"I have been a practicing Christian all my life, and a Bible teacher for many years," says Jimmy Carter in a Guardian (UK) editorial, in which he refers to his leaving the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), primarily over the issue of womens' rights. (Carter actually left the denomination in 2000.)
It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.
His latest announcement flows out of his participation in a group called the Elders, an organization formed by Nelson Mandela, and composed of various "elder statespersons" from around the world. The Elders recently issued a call for womens' rights:
However, as Elders, we believe that the justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a higher authority, is unacceptable.
Pres. Carter has indeed been a Bible teacher for many years, and I was honored to attend one of his Bible studies at Maranatha Baptist Church--not affiliated with the SBC--in Plains, Georgia. Maranatha Baptist is a small church, seating perhaps 150 people, though all seats were filled on the day I was there.
Carter interacted with the people for about 10 minutes and then spent about 40 minutes discussing the story of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3. He had several pages of notes written out on what seemed to be a Big Chief tablet. It occurred to me that the man has many ways of spending his time, and he had chosen to spend it in preparing and delivering a Bible study.
Rosalyn and some of their grandchildren were also present that morning. Pres. Carter said that he and Rosalyn do not do autographs, but, if you wanted to have your picture taken with them, they'd be happy to do that--after church.
The Carter's were, at one time, members of Plains Baptist Church, a very large church up the road from Maranatha. During the 1976 campaign, a black man attempted to attend church there, but was turned away. The Carter's left the church not long after.
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