Biblical Inerrantist Believes Bible

Rick Patrick, Pastor
FBC Sylacauga, Alabama
Executive Director, Connect 316
Publisher, SBC Today

In breaking news, Paige Patterson shockingly preached a sermon eighteen years ago exalting the timeless truth of Scripture regarding the matter of divorce. Unfortunately, some of his points, when taken completely out of context, appear to call into question Patterson’s sensitivity to our contemporary culture’s Me Too Movement, a development that arose seventeen years after he concluded the sermon.

A hit piece in The Washington Post appears to draw from an anonymous blogger (who may or may not be Ben Cole) and the non-stop Twitter War launched against Patterson by Jonathan Merritt, a writer, blogger and news personality who was outed in a 2012 Salon article by Azariah Southworth. 

Writers today would be wise to restrict their application of current cultural sensitivities to today’s events. To illustrate, through the years, the term “Colored” was replaced by “Negro” and then “Black” and then “African-American.” It would be unfair to fault people for being racist fifty years ago because they did not use the term “African-American.” Any writer who would apply a six month old cultural template to an eighteen year old sermon must realize that the foundation of their criticism crumbles under the weight of their misplaced historical context. 

It has been said that a man should never explain himself, for his friends don’t require an explanation and his enemies won’t believe one. But I cannot stand idly by while two backslidden bloggers take cheap shots at the greatest living Southern Baptist. Honestly, if not for Patterson, our denomination would be so steeped in liberal theology we would have pro-choice homosexual ministers embracing evolution and endorsing Hillary. Instead of attacking him, we should be thanking him.

In one anecdote from his years of marital counseling experience, Patterson urged a woman who had endured some level of abuse to pray by her bedside for her husband. She then endured more abuse one last time, only to see her husband fall under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, walk the aisle, and give his life to Christ. The abuse never continued, and they lived happily ever after in a Christian marriage. Without knowing all of the details of this specific situation, it is difficult to know what type of counsel any minister might give. Admittedly, some ministers might urge this woman to leave the home. Patterson himself admitted that on more than one occasion he had given women this very same advice. In this particular case, however, he urged her to pray faithfully, resulting in the saving of both a husband and a marriage.

Below are a few points highlighting Patterson’s response to the accusations. 

1. Misrepresentation
Patterson said he was being “subjected to rigorous misrepresentation.”

2. Never Abused or Accused
Patterson said he has never abused anyone or been accused of abusing anyone.