Thoughts on Russell Moore at the ACNA Assembly

The Rev'd Dr. Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention spoke on Tuesday, 18 June, to the 2019 Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America. I wasn't thrilled when I learned that he was scheduled to speak -- although I had at one time been a fan of Dr. Moore's some of his advocacy of social justice has been of serious concern, and not only for me but for many of my Southern Baptist friends -- and following his approbation for Resolution 9   which stated that Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, concepts that had their roots in radical feminism and have been adopted by cultural Marxists, could, under the authority of Scripture serve as useful analytical tools, at last week's Southern Baptist Convention thought the he should be disinvited and stated so. I didn't really think that would happen, but still find question his participation and the imprimatur that his speaking appeared to give. I determined that I would listen to his remarks (which can be found here at 53:10) and so these are my thoughts.

I will say at the outset that there wasn't a whole lot in this address that I could disagree with. While he has been a vociferous and untiring critic of Donald Trump (an area which, in the interest of full disclosure, I largely agreed with him in 2016) he made no mention of the President. He criticized the notion that Christianity could be a "hood ornament" to Southern or Mid-Western culture and I would agree with him that if it is only that then that is largely problematic. At the same time, I would caution against too greatly depreciating the effects that Christianity formerly had on those cultures (as Flannery O'Connor pointed out the South is "Christ haunted") -- however imperfect. He noted that the notion, largely prevalent in society that one need be at least nominally associated with a church to be a good person, is passing away due to increasing secularism. He is correct. I remember asking an Englishwoman who had relocated to South Carolina from California in 1981 what church she attended and being somewhat surprised when she said that she didn't; in my work as a hospice chaplain I regularly meet new people and in the course of my conversation ask them about their religious affiliation and increasingly note that they answer the same way that she did so many years ago. 

He rightly noted that secularism can present opportunities for the Church to present a unique message to the culture and cautioned against being co-opted by either poltical party, telling a story of seeing a truck with a bumper sticker that read "If Jesus had a gun he'd still be alive today." I am an life member of the NRA, have a Concealed Weapons Permit, enjoy shooting, and am a passionate advocate of the Second Amendment but I find that sticker stupid and fairly blasphemous. He also noted that it would be an error to use the Church to advocate the opposing view as well, although that happens far more frequently. 

Somewhat out of nowhere he mentioned that the Church should be the kind of place where a person with Down Syndrome is treated not a a charity case but a valuable part of the body. I couldn't agree more. For 2 1/2 years while I was in seminary I served as the Student Supply (more or less the de facto minister, although not yet being ordained I had to bring in clergy for baptisms [we had some] and Holy Communion) at Waccamaw Presbyterian Church in Bucksport, South Carolina. One of the people that joined that small rural church (and I seem to recall him being baptized there) was a young man with Down Syndrome named Alvie. Alvie enjoyed ushering and so he did exactly that and did so with enthusiasm. During my time there the decision was made to clear out and repair the educational building and use it for that purpose and as a parish hall. One day the Clerk of Session (kind of the Senior Warden in Anglican parlance) walked in to find Alvie sanding the floorboards and when he asked him what he was doing Alvie responded that he was "working for Jesus." His simple but very real faith was an inspiration to the rest of us and I am thankful for it. Furthermore, inasmuch as I have often said that my philosophy of ministry is that as a cleric I am essentially a coach whose job it is to develop and enable the flock to minister as God has gifted them that certainly includes the handicapped. 

Moore's call to live out an authentic Christianity in the midst of a secularizing culture was a valid one. As I mentioned, there is little in this address with which I can disagree.
I still have serious concerns about Russell Moore, his adoption of the social justice agenda, and his approbation for a seriously flawed resolution and still wonder why my Province feels the need to cozy up to Big Eva. Whether that continues remains to be seen.