(New Orleans) — While debate continues over a resolution affirming “the sinner’s prayer,” and we wait to see if a fuller debate will develop over Reformed versus “Traditional” Southern Baptist Theology, what might be considered a less important vote by the convention—for second vice-president—may better signal how messengers really feel about the simmering theological arguments.
Messengers elected a pastor who was positioned as a unity candidate over the author of the statement on “traditional” Southern Baptist Theology by 20 percentage points.
Dave Miller is an Iowa pastor whose nominator described him as a man who could unite Southern Baptists, someone serving in a small church in a frontier territory of SBC work whose voice needs to be heard at the denominational table. He won in a run-off by 59.5% to 39.5%, defeating Eric Hankins, the Mississippi pastor who drafted a defense of Southern Baptist theology against inroads by Reformed theologians.
In an earlier round, messengers eliminated a third candidate, Brad Atkins, a pastor from South Carolina.
iB2 News 