Outer Rim Territories

Southern Baptists approve resolution encouraging teetotaling

It is not often wine (and beer) mix with theology but our friends in the SBC has done just that. KRT Wire | 06/14/2006 | Southern Baptists approve resolution encouraging teetotaling

The Southern Baptist Convention on Wednesday approved a nonbinding resolution that urges that no one who imbibes be elected to serve as a trustee or member of any Southern Baptist Convention body. The call would apply to those nominated to serve on Southern Baptist seminaries, missions and other convention-wide boards. The Rev. Frank Page of First Baptist in Taylors, S.C., elected Southern Baptist Convention president on Tuesday, said his and most Southern Baptist churches already ask their deacons to abstain from alcohol, and trust that they are telling the truth. He said he supported closing the two-day annual meeting with Wednesday's resolution, noting that it urges, rather than requires, teetotaling. Some dissenters, though, reminded convention voters that Jesus and the apostles drank wine, and that Jesus even turned water into wine. Others noted that Southern Baptists are supposed to take the Bible at its word, and that the Old Testament includes a blessing of wine. The Rev. Clayton Clark of Cleves, Ohio, said he voted against the resolution because he objects to just picking on drinkers. "It's not the only sin out there," he told the Observer. "Why don't we take on smoking, body fat content, a whole bunch of sins?" But the resolution, which also opposes manufacturing, advertising, distributing and consuming alcoholic beverages, left no doubt where the conservative-minded Southern Baptist Convention stands.