In an interview with Louie D. Newton in 1955, Karl Barth stated: “How I thank God for E.Y. Mullins. Mullins gave the world a mighty phrase – the competency of the soul.” While Mullins did not invent the idea of “soul competency” – he invested energy and meaning in the phrase, placed it at the center of a coherent cluser of beliefs that define Baptists, and explored its religious, social, and political implications.
So, we return to Mullins writings on “soul competency” to explore our Baptist principles…
“The Biblical significance of the Baptists is the right of private interpretation {of}, and obedience to, the Scriptures. The significance of the Baptists in relation to the individual is soul freedom. The ecclesiastical significance of the Baptists is a regenerated church-membership and the equality and priesthood of believers. The political significance of Baptists is the separation of church and state. But as comprehending all of the above particulars, as a great and aggressive force in Christian history, as distinguished from all others and standing entirely alone, the doctrine of the soul’s competency in religion under God is the distinctive signficance of the Baptists.
For more posts from this series – see p1, p2, p3, and p4.
[...] Mullins and Saving Soul Freedom series. Past posts include: The Golden Hour to Save Soul Freedom, Recovering E.Y. Mullins – Part 5, Saving Soul Freedom w/ James Dunn, On Being An Authentic Baptist, Priests and Prophets, and the [...]
[...] Mullins and Saving Soul Freedom series. Past posts include: The Golden Hour to Save Soul Freedom, Recovering E.Y. Mullins – Part 5, Saving Soul Freedom w/ James Dunn, On Being An Authentic Baptist, Priests and Prophets, and the [...]