Wade Burleson has announced that he will "[lay] aside blogging for good." I thought it might be appropriate for me to mark the occasion with a backwards glance and a comment or two.
- Wade Burleson's blog has been THE blog in Baptist life. Whatever people say about "Baptist bloggers," they say with Wade Burleson at least partially in mind. There is no doubt that the years 2006-2008 in SBC denominational life were defined more than anything else by what Wade Burleson wrote at his blog and his prospects for success or failure. So prominent has been his blog as to merit a category all unto itself—no other SBC blog even comes close. Indeed, for myself, whatever traffic I ever received at this blog (and I have deliberately never allowed any measure of that statistic), I'm sure that a great deal of it was produced by the popularity of Wade's blog and the fact that I was often a disagreeing voice.
- Wade Burleson has had impressive stamina. Those who started blogging in agreement with him—Art Rogers, Marty Duren, Ben Cole, and many others—long ago disengaged. Many of those who took up blogging in contention against him, me included, have at some point lost their zeal for the medium. Wade has sallied forth time after time.
- Wade Burleson's own theological migration is chronicled in his blogging. Particularly on the issue of biblical roles for women and men in the church, I think that later generations will detect movement in Wade's position over the latter half of this millennium's inaugural decade.
- Wade Burleson has stayed on-message with a determination that political campaigners must be able to admire. Although he has varied his terminology, his central message has remained unaltered, calling Southern Baptists to lay aside doctrinal contention in favor of a warmer, fuzzier, feel-goodier congeniality.
- Wade Burleson is eloquent. He knows how to tell a story. He knows how to cultivate a public persona. He is better with a lectern than with a keyboard, and he's pretty good with a keyboard. Yes, I think that all of this talent has been harnessed to the wrong yoke, but I admire the talent nonetheless.
The closing of Wade's blog seems to correspond with the closing of a chapter in Southern Baptist history. It isn't the major chapter—let's not overestimate the importance of our times. But it marks a season when technology was changing the way that Baptists operate in subtle yet dramatic ways. Wade's name will forever be associated with that.
His reasons for setting it all aside are good ones, and I have stepped back (although not entirely away) for very similar reasons. I genuinely, sincerely, earnestly wish that God will bless Wade's ministry and that more peaceful days will lie before him than behind him. I want to feel fondly in my heart toward him, and to leave things there. Jesus is just mischievous enough to put us next-door to one another in Heaven.
I have enjoyed reading Wade's blog over the years, though I did not catch on for a while. I wish that he had left comments open on final blog so that I could say good bye.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why someone who is a pastor of a large work would eventually have to emphasize that or emphasize an interactive blog. I think that Wade will still blog and post thoughts, just not in an interactive fashion. It's hard enough to pastor a bunch of people. It's even harder to throw in interacting with a bunch of people you don't know, with personalities ranging from supportive to combative to down right crazy.
I can also see why a person who is a pastor at heart would eventually tire of SBC issues. The SBC is not an end in itself, but just a tool, so to speak, for collective ministry.
Some people are called to a bigger than life presence in the SBC for decades. Most pastors, even if they are interested in SBC issues, are simply not called to that.
I agreed with Wade more often than I disagreed. I have never been to his church, and I have never heard him speak, except for brief presentations at the SBC meeting.
I, too, wish him well.
I wish you well, also, and I think that your post regarding Wade is very classy and timely.
Take care.
Louis
Bart
ReplyDeleteWade may be quitting the blog site, but he will probably not lay back on his message. His new site leaves the possibility to be an avenue of continuing his attacks against those he deems as enemies of his ecumenical vision for the SBC. While leaving the ability to comment by others will lessen that threat, it is still a potent weapon that can create havoc among some in the SBC.
Quitting his blog is probably not his exit strategy from continuing what he has done in the past.
Robin
Love...believes all things.
ReplyDeleteWow, two in a row quitting. Man, now if we could just get that Kenyan out of the White House.
ReplyDelete:-)
his central message has remained unaltered, calling Southern Baptists to lay aside doctrinal contention in favor of a warmer, fuzzier, feel-goodier congeniality.
ReplyDeleteI would only disagree with one part of that very well worded statement. He didn't want people to lay aside doctrinal contention, I think, he wanted people to lay aside doctrine period.
Cue the WDF (Wade Defense Force) in 5, 4, 3,...
there's a place for you Joe Blackmon...a place created for the devil and his angels...
ReplyDeleteJack,
ReplyDeleteIf I can say good things about Wade, you can restrain yourself from consigning Joe to Hell.
Well done Bart, if you are to lay down your keyboard I would say similar things about you.
ReplyDeleteJim Champion