Upon the retirement of Dr. Peter James Flamming, Dr. Russell Dilday will serve as Interim Pastor of FBC Richmond from January 14th through Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007.
From FBC Richmond’s website…
Dr. Dilday is currently Chancellor of the B.H. Caroll Theological Institute in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. He served as President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth from 1978 to 1994…
In recent years, Dr. Dilday has served as interim pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas; First Baptist in Arlington, Texas; and First Baptist in Plano Texas.Before his election as President of Southwestern Seminary, he was Pastor of Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta. Dr. Dilday was the founding Pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston.
Among his many honors and recognitions, Dr. Dilday was named Texas Baptist Elder Statesman in June, 2000 and was the recipient of Baylor University’s George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award in 2004.
Many remember Dr. Russell Dilday as the enormously popular, longtime President of SWBTS who was fired and locked out of his own office only a day after receiving the highest possible job evaluation from the fundamentalist Board of Trustees. Dilday’s unChrist-like firing marked perhaps the lowest moment in the history of the Fundamentalist Takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.
One of the lowest moments, anyway. Like the takeover of SEBTS, the takeover of SBTS, etc. The firing of the SBTS reference librarian for writing a polite letter to a fundamentalist chapel speaker correcting his statement that during the “moderate” (I hate that term) leadership no fundamentalists were ever invited to speak in chapel–when they were at least 45% of scheduled speakers.
This was less than a year before the librarian’s scheduled retirement and they cancelled his pension.
There was NEVER a Christlike action by ANY of the fundamentalists. Zero. Nada. The SBC fundamentalists preached love and practiced pure hate.
cancelled his pension???
That’s adding insult to injury.
My family was the victim of dirty fundamentalist politics. SBC Administrators are pretty crappy when it comes to making personnel decisions. Time and time again, fundy Presidents are willing to put their schools accredidation in jeopardy in order to oust a tenured professor (etc.).
Not much “Christian” about many Baptist Colleges these days…at least not in the offices of those in power.
My pastor was on track to become a seminary professor when he challenged a “fundie” chapel speaker to name names rather than make unsuported accusations about seminary professors who did not “believe the Bible”. Some Southern Baptist seminary’s loss is our gain. We see Romans 8:28 being lived out each day. FBC Richmond will too.
Mac McFatter
“Dilday’s unChrist-like firing marked perhaps the lowest moment in the history of the Fundamentalist Takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
That would take some doing…
BDW,
What do you think about this 13 week interim? What purpose do you see for such a short period other than (perhaps) exposure to a variety of voices from the pulpit?
Dave
There were so many low points that it’s hard to pick one, but Dilday’s treatment with his being locked out of his own office is one that I’ll always remember. He remains one of our Baptist statemen, and is a class act. The 13 week slot is a little unique, but in a way it allows the interims to know how long they are committing themselves for.
I have openly admitted time and time again that there were many wrongdoings by the conservatives, but to say, “There was NEVER a Christlike action by ANY of the fundamentalists. Zero. Nada.” is to assume you are all knowing. That is like me saying that not one moderate who taught in the SBC seminaries told one truth as they signed the BF&M or the Abstract of Principles. When statements like this are made that only hurl insults on one side, it makes conservatives who don’t know the whole story look at you guys as extremists. It completely negates the reality of what happened in the SBC and doesn’t teach future generations anything, but that sometimes forgiveness isn’t necessary for everyone.
Dave,
Flamming will be a hard act to follow. I wonder who will serve as interim after Dilday?
D.R.,
You know what Michael meant.
However, there was nothing ChristLike about the Takeover. Ends don’t always justify the means…
I do find it interesting that you seem to peg all Southern Baptists as “conservatives.” At least admit that a fundamentalist or two exists?? Please!
Our Heavenly Father is in control;the epiphany of perfection. Perhaps, HE lets our imperfections surface to show this world a humbleness needed. Afterall, at HIS name, all mountains will bough and the sea will roar someday. PEACE
Just to reiterate: Our Heavenly Father is in control;the epiphany of perfection. Perhaps, HE lets our imperfections surface to show this world a humbleness needed. Afterall, at HIS name, all mountains will bough(bow) and the sea will roar someday. PEACE