Rev Thomas Littleton 5/14/2019
Many Biblical conservatives are awakening and disturbed to find the indoctrination going on in their own seminaries . As revealed in 2017 – a massive effort to introduce the social justice /victim narratives of far left “Christianity” began in late 2007-2009 and scaled up in 2013 to include some 23 conservative evangelical seminaries .Kern Family Foundation/ (its) Oikonomia Network partners with Acton Institute ,a Catholic libertarian think tank , to provide funding and overhaul /oversee curriculum changes. The partnership seeks to implement their desired program focus (Faith and Work) on the seminary campuses . This effort is generally found in the Cultural Engagement departments of the institutions . Currently Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is said to be undergoing the same transformation in it’s post Paige Patterson era under new leadership from at least three former SBTS/ Dr. Albert Mohler employees . These “below the surface” operations were described by this author as having the appearance of an “Evangelical Deep State “. The phrase has caught on in the Evangelical world as concerns continue to escalate and suspicions are confirmed .
http://sbctoday.wpengine.com/is-this-the-evangelical-deep-state/
http://sbctoday.wpengine.com/is-this-the-evangelical-deep-state-part-two/
PERHAPS BLACK LIBERATION IS A “BRIDGE TOO FAR”
Some of those suspicions WERE confirmed by whistleblowers from the seminaires and in a recent New York Times article interviewing Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary professor and “Intersect Project ” member Walter Strickland . Eyebrows raised when he acknowledged teaching Black Liberation Theology and James Cone at SEBTS and in churches/meetings on his speaking schedule.
“Radical thinkers have found their way into the citadels of white evangelicalism. Reading the black liberation theologian James Cone helped Mr. Strickland, the theology professor, see how white theologians often ignore the structural sources of earthly suffering. In 1969, the Rev. Dr. Cone admonished “new blacks, redeemed in Christ” to “say to whites that authentic love is not ‘help,’ not giving Christmas baskets but working for political, social and economic justice, which always means a redistribution of power.”
Strickland admits to being stealthy in his approach by not mentioning James Cone by name .
“Courses in African-American theology have been on the books at moderate evangelical seminaries since the 1970s. But it is significant that Mr. Strickland has brought a thinker like Dr. Cone into the heart of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention. Mr. Strickland spent years studying in majority-white evangelical schools, where he mastered the idiom of the Christian right. When he speaks to conservative white congregations, he is careful: “While Cone’s ideas are in play, I don’t mention him by name, because I don’t want to put unnecessary stumbling blocks in their way.” Scripture’s authority comes first. “If I’m able to demonstrate that this black man in front of them has read the Bible, I gain credit with them.”
New York Times /Walter Strickland interview was published on April 20th 2019
STRICKLAND IS PART OF SEBTS DIVERSITY DEPARTMENT AND IS STAFFER AT INTERSECT PROJECT .
“Intersect is a project and resource hub of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary‘s Center for Faith and Culture. They have assembled a team dedicated to helping you connect faith with the rest of your life.
“You get insights from Southeastern’s faculty, alumni, students and other leading Christian thinkers, including Bruce Ashford, Ken Keathley, Walter Strickland, Benjamin Quinn, David W. Jones and more.”
RECENT CHANGES IN THE INTERSECT PROJECT FROM THE 2015 ORIGINAL BELOW
https://web.archive.org/web/20181215094305/http://intersectproject.org/about/
NOTICE THAT KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION IS VERY PROUD OF ITS INVESTMENT IN THE INTERSECT PROJECT AT SEBTS
About Intersect Project “Reconnect Your Faith with the Rest of Your Life”
“Why Intersect?”
“From an early age, we learn to place our faith in a box. We may pull it out on Sundays, but we neatly return it to its hidden place the rest of the week. As a result, faith has little to do with our day-to-day lives. We live, work and play as if God did not exist.”
“Faith deserves to be reunited with Monday to Saturday. Faith should have everything to do with our day-to-day lives. We should live, work and play for God’s glory.”
“How can you make faith impact the rest of your life? Practically speaking, what does it look like for faith to intersect with culture, work and economics?”
“The Kern Family Foundation and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries Center for Faith and Culture have partnered together to answer these very questions. The result? Intersect: Where Faith Meets Culture.”
“What Is Intersect?”
“Intersect exists to educate you to engage the intersection of faith, culture, work and economics so you can equip others and be empowered to glorify God in all your life.”
“To accomplish this mission, Intersect seeks to
- Educate you about how faith intersects with culture, work and economics.
Learn from Southeastern’s faculty and other reputable speakers through our free classes, daily blogs, videos, books and special events.
- Equip you to educate others.
The information you learn is designed to be shared – with your church, your family and your neighbors. - Empower you to make a difference.
Ultimately, Intersect is about changing lives. We want you to apply these lessons to your everyday life so you can glorify God and fulfill the Great Commission in how you work, live and play.”
“Who is Intersect ?”
“Intersect is the result of a partnership between The Kern Family Foundation and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminaries Center for Faith and Culture . They have assembled a team dedicated to helping you connect faith with the rest of your life.”
“You get insights from Southeastern’s faculty and other leading Christian thinkers, including Bruce Ashford,Ken Keathley, Walter Strickland, Benjamin Quinn, David W Jones and more.”
“Have a question or comment, or are you interested in writing for Intersect? Contact Us
Want to learn more about Southeastern Seminary? “
THE UPDATED VERSION FROM LATE APRIL 2019 FOR THE INTERSECT PROJECT WEBSITE MAKES NO MENTION OF KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION
What has inspired this change? Did the exposure from Strickland’s NYT interview force the “Scrubbing ” of Kern from the Intersect/ SEBTS site?
COMPARE THE INTERSECT PROJECT ABOUT PAGE AS IT READ THROUGH aPRIL OF THIS YEAR TO HOW IT APPEARS NOW AT THE TWO LINKS BELOW. KERN fAMILY FOUNDATIONS NAME AS PARTNER WITH SEBTS (MENTIONED REPEATEDLY), KERNS LOGO, AND THE LINK TO KERNS WEBSITE HAVE BEEN REMOVED .
The Intersect Project / SEBTS website at it appeared for since 2015
https://web.archive.org/web/20190329184557/http://intersectproject.org/about/
The Intersect Project / SEBTS website as it appears in recent weeks.
http://intersectproject.org/about/
Also compare the details below :
“Why Intersect”
“From an early age, we learn to place our faith in a box. We may pull it out on Sundays, but we neatly return it to its hidden place the rest of the week. As a result, faith has little to do with our day-to-day lives. We live, work and play as if God did not exist.”
“Faith deserves to be reunited with Monday to Saturday. Faith should have everything to do with our day-to-day lives. We should live, work and play for God’s glory.”
“How can you make faith impact the rest of your life? Practically speaking, what does it look like for faith to intersect with culture, work and economics?”
“Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary‘s Center for Faith and Culture seeks to answer these very questions. The result? Intersect: Where Faith Meets Culture.”
What Is Intersect
“To accomplish this mission, Intersect seeks to
- Educate you about how faith intersects with culture, work and economics.
Learn from Southeastern’s faculty and other reputable speakers through our free classes, daily blogs, videos, books and special events.
- Equip you to educate others.
The information you learn is designed to be shared – with your church, your family and your neighbors.
- Empower you to make a difference.
Ultimately, Intersect is about changing lives. We want you to apply these lessons to your everyday life so you can glorify God and fulfill the Great Commission in how you work, live and play.”
Who Is Intersect?
“Intersect is a project and resource hub of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary‘s Center for Faith and Culture. They have assembled a team dedicated to helping you connect faith with the rest of your life.”
“You get insights from Southeastern’s faculty, alumni, students and other leading Christian thinkers, including Bruce Ashford, Ken Keathley, Walter Strickland, Benjamin Quinn, David W. Jones and more.”
“Intersect is a project of Southeastern Seminary’s L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture. It exists to educate you to engage the intersection of faith, culture, work and economics so you can equip others and be empowered to glorify God in all your life.”
PERHAPS WALTER STRICKLAND REVEALED TOO MUCH TO THE NYT BUT LITTLE WAS SAID WHEN INTERSECT PROJECT GAVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO RADICAL ” LGBT CHRISTIANITY ” LAST YEAR.
http://intersectproject.org/faith-and-culture/hope-spiritual-friendship-revoice/
“Conservative evangelicals need to acknowledge that experiences behind LGB language are real.”
“As I see it, Revoice shifts the discussion from sexual identity to social identity (see more here). Mark Yarhouse has observed that when someone calls himself “gay,” he may be referring to what he intends to do with his sexuality.”
“Many of us are concerned that Revoice participants have taken on sexual identities that will lead them and others into sinful sexual practices and relationships. But, I think Revoice’s use of LGB language communicates who they feel like they belong with more than how they conceive of themselves sexually.”
“I think the fact that they are gathering together under a biblical sexual ethic signals that they don’t feel like they belong with the secular LGBT community. Further, social identities communicate shared experiences. Many of Revoice’s participants can relate to Nate Collins. They too recount the pain of discovering their own same-sex attractions, navigating who to confide in and risking rejection every time they disclose these experiences they didn’t choose. Notice that Revoice’s mission statement reveals that many same-sex attracted Christians often feel unsupported, discouraged and weakened in their journey to the kingdom of God.”
KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION BEGAN OIKONOMIA NETWORK TO TRAIN PASTORS AND OVERSEE THEIR GRANTS ON SEMINARY CAMPUSES. THIS INFLUENCE IS INTENDED TO BE INCORPORATED BY PASTORS IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS .
According to Oikonomia Network website SEBTS joined the network and funding in 2013
https://oikonomianetwork.org/about/our-partners/
“Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary joined the network in 2013. It will be hosting a faculty retreat, developing on-site and digital learning courses as well as other student learning opportunities, holding conferences dedicated to faith, work, and economics, and publishing church curricular materials.”
“Learn more about ON programming at SEBTS.”
https://oikonomianetwork.org/2015/03/seminary-spotlight-16/
Intersect Project leader and SEBTS provost Bruce Ashford comments on the partnership and thinks it will serve as the backbone of preparing SEBTS students for ministry.
““This project is designed to help pastors strike the right note in leading their congregations toward a healthy, biblically based view of the workplace and the economy,” says Bruce Ashford, provost, dean of faculty, and associate professor of theology and culture.”
“Real-world issues that emerge at the intersections of faith, work, and economics are not peripheral, but central, to the Christian life,” Ashford says. “Southeastern has an unprecedented opportunity to develop a robust series of courses that will serve as the backbone of a world-class preparation benefitting current and future pastors as they lead their flock to glorify Christ in all aspects of their daily lives.”
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT ?
“Students will be exposed to three courses that will guide them in building a theology of culture, a theology of vocation, and a biblically informed view of the economy. Several SEBTS faculty, including Ashford, David Jones, Benjamin Quinn, and Walter Strickland, will create and teach the content of the classes.”
A host of speakers are mentioned for the “Wisdom Forum ” including Catholics and Tim Keller’s Center for Faith and Work leader at Redeemer Church in NYC
“Speakers will include Jay Richards, assistant research professor at Catholic University of America; David Kim, pastor of faith and work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church and executive director of Redeemer’s Center for Faith and Work; and Carolyn McCulley, author, speaker, and filmmaker. Southeastern faculty involved with Intersect will also speak.”
DANNY AKIN OF THE GOSPEL COALITION IS HEAD OF SEBTS
In 2014 interview published in 2015 Danny Akin was excited about the Intersect Project, Faith and Work focus and Kern Family Foundation.
“Last year Mr. Eugene and Dr. Akin were interviewed together as a part of a course on the doctrine of vocation at Southeastern. The two men with their own parking spots – the top man at the seminary and one near the bottom of the organizational chart – sat down together to talk about how their faith integrates with their work.”
Kern is acknowledged as funding the program at SEBTS and this interview is part of the online course for SEBTS .
“This interview is part of a Massive Open Online Course, “Work and Worship: Connecting Sunday to Monday,” that has been made available through Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary because of a grant from the Kern Family Foundation. If you would like more information about that MOOC or would like to enroll for free, click here.
Parts one, two, three, four, and five of this interview are available to view. “
“EVERY WAKING HOUR ” BOOK LAUNCHED OUT OF INTERSECT PROJECT’S WORK
Walter Strickland acknowledges the support of Kern Family Foundation and Danny Akin in the book he co-authored
“Every Waking Hour: An Introduction to Work and Vocation for Christian
TGC and Southern Baptist ERLC leader endorsement of Strickland’s book
“Many Christians struggle to make sense of their work lives. Some of us are tempted to find our identities in our careers. Others of us are tempted to see our work as drudgery. This book shows us how to see our work through the prism of the kingdom of God. This book is biblical, practical, and wise.
—Russell Moore, President, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission”
SBC journalist and LGBT advocate endorses Strickland’s book. For those concerned with the progressive movement in the SBC- this is a red flag endorsement .
“I have often thought it was risky to designate a single person in a congregation as ‘the minister’ when the Christian Scriptures seem to place ‘the work of the ministry’ on the shoulders of all who follow Christ. For this reason and more, Every Waking Hour is a gift to us all one hundred times over. Strickland and Quinn remind us that our job descriptions cannot ultimately be written on cards, etched into name plates, or affixed to email signatures. They are given by God for the world’s good and God’s glory. This book casts a compelling vision for vocation that is relevant to any believer with breath in their lungs and it arrives not a moment too soon.
—Jonathan Merritt, author of Jesus Is Better Than You Imagined, contributing writer for The Atlantic
Oikonomia Network / Kern Family Foundation employee TGC writer endorses the book as well.
Every Waking Hour shows that God’s calling and power in all of our lives, not just in church, is one of the deep patterns running through Scripture from beginning to end. Every Christian needs to see how this story is essential to the gospel story itself. Well done!
—Greg Forster, director of the Oikonomia Network at Trinity International University
STRICKLANDS CO-AUTHOR BENJAMIN QUINN TELLS THE STORY OF THE BOOK AND THE INTERSECT PROJECT
“Our President, Dr. Danny Akin, has branded our seminary for the entire time he’s been here as ‘a Great Commission College and Seminary.’ A lot of it has to do with how we understand the Great Commission.”…”In terms of the motivation behind it, it came first and foremost from our provost at Southeastern. Bruce Ashford was in conversation with the Kern Family Foundation, who’s put a lot of money in and invested a lot all the way around for the purpose of stirring this conversation about the intersection of faith, work and economics as a whole.”
DANNY AKIN PROMOTING STRICKLAND
https://www.sebts.edu/news-and-events/headlines/2017/08/FA17_walter-strickland.aspx
“Having served our school with distinction as a key administrative leader, I am thrilled to appoint him as associate vice president for Kingdom Diversity Initiatives,” said Danny Akin, president of SEBTS. “God continues to bless Southeastern with a godly and gifted team of faculty and staff. These are exciting days for this Great Commission seminary.”
CLARIFICATION FROM STRICKLAND ON HIS JAMES CONE ENDORSEMENT IN NYT
Ten days after the NYT op-ed interview with Strickland attempted to “give context ” to his NYT interview and comments about his promotion of James Cone and Black Liberation Theology at SEBTS
“I first encountered James Cone midway through my Master of Divinity program, and quickly realized that he was a paradigm-shifting figure in African American theology. Because of this, I thought it was important to be familiar with his ideas. I read several of Cone’s books to better understand his work.”
“I believe that James Cone raised some significant critiques of Western Christianity for which Scripture has the answers. In recent years I have shared that Cone is helpful for me in two primary ways: 1) he was the first theologian I read to engage systemic sin, and 2) he impressed upon me the value of having theological dialogue partners from different cultural, economic, and geographic contexts.”
“Although I’m indebted to Cone for raising these important questions, I have significant concerns about his theological solutions and their ethical implications, such as his low view of the atonement, his “by any means necessary” approach to social change, or his understanding of sexual ethics. Despite my substantive theological differences, being introduced to systemic sin in his work was an important theological insight to understand the expansive impact of the Fall on humanity and society. ”
SBC VOICES gives approval of Strickland’s clarification .
BUT WHY IS KERNS NAME NOW REMOVED ?
The Intersect Projects SUDDEN removal of all mention Kern Family Foundation mention /link / logo certainly message something is amiss and all is not well with SEBTS and the Kern Partnership .
DANNY AKIN’S LEADERSHIP APPEARS MISSING IN ACTION
Given the Kern Family Foundation funding/ Acton/ Oikonomia partnership is engaged with other conservative seminaries like Albert Mohler’s SBTS, and is reported as presently being implemented at Southwestern (SWBTS) as well – the amount of money and influence of the partnership appears staggering .
Why has Kern suddenly disappeared from Akin’s SEBTS/ Intersect Project site? Was the Strickland NYT boast too much and the Strickland contextualization too little ? Did Kern pull it’s funding from SEBTS? Has Danny Akin returned the former grants SEBTS has received? Are Oikonomia and Greg Forster no longer partnering with Akins institution? Is Kern Family Foundation upset about the revelations in the NYT piece or is it simply upset about the publicity brought on by it? Are other partners using the Black Liberation / James Cone teachings on their campuses ?
As for these SEBTS questions perhaps only Danny Akin can answer. Will he respond?
Conservative Christians have a reason to be concerned with what is going on in their seminaries because it trickles down into their church the moment they hire a graduate of one of these institutions like SEBTS. Current Southern Baptist President J D Greear is a graduate of SEBTS. At present the attention to the problems posed by the Social Justice “gospel ” have made these concerns front and center and the concerns are not likely to go away. Does the Kern name removal from “Intersect Project ” at SEBTS signal a change or a course correction or are these disturbing realities simply going back into hiding ?
As for the Strickland NYT interview and the “clarification ” 10 days later – the entire trainwreck seems eerily familiar to the celebrations at ERLC over Russell Moore’s 2013 Wall Street Journal interview where Moore declared the “culture war was over and we lost” as began his progressive political operations in the SBC. After tweets celebrating and sharing the WSJ article – Moore and the ERLC quickly responded to criticisms by offering qualifications and context indicating, like Strickland , to various degrees Moore suffered misrepresentation by the “secular press”.
Little remains to be seen except the next revelations of how deep and wide the troubles actually go among Southern Baptist and other once trusted evangelical leaders -as they launch ever deeper into the unsustainable world of critical theory/ social justice / social change / and identity politics. Who in their right (spiritual / biblical ) mind will continue on this train bound for nowhere ?
1 John 4:1-6 (NKJV)
Love for God and One Another
“4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess [a]that Jesus [b]Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
thirtypiecesofsilverdotorg 