-bearers appointing as [its] leader one who bears a minority ethnicity from the overwhelming majority of them evidences so much worthy of commentary.

The entirety of Jennings’ reflection is available at the Baptist Press website.

 

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