“I have no quarrel with you, good Sir Knight,” says King Arthur, “but I must cross this bridge.”
“None shall pass!” declares the Black Knight. “I move for no man!”
So one of the most farcical fight scenes in cinema devolves into a ludicrously bloody battle for nothing more than the right to cross a bridge. The ensuing sword fight finds the stubbornly asinine Black Knight losing both arms and legs in the melee simply because he refuses to acknowledge reality. And Arthur continues unhindered on his quest in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
I mention this because its unbelievable stupidity is being mirrored in real life.
Steve Cothran
In 1994, Nancy and I were called together as ministers on the staff of Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah, Ky. She wasn’t the first female minister there, having been preceded by Evelyn Marney, who was called to be minister of music and dramatics in 1947. Evelyn was the sister of iconic Baptist pastor Carlyle Marney.
Nancy was followed at Immanuel by equally gifted ministers Erin Miller, Gina Brock and Brittany Riddle. And recently, Christina Crice was ordained as their children’s minister and will continue serving alongside their beloved pastor, Katie McKown.
Thanks to the giftedness and leadership of all these women, Immanuel Baptist is a thriving place of ministry and service to the people of Paducah.
Most people would want to celebrate growth and excitement, especially in a climate where religion in America is on the decline. But the Southern Baptist Convention is not “most people.” So they kicked Immanuel out.
The SBC used to be a Protestant powerhouse. No doubt some insiders even felt the way the Black Knight does when he exclaims: “I’m invincible!”
But SBC baptisms, membership and giving are all declining. And it isn’t because of female pastors. Maybe if those female-led churches they’ve banished had 1.1 million members on the rolls, that might add up. But that’s not it.
“Folks over at the SBC are making a fuss about female pastors because it’s easier than dealing with all the male pastor sex scandals they’ve been covering up for years.”
Folks over at the SBC are making a fuss about female pastors because it’s easier than dealing with all the male pastor sex scandals they’ve been covering up for years. Unbelievably, they even filed an amicus brief last year in Kentucky against — that’s right, against — a survivor of clergy sexual abuse simply to protect their own financial interests.
Their Lifeway stores sell bracelets that ask the question: “What Would Jesus Do?” Every follower of Jesus knows Jesus always sides with the abused, not the abuser. The victim, not the institution.
That scene with the Black Knight is laughable because he keeps denying the reality that he is losing one limb after another and bleeding out all over the place, insisting on doing what he’s always done.
The more pathetic modern version playing itself out today isn’t funny at all because the SBC is doing all of this damage to itself.
They ignore their self-inflicted mortal wounds by protesting, “’Tis but a scratch!” Instead, they continue running haphazardly with sharp objects, pointing fingers at thriving churches with female pastors and saying, “Now that’s the problem!” while their lifeblood pools around their legless torso.
Is it any wonder the number of Americans identifying as “nones” — those who don’t belong to a church or practice their faith — has grown from 5% in 1990 to almost 30% today?
Those “nones” shall continue to pass the church in droves because we are too busy covering up sexual abuse and telling people women can’t preach instead of practicing the radical, inclusive love of Jesus.
In fact, how would we even know about the good news of resurrection if faithful women had not returned from the empty tomb proclaiming (that’s another word for preaching) to all the men hiding behind locked doors … and amicus briefs?
My college roommate recently published his latest book titled The Power of the God Who Can’t. I’m betting that title threw you a curve because you’re probably saying, “That guy’s crazy. There’s nothing my God can’t do!”
I’m glad you think so. Because if your God can do anything, that includes speaking through women so that none shall pass without hearing the good news for all people.
Steve Cothran is a native of Greenville, S.C., and holds degrees from Furman University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Campbell Divinity School. He has served churches in Florida, North Carolina and Georgia, as well as six years in Kentucky where he and his wife, Nancy, were on the same staff together. He has written curriculum for Smyth & Helwys, CBF and d365, enjoys writing regular columns for the Newnan Times-Herald, and dreams of being the oldest cast member on Saturday Night Live.
