The Sole Membership Issue
NOBTS files ‘sole membership’ charter with state
of Louisiana
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Photo by Jeff Audirsch
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
President Chuck Kelley signs a charter naming the Southern Baptist
Convention as sole member of the school’s corporation as trustee
secretary Phil Hanberry looks on.
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New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley
and NOBTS trustee secretary Phil Hanberry signed the school’s new
charter June 27. The new charter, approved by messengers of the
Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, names the convention
as sole member of the seminary corporation. [Click to
read More]
Also Available:
- Dr. Kelley's Sole Membership Presentation, as presented at the
2005 Southern Baptist Convention.
[Click here]
- Dr. Kelley's comments on sole membership following the SBC
vote.
[Click here]
The issue of sole membership as a strategy to amend the NOBTS
charter may arise at the SBC Convention over the next two years.
The NOBTS Trustees and Administration are in total agreement with
the SBC Executive Committee to seek out the strongest legal
protection that would secure NOBTS or any other SBC entity from
some future takeover attempt. There is no disagreement about the
importance of achieving this end.
The NOBTS Trustees and the Executive Committee differ, however,
about what strategy should be used to achieve this worthy end. The
Executive Committee has recommended utilizing the "sole membership"
strategy. There are some unique features regarding "sole
membership" in Louisiana law, however, that the NOBTS Trustees and
Administration believe could possibly create future problems for
Baptist polity, and possibly increase the liability of the SBC to
future lawsuits.
The following links are provided to provide more information on
this complex and important issue:
This document explains the reservations of the trustees of the New
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary regarding the sole membership
issue.
This FAQ offers answers to the most basic questions about the
sole membership strategy, and why the NOBTS Trustees and
administration have concerns about the sole membership strategy
when applied in a Louisiana institution.
by NOBTS President Chuck Kelley
This paper explains President Kelley's concerns about the "sole
membership" strategy as applied to a Louisiana-based
institution.
by NOBTS President Chuck Kelley
NOBTS Convocation Address
September 4, 2003
(audio format -- requires RealOne or Media Player)
This is the spoken version of Dr. Kelley's paper, delivered at
the NOBTS Convocation in September 2003. An accompanying PowerPoint
presentation is also available, which offers a helpful companion to
the President's address.
by Dr. David Hankins
This paper offers a critique of Dr. Kelley's paper from the
perspective of Dr. Hankins of the Executive Committee staff.
by Dr. Ken Keathley and Dr. Lloyd Harsch
This paper offers a critique of some of the ideas presented in
Dr. Hankins' paper, particularly those that relate to Baptist
polity and Baptist history. Dr. Keathley is Associate Dean of
Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Theology at New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary, occupying the McFarland Chair of
Theology. Dr. Harsch is Assistant Professor of Church History at
New Orleans Baptist Theological Perspective.
by Ergun Mehmet Caner
This article offers historical perspective to challenge the
claim of Dr. Hankins that Baptist history has "no record of undue
fear of centralization or creeping connectionalism or any other
threat to Baptist polity." The article is also published in the
Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry Vol. 2 No. 1 (Spring
2004): 6-21. Dr. Caner is Associate Professor of Theology and
Church History at Liberty University.
Click on the link above and click "Post" on the Baptist Center
Message Board to provide your response to any of these papers
and/or the sole membership issue.
Click the link above to learn more about the trustees final
decision regarding the sole membership issue and NOBTS.
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