Scriptural Separation: First; Second and Third Degree
1. First Degree Separation: A Christian must separate from unbelievers. (Example: No Christian should read and commit here at DC.)
2. Second Degree Separation: A Christian must separate from any Christian who fellowships with unbelievers. (Example: No Christian should knowingly fellowship with a Christian who reads and commits here at DC.)
3. Third Degree Separation: A Christian must separate from any Christian who fellowships with any Christians, who in turn, fellowships with any Christians who fellowships with unbelievers. (Example: No Christian should knowingly fellowship with a Christian who knowingly fellowships with a Christian who reads and commits here at DC.)
While I was a student at Bob Jones University, the annual March Bible Conference (which features major Fundamentalist evangelist or pastors from large Fundamentalist churches that supported the University with students) is a time when all students, faculty, staff and supporters attend up to four services a day to hear fundamental Bible preaching as well as where the “Real Fundamentalist” stand on core Biblical issues.
It was at the 1971 Bible Conference that two of the main speakers (out of about 10 invited) happen to be Dr. John R. Rice, the fiery fundamentalist from Murfreesboro, Tenn. who published the hardcore Independent Baptist evangelistic new paper: The Sword of the Lord and the French educated Church Historian, John D. Woodbridge (the son of and close friend of Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., Charles Woodbridge).
Dr. John Rice’s sermon addressed the auditorium’s congregation on the Fundamentalist dogma of Scriptural Separation and claimed the Bible supported all three degrees of it.
When Dr. John Woodbridge got the pulpit after Dr. Rice's sermon, he claimed the Bible taught no such degrees of separation and that Dr. Rice was simply reading into the text something that was not there.
After the Woodbridge sermon was over, Bob Jones, Jr. got up and told Dr. Rice and Dr. Woodbridge that the Bible Conference was not a place for a debate and that it was to end here and now.
After a friendship of more than fifty years with the Jones and the University and also as a regular Bible Conference speaker, Dr. Rice stormed off the campus swearing to never set foot on the University again. (It was latter pointed out that he would drive right past the University on his way to see his daughter in Greenville and never stopped again to see his old Fundamentalist friends; the Jones.) Dr. Rice had now put into place what he believed: Scriptural Separation.
Secondly, Dr. Rice used his The Sword of the Lord news paper (which was required reading for all Dr. Bob’s Preacher Boys, as we were called) to attack the University. This lead to the University to cancel all the subscriptions that we Preacher Boys had with Dr. Rice’s paper.
Although Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. had stopped the debate on Scriptural Separation at the ‘71 Bible Conference, he none the less believed in the degrees or levels of this dogma that Dr. Rice taught was in the Bible.
For example, students could not listen to Judy Collins sing the hymn Amazing Grace because she was a “non Christian” signing a Christian hymn. Fifty demerits were given to student who did.
Billy Graham held a Crusade in Greenville in the mid 1960’s and the University let it be known that any student or staff who attended any of the Crusades would be expelled or fired.
Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. told the student body (of which I was apart) that, because of the lack of Scriptural Separation, “Billy Graham had done more damage to Christianity than any man who had ever lived.”
Bob Jr. latter told us at one of the University’s Chapel services that the hymn, Just as I Am, would no longer be sung in any service at the school since it was associated so closely with the compromise of Billy Graham.
I was given 100 demerits (during double demerit week; 150 demerits will get you expelled) for listening to The Son of Faith for the Day sung by Loretta Lynn on a local radio station.
However, just as we have pointed out time and again here at DC with the constant liberalizing of Christian doctrines, Bob Jones University now finds itself the focus of failing to adhere to it’s own Fundamentalist dogma of Biblical Separation.
The chickens have indeed come home to roost!
2. Second Degree Separation: A Christian must separate from any Christian who fellowships with unbelievers. (Example: No Christian should knowingly fellowship with a Christian who reads and commits here at DC.)
3. Third Degree Separation: A Christian must separate from any Christian who fellowships with any Christians, who in turn, fellowships with any Christians who fellowships with unbelievers. (Example: No Christian should knowingly fellowship with a Christian who knowingly fellowships with a Christian who reads and commits here at DC.)
While I was a student at Bob Jones University, the annual March Bible Conference (which features major Fundamentalist evangelist or pastors from large Fundamentalist churches that supported the University with students) is a time when all students, faculty, staff and supporters attend up to four services a day to hear fundamental Bible preaching as well as where the “Real Fundamentalist” stand on core Biblical issues.
It was at the 1971 Bible Conference that two of the main speakers (out of about 10 invited) happen to be Dr. John R. Rice, the fiery fundamentalist from Murfreesboro, Tenn. who published the hardcore Independent Baptist evangelistic new paper: The Sword of the Lord and the French educated Church Historian, John D. Woodbridge (the son of and close friend of Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., Charles Woodbridge).
Dr. John Rice’s sermon addressed the auditorium’s congregation on the Fundamentalist dogma of Scriptural Separation and claimed the Bible supported all three degrees of it.
When Dr. John Woodbridge got the pulpit after Dr. Rice's sermon, he claimed the Bible taught no such degrees of separation and that Dr. Rice was simply reading into the text something that was not there.
After the Woodbridge sermon was over, Bob Jones, Jr. got up and told Dr. Rice and Dr. Woodbridge that the Bible Conference was not a place for a debate and that it was to end here and now.
After a friendship of more than fifty years with the Jones and the University and also as a regular Bible Conference speaker, Dr. Rice stormed off the campus swearing to never set foot on the University again. (It was latter pointed out that he would drive right past the University on his way to see his daughter in Greenville and never stopped again to see his old Fundamentalist friends; the Jones.) Dr. Rice had now put into place what he believed: Scriptural Separation.
Secondly, Dr. Rice used his The Sword of the Lord news paper (which was required reading for all Dr. Bob’s Preacher Boys, as we were called) to attack the University. This lead to the University to cancel all the subscriptions that we Preacher Boys had with Dr. Rice’s paper.
Although Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. had stopped the debate on Scriptural Separation at the ‘71 Bible Conference, he none the less believed in the degrees or levels of this dogma that Dr. Rice taught was in the Bible.
For example, students could not listen to Judy Collins sing the hymn Amazing Grace because she was a “non Christian” signing a Christian hymn. Fifty demerits were given to student who did.
Billy Graham held a Crusade in Greenville in the mid 1960’s and the University let it be known that any student or staff who attended any of the Crusades would be expelled or fired.
Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. told the student body (of which I was apart) that, because of the lack of Scriptural Separation, “Billy Graham had done more damage to Christianity than any man who had ever lived.”
Bob Jr. latter told us at one of the University’s Chapel services that the hymn, Just as I Am, would no longer be sung in any service at the school since it was associated so closely with the compromise of Billy Graham.
I was given 100 demerits (during double demerit week; 150 demerits will get you expelled) for listening to The Son of Faith for the Day sung by Loretta Lynn on a local radio station.
However, just as we have pointed out time and again here at DC with the constant liberalizing of Christian doctrines, Bob Jones University now finds itself the focus of failing to adhere to it’s own Fundamentalist dogma of Biblical Separation.
The chickens have indeed come home to roost!
9 comments:
It was once pointed out to me that if Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. could see the liberalization of the University today, he would be spinning in his grave so fast that he would need to be put between centers on a lathe just to keep him in his grave!
Hi Harry,
There is an excellent book that addresses exactly what you are saying and the horrors that go on in the "church" today. The book is "When Bad Christians Happen to Good People." I have a copy of this boook that I will let you borrow if you would like to read it.
Harry
So a conservative Christian college in the south, 40 years ago held some "close minded" positions. And now that they are trying to catch up with the rest of us, you still want to pile on. Harry, in 1971 you were still wearing pork chop side burns and silk shirts, and they still had Blue laws in South Carolina. And I think the "Mod Squad" was cutting edge because they had a Chic and a Black guy as the Stars of the show.
People should be allowed to change, I wasn't circumcised with a jagged rock, and I'm not droppin' a duece in my back yard anymore either.
We Christians know all to well about Christian snobs and bigots, But they are fading away with each passing generation, I doubt if any one really cares in most churches that Christians are "chatting" with Atheists. Well, maybe your neighbor?
Peace Out, feeno
Thanks Dencol,
ButI have a reading list now twenty some odd books long and I have let myself down more time than once.
But thanks anyway.
Harry
feeno,
I’m not sure where you live, but you sure don’t live in the Bible Belt area of the Southeastern U.S.!
The last time I check, Bob Jones University still had several churches in their student handbook that would get a student expelled if they attended. Try: North hill Community Church in Taylor’s, SC or Tabernacle Baptist Church just 8 miles from me down SC 25 / White Horse Road.
Tell you what, come to Greenville, SC and drive on to the BJU campus one Sunday and tell the administration that you are here to prove to an atheist on a blog wrong that the University has undated itself in 40 years and that all Christians are brother in Christ under the blood of Jesus and to prove this blog wrong, you would like to take several students to a service at Tabernacle Baptist Church on White Horse Road.
Please feeno, give your little peep talk that you just posted to me and watch how fast campus security will escort you off their campus!
Secondly, the next time you pass by Greenville on I-85, turn to WTBI (91.5) or listen live here, especially to the preachers Tabernacle Bible College and Seminary put out and compare it with what you just posted.
Forty years might bring change to Christianity as you posted about in your neighborhood, but not in the Southern Bible Belt!
Harry,
Ya, I guess I'm a heretic, then. I get along w/ most atheists. I do my best my part to "live in peace with all men." I also don't like to think in terms of "us and them". We are all conclusively in this human experience.
Christians of the legalistic, "do/don't checklist" mind set can become so self-righteous, judgmental and unloving.
When we get our eyes back on Jesus, it all turns right side up again. Jesus reached across all social barriers. No one was "not worth the effort" to Him. He was criticized for associating with tax collectors and drinkers, who needed the "physician" most.
R/S,
mike
Thanks for a laugh Harry even though in reality its not really so funny.
This separation issue just doesnt really achieve much.Except more division and a less inclusive world maybe,at a time when its now become so obvious we really need much more of quite the opposite.
Yes Feeno we no longer stone people to death anymore either and most folk now days see this past attitude as slightly barbaric.
Still your supposed good book suggested these things back then.
And in another few thousand years as more and more Christians mellow and change some possibly mellowing so much they dont even bother reading much within this old religious book, maybe then many more Christians will all be the better type you and Michael suggest.
But all this new change i suggest doesnt do anything to suggest the validity and truthfulness of this book in the first place.
If anything it suggests the less people actually take notice of it the better we are.
Harry said "I’m not sure where you live, but you sure don’t live in the Bible Belt area of the Southeastern U.S.!"
Yes Harry i dont sit around home thinking hmmmmm this home of mine here is kinda cozy and cool,must be the same for the majority elsewhere as well.
When will Christians ever start to really understand that our beef is not with your own personal lovely places of worship that you often suggest you have,but maybe much more about majorities and how faith beliefs might actually effect the wider world overall as well.
Thanks Gandolf. Well put.
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