The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that next month’s Gospel Today featuring women pastors on the cover has been pulled from Lifeway.
That’s not something a buyer would typically find in a Christian bookstore. Not unless it’s one of the more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the United States, including about six in metro Atlanta.
Gospel Today, the Fayetteville-published magazine, was pulled off the racks by the bookstores’ owner, the Southern Baptist Convention. The problem? The five smiling women on the cover are women of the cloth — church pastors.
Nathan White has a word to add on his blog:
Now, let me say that I agree with LifeWay and Chris Turner on pulling this off their shelves; the scriptures, and the Baptist Faith and Message, are fairly cut-and-dry on the male/female roles of leadership in the church. But nevertheless, having walked through a LifeWay store many times in the recent months, clearly they have much bigger issues concerning what’s on their shelves than a magazine promoting female pastors.
In other words, I believe that LifeWay has its priorities way out of line, as a substantial portion of the books they stock and sell are not faithful to the scriptures and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why would we care about LifeWay taking a stand on female pastors if they cannot take a stand on what accords with sound doctrine, and, subsequently, guarding the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Though it’s nice to find some agreement in Nathan White, I honestly feel the need to say a few things in defense of LifeWay. Lifeway is not shaping the culture of the church; it’s a by-product of it. It could have some influences, but by the time the products hit the shelves, the market is already in full motion. Although LifeWay has close ties with the Southern Baptists, at the end of the day, it is a business. Its way of running the business is like any other Christian bookstores.
Change first the culture of the church with its life and teaching, and the market will shift accordingly.
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Hey Don,
I see your point, but maybe you missed mine. I certainly agree that LifeWay is a business and what not, but the fact that they pulled something off of the shelves because it did not align with their convictions proves that they at least have some standard. All I would like to see is less attention given to issues like women pastors, alcohol, politics, etc., when making their stand, and more attention to the gospel and things far more important that they have definitely dropped the ball on in what they allow to grace their shelves.
Good thoughts though my friend,
Nathan
Sep 23, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hi Nathan,
Thanks for your thoughtful and gracious reply. I think it’s a great point that you are making about the commercialization that is taking place in Lifeway and Christian bookstores.
In recognizing that Lifeway is a business, I think it’s important to distinguish between that and the SBC.
As far as I know, Lifeway has not done anything abruptly in regards to those other areas mentioned. I believe your post was in regards to the items that were sold in the stores.
As far as what SBC is emphasizing, I think it is largely responding to the ailing condition of our society. Some may be overemphasized, you may argue, but that’s fine that you feel that way.
Having said that, dear friend Nathan, I would like to see us sharpening our focus a bit to see what the real issue is here in terms of the hermeneutical shifts taking place with the magazine Gospel Today endorsing female pastors. The issue of commercialization can be addressed at another time, but maybe, we can focus on the issue at hand first.
That was the thinking behind my response.