Sutton Interviewed by AP and Marty Duren

Incidentally, on the same day two interviews of Jerry Sutton come out - one by Tim Whitmire of the Associated Press, and the other by Marty Duren. A couple of notes: AP Interview: 1. Sutton argues that there are "a lot of people" who think that Frank Page does not have enough conservative credentials. 2. Sutton disagrees with Wade Burleson on the venue of principled dissent and argues that statements made in closed meetings have been made public on the internet (referring to Wade Burleson). Burleson has responded to Jerry Sutton's statements in the AP interview which can be found here. Duren Interview: 1. Marty takes many of the same questions posed by Tad Thompson who interviewed Frank Page last month. 2. Sutton's theme for the presidency is "Clarity, Integrity, Strategy." 3. While Sutton does not say that there is a current threat of hyercalvinism in the SBC, he warns of the threat that too much emphasis on the sovereignty of God which would result in apathy towards lost people "is not biblically sound" and is "deadly bad soteriology." (Where do people think that a firm commitment to the sovereignty of God = no passion for the lost or evangelism? 4. A couple of new questions were added, which included seminary presidents and denominational heads endorsing candidates and cultural engagement. I need some more time to think through and re-read the statements by Sutton in these interviews. It does look, however, that there is a disparity between what he said in the AP interview about principled dissent and what he said in Duren's interview. More to come . . .