1. I asked Southern Baptist Convention President @bartbarber about Christian nationalism while working on my @AP profile of him.
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
The discussion was fascinating, even if it didn't make it into that piece. Since I have a moment, I thought I'd share some of what he said here. https://t.co/AzaB7RFm4l
Just a note from tmatt, even though the byline on this piece says Bobby Ross, Jr.
There’s a good reason for that.
The Rev. Bart Barber has certainly been in the news, of late — “Yes, Southern Baptists are talking about '60 Minutes' (while Ryan Burge keeps doing the math)” — and, as it turns out, chart-master Ryan Burge wasn’t the only GetReligionista who has been talking with him or about him.
Bobby wrote a profile piece on Barber the other day for the Associated Press (this has been happening more often, methinks) and, as it turns out, he had material left over from that interview that he put in lots, and lots, and lots of tweets.
A Bobby Ross tweetstorm?
You got it.
All of these short punchy sentences, in Ross style, means it’s time to let the tweet-storm begin.
Roll tweets, in this bonus Ross piece.
Ready?
2. Q: "Christian nationalism: Is that something you're concerned about among Southern Baptists?"
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
A: "I'm definitely concerned about some of the way that evangelical Christians in the United States apply their faith to their practice of their citizenship."
3. More from Bart: "I think there are good ways to apply your faith to your Christian citizenship. I've never cast a presidential vote that my faith did not shape the major issues that helped me make my decision about how to vote."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
4. "But I've avoided using the term 'Christian nationalism' that you've asked about because there's no carefully agreed-upon definition. And I've seen how destructive it is just to pick a label, not do much work to define carefully what that is and then start going after people."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
5. "I'll just say this: I think my first allegiance is to Jesus Christ, and I cannot prioritize any other allegiance over that. My primary hope is in Jesus Christ. And I cannot place my hope, ultimately, in anything other than that."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
6. "Everything — every political party or political movement or anything else that is going on — will disappoint and will fail and will eventually be tossed into the ash heap of history. The gospel of Jesus Christ will not. It's something that will endure into eternity."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
7. "And so my first hope — my primary hope — is there. And my primary identity is as a Christian. It's in being bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, being forgiven of my sins and having the hope of eternity in heaven."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
8. "Because of that, I can go to Kenya. I can go to Cuba. I can go to Senegal. I can go to places all around the world and meet fellow believers in Jesus Christ. And my primary identity is in what we share with one another."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
9. Q: "Have you been all those places you just mentioned?"
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
A: "I've been all those places I just mentioned. And so I've met with Christians who serve under a communist regime. Just as my Christian faith calls me to certain duties of patriotism, so does theirs."
10. "Now it looks different based on how supportive the government is of your application of your faith or even based on how permissive the government is of your exercise of your faith."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
11. "But the fact remains that God calls us — wherever we live, whatever government we're under — to pray for everyone who's in authority over us and to pray for everyone who surrounds us."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
12. "And to pray for all people, you know? And to do so desiring a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. And so you can pray for that under any system of government."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
13. "And so I'm resistant not to the idea that a nation exists, I'm a citizen of it — as a Christian, I want to live out the duties of my citizenship in ways that are distinctively Christian. My faith affects the way I am a citizen."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
14. "So I'm a Christian. There's a nation. I'm interacting with that nation in a Christian way. I'm delighted when the nation exhibits Christian virtue in its policy, in its leadership."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
15. "But when I see people criticizing Christian nationalism — for some people, some of the things they're criticizing looks to me like places where, because this happens sometimes, where people have forgotten where their first allegiance is ... "
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
16. "... and forgotten where their primary hope is and forgotten what their true identity is and have come to wrap those things up in flag and country. And in ways that would make it hard for them to contemplate how a Cuban citizen could also be a thorough-going, devoted ..."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
17. "...follower of the same Savior, believer of the same gospel that they believe in. So I've completely declined to use the term that you mentioned. But I will tell you that, altho I have strong feelings about that, that's not a major agenda for my service as (SBC president)."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
18. "Other than the fact that I can say that I have no intention of using the presidency of the SBC to serve any political party's agenda, to serve any political candidate's agenda."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
19. "That's not a war against Christian nationalism, whatever that means, unless Christian nationalism means/meets (unsure what word he said) that someone is determined that I use the presidency of the SBC just to advance the agenda of a political party or a political candidate."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
20. "But even in that, we're not talking about my being at war with something. We're talking about something that's just not on my agenda or on my radar to be through the presidency of the SBC."
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
21. At that point, I asked about something else. When I said we had a fascinating discussion, I guess I mean I asked two quick questions and listened to some interesting thoughts. In my job, I do that a lot. 😃
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
22. This discussion occurred in lawn chairs on a dirt-flood arena at a livestock show, both of us wearing jeans and me in a T-shirt. No ties and stained glass like on @60Minutes, and more smells of cow manure all around.
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
The story in case you missed it: https://t.co/HoYZhsovdC
* dirt-floor arena
— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) October 13, 2022
Should I pay $5 a month for that edit button?
FIRST IMAGE:
Twitter confirms it’s testing a tweetstorm feature
https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/twitter-confirms-its-testing-a-tweetstorm-feature/