{"product_id":"southern-baptist-politics-authority-and-power-in-the-restructuring-of-an-american-denomination-paperback-1","title":"Southern Baptist Politics: Authority and Power in the Restructuring of an American Denomination - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eArthur E. Farnsley  II\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike other recent studies of the Southern Baptists, \u003ci\u003eSouthern Baptist Politics \u003c\/i\u003ewas written after the culmination of the \"Baptist battles\" of the 1980s, when Fundamentalists had effectively taken control of the denomination. It also considers the SBC not simply as a denomination but as an organization with characteristics similar to other voluntary associations in American society--an approach that promises to be useful for the study of other religious groups in America. Arthur Farnsley concludes that the SBC, as an American denomination, had within itself the seeds of pragmatism and individualism that characterize most American voluntary organizations. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOf primary interest to Farnsley are the crucial issues of authority and power. Taking his cue from Paul Harrison's classic study, \u003ci\u003eAuthority and Power in the Free Church Tradition, \u003c\/i\u003e Farnsley considers how authority has traditionally been exercised within the SBC, and how Fundamentalists maneuvered within this existing authority structure to seize power. According to Farnsley, disgruntled Fundamentalists soon discovered that they could exploit the democratic elements within the SBC polity to their advantage. So successful were they in their efforts that by 1990 all significant leadership positions within the denomination were filled by Fundamentalists, thus enabling them to take, and hold, institutional power. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe lessons of \u003ci\u003eSouthern Baptist Politics\u003c\/i\u003e extend beyond this one denomination. By using the Southern Baptists as a case study, Farnsley asks what the SBC controversy can tell us about religious organizations in America, about dealing with cultural pluralism, and about institutional means for creating change.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArthur Emery Farnsley II is Associate Director of the \"Congregations in Changing Communities\" project at the Center for Religious Research at Emory University.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 168\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.4 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 17, 2008\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42564387536992,"sku":"9780271034232","price":82.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/1922\/9280\/files\/VUZoRkNtSDR1UWVVVzU1UnU0alVCdz09.webp?v=1770436481","url":"https:\/\/bijoucc.myshopify.com\/products\/southern-baptist-politics-authority-and-power-in-the-restructuring-of-an-american-denomination-paperback-1","provider":"CARIBBEAN CONNECT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}