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The Current Baylor Mess

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by RandR, Jul 10, 2003.

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  1. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    http://www.abpnews.com/abpnews/story.cfm?newsId=3692

    I'd especially like to hear BaptistBeliever's, KPBAP's, and ExxonMobil's thoughts on what is happening these days in Waco...

    I'm of the opinion that the real issue is ideological and concerns who will control "the long arm of Baylor" in Texas and how it should be used. I think the financial issues (tuition and debt) are being thrust to the forefront because they're the issues that are easiest to sell to mom and pop Baptist in the Texas pews.

    The opposition group is EXTREMELY vocal and has some big names behind it (in spirit if not publicaly) that include Reynolds, the Hiltons, former Regents Field, Wingo, etc. But are they still a just a (vocal and strong) minority voice? Or do they have a larger groundswell of support than many realize?

    Do you think the higher-profile moderate pastors (Park Cities, South Main, Tallowood, Westbury, FBCs Waco, Tyler, Abilene etc.) will get involved? If they come down on the side of supporting the "opposition group" then Sloan is likely toast.

    As a Baylor grad who was somewhat dissatisfied by Baylor's former direction, was somewhat amused at the irony surrounding Sloan's hire, and has enthusiastically welcomed the changes in chapel, hiring policies, etc., I for one would like to evaluate Sloans 10 year vision at the end of said ten years. Not 16 months into the process.
     
    #1 RandR, Jul 10, 2003
  2. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Since you asked… [​IMG]

    The story you cited referenced three different events – as far as we know, they are not related.

    My general comments:

    Regarding the story of the 2012 initiative – although I graduated from a Texas Baptist university, I’m not a Baylor alumnus and I haven’t kept up with the details of the program. From the little bit I’ve heard about it, I think the initiative is a very good idea. But I know a Baylor alum who is very dissatisfied with the new direction of the school, so I know there are probably issues involved that I don’t know anything about.

    Regarding the story of McFarland and the drug sting – McFarland sounds fishy to me. I used to work at a private college prep school and I’ve conducted some drug investigations. Some parents get very nervous when you start looking for drugs. I think many of them are in denial and don’t want to face the fact that their children may be involved with or exposed to drugs. I’ve seen this firsthand on many occasions.

    Regarding the story of the missing basketball player – There’s not enough evidence to say much. Certainly Baylor does not appear to be at fault.

    That’s probably a fair assessment. Tuition costs are pretty excessive in higher education just about anywhere you go these days. I recently saw what it costs to go to my own alma mater now and, to put it bluntly, I could not afford to go there now.

    I don’t know. I really don’t run in the Baylor circles.

    My guess is that they won’t. Since Baylor is largely independent from the BGCT, I doubt they would have that much influence anyway.
     
    #2 Baptist Believer, Jul 10, 2003
  3. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Well I have seen things that don't vary much from the world in some Baptist Colleges and universitites. One of them had the weekly horoscope printed each week in their newspaper. I know for a fact that Baylor does not have all Christians on its faculty. They are asking for trouble when they do this. I can think of wery few schools that have not gone downhill since they began. It seems like they either die or get liberal or even become secular. How can a school call itself a Baptist school and have the horoscope in its paper? What kind of theology does that present to the world? Sure doesn't seem to represent the Baptists I have known.
     
    #3 gb93433, Jul 10, 2003
  4. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Are you saying that the Baylor Lariat has a horoscope column? :confused:
     
    #4 Baptist Believer, Jul 10, 2003
  5. Speedpass

    Speedpass Active Member
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    I have heard some talk about it, but don't really know much about it. I am concerned about how such a showdown could affect Truett Seminary, which is a part of Baylor.
     
    #5 Speedpass, Jul 10, 2003
  6. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    Thanks for your thoughts.

    BB,
    No the Lariat does not have a horroscope. Maybe he's thinkng of Wake or Mercer ;)
     
    #6 RandR, Jul 10, 2003
  7. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    The Baptist Standard has several stories on all aspects of the current situation at Baylor this week:

    www.baptiststandard.com
     
    #7 Baptist Believer, Jul 13, 2003
  8. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    It was Houston Baptist University paper that had the horoscope in it.

    BTW, isn't it amazing that so many Baptist colleges and universities had plaques showing donors that give large sums of money.
     
    #8 gb93433, Jul 14, 2003
  9. Hardsheller

    Hardsheller Active Member
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    How can anything bad be happening at Baylor?

    The "good guys" control it, not the nasty old mean fundamentalists. :eek:
     
    #9 Hardsheller, Jul 14, 2003
  10. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    Sheller,

    You might want to read up a little on the current situation.

    Sloan is basically being accused of being a nasty old mean fundamentalist by those who formerly had the power and controlled the direction of the institution.

    Here's some irony for you...The same people who forced through Baylor's charter change in 1990 are many of the same people who now are disaffected with Baylor's current leadhership and more conservative direction. Only now that the BGCT only elects 25% of the board (thanks to their own charter change), they find themselves without a formal mechanism to change the situation to their liking.
     
    #10 RandR, Jul 15, 2003
  11. Hardsheller

    Hardsheller Active Member
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    Isn't Sloan the one who approved Dancing on Campus in 1996 and in fact danced with his wife to demonstrate the change in policy? I think that removes him from the Fundamentalist camp pretty easily! :D
     
    #11 Hardsheller, Jul 16, 2003
  12. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Didn't God control the Garden of Eden and then the community east of Eden?

    Sometimes people make poor decisions with the freedom they have. It's not necessarily a reflection on the administration.
     
    #12 Baptist Believer, Jul 16, 2003
  13. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    [double post]
     
    #13 Baptist Believer, Jul 16, 2003
  14. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    Sheller,

    I'm not saying that the accusations that he is a Fundamentalist aren't absurd. They are. But you can't tell that to the people who are upset with the more conservative direction Baylor is going.

    According to recently retired Provost, Donald Schmeltekopf, until Vision 2012, there has always existed a dichotomy at Baylor where "faith was checked at the classroom door." (His words.) That is changing. The new plan calls for a more integrative approach to faith and learning.

    Beyond that, weekly chapel services have become such in recent years (as opposed to the "forum" of previous admins). New faculty hires are more carefully scrutinized to verfify that their faith claims are actually substantive and not just so they can get the job. Etc, etc, etc.

    All of these (and more) are reasons why detractors are trying to label Slaon as a Fundy.

    But yes, on the other end are some people refuse to see the positive changes happening at Baylor because of things like the campus dance. That is just as unfortunate IMHO.
     
    #14 RandR, Jul 16, 2003
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