Changes

===Ending segregation===

===Ending segregation===

Newman (1999) explores the changing attitudes of the Georgia Baptist Convention and Georgia Southern Baptists toward desegregation. He identifies three phases: during 1945-53 the state convention defended segregation and urged equalization of facilities in order to stave off desegregation; during 1954-58 the convention urged Baptists to respond calmly to desegregation

Newman (1999) explores the changing attitudes of the Georgia Baptist Convention and Georgia Southern Baptists toward desegregation. He identifies three phases: during 1945-53 the state convention defended segregation and urged equalization of facilities in order to stave off desegregation; during 1954-58 the convention urged Baptists to respond calmly to desegregation

rulings and to abide by law and order; from 1959 on the convention called for support of the public schools during a period when the state legislature planned to close all the schools if any desegregated. John Jeter Hurt, Jr., and Jack U. Harwell, who successively edited the Baptist weekly magazine ''The Christian Index'' during the 1950s-1960s, exercised a moderate and eventually progressive influence. By 1980 most Georgia Southern Baptists rejected segregation and accepted African Americans in their schools and churches.<ref>Mark Newman, "The Georgia Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1945-1980." ''Georgia Historical Quarterly'' 1999 83(4): 683-711.</ref> Newman (2001) examines the more hard-line approach of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the state's largest Protestant denomination and the dominant religious group in the northern part of Louisiana. It endorsed segregation and barred black church membership during 1954-80. Many Southern Baptists were less firmly committed to maintaining segregation than the actions of their convention would suggest. A majority of Baptists, the moderate segregationists, accepted the demise of [[Jim Crow]] and racial segregation in the mid 1960s  as the price of maintaining public school education and because attempts to maintain it conflicted with their commitment to law and order.<ref>Mark Newman, "The Louisiana Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1954-1980." ''Louisiana History'' 2001 42(4): 389-418.</ref>  By contrast, the Florida Baptist Convention's took a much more moderate stand on racial desegregation of the state's schools from 1954 to 1980. While initially reluctant in accepting the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, W. G. Stracener, editor of the ''Florida Baptist Witness,'' and other leaders of the state convention urged Florida Baptists to oppose efforts to circumvent desegregation because of their "primary commitments to scripture, evangelism, law and order, peace, and public education."<ref>Mark Newman, "The Florida Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1954-1980." ''Florida Historical Quarterly'' 1999 78(1): 1-22.</ref>  

rulings and to abide by law and order; from 1959 on the convention called for support of the public schools during a period when the state legislature planned to close all the schools if any desegregated. John Jeter Hurt, Jr., and Jack U. Harwell, who successively edited the Baptist weekly magazine ''The Christian Index'' during the 1950s-1960s, exercised a moderate and eventually progressive influence. By 1980 most Georgia Southern Baptists rejected segregation and accepted African Americans in their schools and churches.<ref>Mark Newman, "The Georgia Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1945-1980." ''Georgia Historical Quarterly'' 1999 83(4): 683-711.</ref> Newman (2001) examines the more hard-line approach of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the state's largest Protestant denomination and the dominant religious group in the northern part of Louisiana. It endorsed segregation and barred black church membership during 1954-80. Many Southern Baptists were less firmly committed to maintaining segregation than the actions of their convention would suggest. A majority of Baptists, the moderate segregationists, accepted the demise of [[Jim Crow]] and racial segregation in the mid 1960s  as the price of maintaining public school education and because attempts to maintain it conflicted with their commitment to law and order.<ref>Mark Newman, "The Louisiana Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1954-1980." ''Louisiana History'' 2001 42(4): 389-418.</ref>  By contrast, the Florida Baptist Convention's took a much more moderate stand on racial desegregation of the state's schools from 1954 to 1980. While initially reluctant in accepting the 1954 ''Brown v. Board of Education'' decision, W. G. Stracener, editor of the ''Florida Baptist Witness,'' and other leaders of the state convention urged Florida Baptists to oppose efforts to circumvent desegregation because of their "primary commitments to scripture, evangelism, law and order, peace, and public education."<ref>Mark Newman, "The Florida Baptist Convention and Desegregation, 1954-1980." ''Florida Historical Quarterly'' 1999 78(1): 1-22.</ref>  

The SBC's Christian Life Commission, established in 1948, aroused

The SBC's Christian Life Commission, established in 1948, aroused

controversy when it supported integration during the civil rights movement under the direction of Foy Valentine, and it continues to be a voice of conscience within the SBC under the current head, Richard D. Land, who has led the commission since 1988.  Land has said his idea is, "America in 1955 without the racism and without the sexual discrimination against women."<ref>Quoted in Hankins (2002) pp. 59-60</ref>

controversy when it supported integration during the civil rights movement under the direction of Foy Valentine, and it continues to be a voice of conscience within the SBC under the current head, Richard D. Land, who has led the commission since 1988.  Land has said his idea is, "America in 1955 without the racism and without the sexual discrimination against women."<ref>Quoted in Hankins (2002) pp. 59-60</ref>

===Women===

===Women===

The ordination of women was forbidden between 1845 and 1996.  However women comprised a majority of the membership, and wanted outlets for their piety and energy. Starting in 1907, the Personal Service Department of the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) has encouraged women to participate in social reform as a form of missionary activity, making explicit the connection to the Social Gospel.<ref>Carol Crawford Holcomb, "The Kingdom at Hand: the Social Gospel and the Personal Service Department of Woman's Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention." ''Baptist History and Heritage'' 2000 35(2): 49-66.</ref> Flowers (2000) explores the history of the WMU and its emphasis on social reform in the Social Gospel mode from its founding in 1888 to the eve of the Great Depression in 1928. WMU activities reveal a commitment to its historical ideal of service as both material and spiritual.<ref>Betsy Flowers, "Southern Baptist Evangelicals or Social Gospel Liberals? The Woman's Missionary Union and Social Reform, 1888 to 1928." ''American Baptist Quarterly'' 2000 19(2): 106-128.</ref> In the late-20th century conflict arose between the SBC leadership the WMU. The SBC leaders sought to return the WMU to more traditional evangelistic action, with an emphasis on attacking homosexuality and abortion, and away from the type of broad-gauge social work WMU women had been doing.  In 1995 the SBC terminated a 105-year relationship with the WMU when the WMU decided to affiliate with the breakaway moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and to become more involved in social issues.

The ordination of women was forbidden between 1845 and 1996.  However women comprised a majority of the membership, and wanted outlets for their piety and energy. Starting in 1907, the Personal Service Department of the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) has encouraged women to participate in social reform as a form of missionary activity, making explicit the connection to the Social Gospel.<ref>Carol Crawford Holcomb, "The Kingdom at Hand: the Social Gospel and the Personal Service Department of Woman's Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention." ''Baptist History and Heritage'' 2000 35(2): 49-66.</ref> Flowers (2000) explores the history of the WMU and its emphasis on social reform in the Social Gospel mode from its founding in 1888 to the eve of the Great Depression in 1928. WMU activities reveal a commitment to its historical ideal of service as both material and spiritual.<ref>Betsy Flowers, "Southern Baptist Evangelicals or Social Gospel Liberals? The Woman's Missionary Union and Social Reform, 1888 to 1928." ''American Baptist Quarterly'' 2000 19(2): 106-128.</ref> In the late-20th century conflict arose between the SBC leadership the WMU. The SBC leaders sought to return the WMU to more traditional evangelistic action, with an emphasis on attacking homosexuality and abortion, and away from the type of broad-gauge social work WMU women had been doing.  In 1995 the SBC terminated a 105-year relationship with the WMU when the WMU decided to affiliate with the breakaway moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and to become more involved in social issues.