# The Aquila Report and Jimmy Carter



## arapahoepark (May 10, 2015)

I find it odd that I found this old article on the Aquila Report today written by none other than ex president Jimmy Carter: Losing my religion for equality
Were they trying to show the complete lack of theology, history and scholarship of Carter? The article is laughable at best misleading at worst (other than the fact he mentions the awful treatment of women elsewhere in the world, but he has the audacity to say the West and complementarians are no better). Perhaps its satirical?


----------



## Steve Curtis (May 10, 2015)

The link isn't to the Aquila Report...


----------



## Edward (May 10, 2015)

Here's the Aquila link:

Losing My Religion For Equality

I will say that they seem to value volume over discernment these days.


----------



## jwithnell (May 10, 2015)

The moment words like subservient and inferior are used, I realize the author equates differences to inequality. I have _never_ been treated as subservient in the church, but have understood the differences in roles and in callings. 

As a child, Governor Carter witnessed sometimes brutally enforced roles that subjugated people and I believe that it rendered him unable to accept simple differences in situations that are truly benevolent, such as the conservative church.


----------



## ZackF (May 10, 2015)

jwithnell said:


> The moment words like subservient and inferior are used, I realize the author equates differences to inequality. I have _never_ been treated as subservient in the church, but have understood the differences in roles and in callings.
> 
> As a child, Governor Carter witnessed sometimes brutally enforced roles that subjugated people and I believe that it rendered him unable to accept simple differences in situations that are truly benevolent, such as the conservative church.



Furthermore, what is more difficult for Carter and many other feminists to accept that it is often role _choices_ made by women themselves that prevent the 50/50 golden calf from being realized. Most notably women choosing to stay home. That is why certain strains of feminism are becoming so coercive. Choice isn't enough for many of these people rather what matters is the correct "choice."


----------



## earl40 (May 10, 2015)

Edward said:


> Here's the Aquila link:
> 
> Losing My Religion For Equality
> 
> I will say that they seem to value volume over discernment these days.



Indeed, what exactly is going on here?


----------



## pegasister (May 10, 2015)

Edward said:


> Here's the Aquila link:
> 
> Losing My Religion For Equality
> 
> I will say that they seem to value volume over discernment these days.



I agree that Aquila has shared some things that made me go "Ehhhh...", but nothing this egregious. When I saw the article in question it really elicited a "...Wut?" I think such a share is at least _a little_ unprecedented for Aquila.


----------



## Unoriginalname (May 11, 2015)

They are clearly sharing this because it is a religious opinion that effects the church. It is not an endorsement of Carter. I really think that is pretty obvious.


----------



## NaphtaliPress (May 11, 2015)

I don't recall any controversy over this; in fact this is the first time I'd seen the piece I think. I think far more controversy came from that piece many thought a hit piece on an OPC presbytery meeting that involved a rather difficult case of discipline of a minster.


----------



## earl40 (May 11, 2015)

NaphtaliPress said:


> I don't recall any controversy over this; in fact this is the first time I'd seen the piece I think. I think far more controversy came from that piece many thought a hit piece on an OPC presbytery meeting that involved a rather difficult case of discipline of a minster.



The Aquila Report 

"Your independant source for news and comentary* from and about conservative, orthodox evangelicals *in the Reformed and Presbyterian family of churches."


----------



## Bill The Baptist (May 11, 2015)

"So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult."

You will not be missed, Mr. President, let me assure you of that.


----------



## Gforce9 (May 11, 2015)

Bill The Baptist said:


> "So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult."



I wonder where a theological liberal would go? His own words indicate he would be right at home in a mainline.......


----------



## DMcFadden (May 11, 2015)

Well, there is always the Alliance of Baptists.



> The Alliance of Baptists was formed in 1987 as the Southern Baptist Alliance by liberal individuals and congregations who were considering separating from the Southern Baptist Convention as a result of the conservative resurgence/fundamentalist takeover controversy. Since 1995, many Alliance congregations and people have also aligned with several other free church traditions including the American Baptist Churches (USA), the United Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).


----------



## Semper Fidelis (May 11, 2015)

I don't find President Carter's words substantively different than many conservative Christians who have stated that, if "God was like that..." (speaking of election, propitiation, wrath, hell) "...then I would not worship Him."

It is not at all unusual for men, who claim to be Christians, to set a standard which God must meet in order that He be believed and worshiped. Most begin assuming that they think just like God and conclude that anything that is morally insensible to their intuition is just the case. Thus, they first establish the kind of God that has precisely the same sensibilities and every Scripture must bend in return. Conservatives get around the Scriptures with an appeal to the "general theme of love" or "we must have autonomy to have responsibility" while liberals get around it by seeing the Scriptures as the invention of men.

I think such articles are very instructive. We ought to be teaching people in our congregation what the underlying assumptions are. We might find that some share in this "spirit of the age" and use it as an opportunity to trust in Revelation before our own reasoning.


----------

