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At some time, known only to God, the traditional churches of Christ,
and the Church of Christ denomination will be listed as two separate
religious bodies in the United States Religious Census, as was
the case in 1906.
A sign of this imminent probability was the Forrest F. Reed
Lectureship held on September 2627, 1997. Lipscomb
University hosted the Reed Lectures this year as a part of
a series of special celebrations related to the inauguration of
Stephen F. Flatt as president of the school.
To create a figure of speech the bones of David Lipscomb were
rattling in his coffin out in Mt. Olivet Cemetery on the evening
of September 26 and 27 when Steve Flatt extended the right hand
of fellowship to the liberal Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
This took place on the very land walked by the feet of David Lipscomb,
who, for more than fifty years, opposed digression.
The subject of the Reed Lectures is titled "Founding Vocation
and Future Vision: The SelfUnderstanding of the Churches
of Christ."
Richard Hughes made it clear that he regards the churches of Christ,
Christian Church, and the Disciples to be three denominations
who share common roots in the StoneCampbell Restoration
tradition.
Like as was said by a New York reporter about the speech delivered
before the national Democratic Convention by Frank Clement, Tennessee
governor, that the young governor last evening "slew the
Republican Party with the jaw bone of an ass."
Traditional churches of Christ are alive and well
Dr. Hughes reflects only contempt for the belief that churches
of Christ follow the worship and practices of the church bought
by the blood of Jesus Christ. Dr. Hughes and the Lipscomb participants
expressed neither interest nor concern, much less respect, for
the traditions of the school David Lipscomb founded.
I consider the Reed Lectures meeting on the Lipscomb campus to
be a calculated insult to all that David Lipscomb believed and
practiced for a lifetime. This was symbolized by the presence
of Stephen F. Flatt who was the central focus of the event.
This is the brother who will be presented as the embodiment of
the traditions of the Nashville Bible School/ David Lipscomb College/Lipscomb
University.
Steve says he is Harold Hazelip's greatest admirer. Does he endorse
the statement that Lipscomb has never been in a better condition
than in the Hazelip administration?
We will use the printed page as an effective means to reach Steve
through the independent and thoughtful readers who will give free
and impartial judgment to what we write. Steve should not expect
to be excused because of his personal charm, sincerity, and ignorance
of indisputable facts.
The Proceedings of the Reed Lectures
Forrest F. Reed, a prominent Nashville publisher, established
the Reed Lectures in 1964 by a permanent trust. The Lectureship
provides a series designed to maintain and further interest in
the religious heritage, backgrounds, origins, and general history
of the Churches of Christ, the Christian Church, and the Disciples
of Christ.
However, the Reed Lectures will not merit the dignity of its purpose
until scholars who truly represent the traditional churches of
Christ are invited to replace such bogus representatives of the
churches of Christ as Hughes and Foster.
Friday evening session
Dr. Richard C. Goode, assistant professor of history at Lipscomb,
said it was suggested [by whom, perhaps Dr. Hazelip?] that since
Hughes is a member of the "churches of Christ" that
the Reed Lectures be hosted this year by Lipscomb. [Dr. Hughes
is not a member of the churches of Christ, by his own selfadmission.
He is a member of the sectarian/denominational Church of Christ.]
The liberals know how to use the mechanics of grammar to identify
literary intention.
Dr. Flatt extended the customary words of welcome to the DCHS
representatives. Dr. Peter Morgan, president of the DCHS, conferred
on Steve Flatt Life Membership in the Disciples of Christ Historical
Society. Some unidentified patron supplied the fee.
This writer is a Sustaining Member of the DCHS. B.C. Goodpasture
expressed the highest interest in the DCHS when the society built
the magnificent library in Nashville. Goodpasture and Claude Spencer,
the curator of the DCHS library, became the best of friends. The
library houses the greatest collection of Restoration material
in the world.
Would that Steve Flatt possess a thimble full of knowledge of
this mountain of information that he could make better judgment
calls.
Anthony L. Dunnavant, professor of church history in Lexington
Theological Seminary that was known from 1865 until recent years
as the College of the Bible, introduced the speaker. The liberal
element in the College of Bible seized control of the College
of the Bible in 1917, and is today one of the most postmodern
liberal seminaries in the world. Dr. Hughes' two addresses as
a unit will be addressed in another place.
Douglas A. Foster, associate professor of church history, and
director of the Center for Restoration Studies in Abilene Christian
University, presented the Response to the Hughes' Lecture. Dr.
Foster's loyalties are clearly with the Disciples of Christ. He
is a DCHS editorial consultant. Dr. Hughes is a member of the
DCHS editorial committee.
Alas! Dr. Foster broke all ties with the traditional churches
with his aborted effort to shoot down the influence of David Lipscomb
in his 1992 Wineskins article for which he made no public
confession. The import of the Wineskins article shows the
low esteem
with which Hughes and Foster have for the worth and influence
of David Lipscomb, holding at bay the organized assaults of the
Digressive Movement against churches of Christ for 62 years of
his life.
Hughes and Foster have attained a measure of notoriety in two
published books in which they labored to prove the thesis that
the postmodern church of Christ is a denomination whose roots
are traced to an exclusive Restoration sect in the early 19th
century.
Saturday Evening Session
Gary N. Holloway, associate professor of Bible, and director of
graduate Bible at Lipscomb, extended the welcome for the second
session. He was appointed to this position after Michael Moss
left the position to chair the Lipscomb Bible department vacated
by Mac Lynn. Dr. Moss replaced William Woodson.
Dr. Woodson was brought to Lipscomb by Willard Collins to organize
the graduate division of Bible. He served with distinction in
the finest traditions of the Nashville Bible School/David Lipscomb
College (University). William Woodson retired from Lipscomb after
a distinguished life of dedicated service.
The opening prayer was led by Dr. Robert E. Hooper, author of
two biographies of David Lipscomb and Willard Collins (Restoration
History and A Distinct People.) Hooper's skill as a
church historian is flawed because he blindsides facts,
whatever his reasons. He painted Foy E. Wallace as a racist, and
described Marshall Keeble as an "Uncle Tom," which he
was not. Dr. Hooper is an elder of the Woodmont Hills "Family
of God," and a supporter of Jubilee.
Terry Smith, minister of the Woodmont Hills Family of God, introduced
Dr. Hughes. Why was not Rubel Shelly selected to do the honor?
Dr. Shelly has the closest of fraternal ties with the Disciples,
running from Nashville to Calgary? He has been made much at home
on the Lipscomb campus by Harold Hazelip.
(Brother Hazelip told me he did not read my articles. That is
not surprising, but thousands do and believe what I am writing.)
The assumption could be made in listening to Dr. Hughes that Restoration
history begins and ends with Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell.
One would never learn from Dr. Hughes that such Restoration giants
as Robert Milligan, Moses E. Lard, John W. McGarvey, Isaac Errett,
J.H. Garrison, N.B. Hardeman, and A.G. Freed ever lived. Were
I awarding a letter grade to Dr. Hughes as a competent Restoration
historian, he would not even come up on my list.
Dr. Hughes told us over and over that God is God, and man is man.
God is perfect, but man is not. The love and grace of God saves
all. Members of churches of Christ are Christians. but not the
only Christians.
And Hughes repeatedly drove the point home that he regards churches
of Christ as nothing more than another narrowly defined denomination.
He stops just short of ridicule in his portrayal of the traditional
churches of Christ.
Some Observations
Harold Hazelip was present along with his alter ego, Mac Lynn,
for the first session of the Reed Lectures. The arrangements for
the Reed Lectures were set up near the end of his administration.
The primary blame for the dismantling the traditions of the Nashville
Bible School began during the watch of Harold Hazelip.
Dr. Hazelip no doubt thinks his last move will drive supporters
of the traditional churches of Christ into oblivion. He had similar
thoughts during his "antism" days back in the 1950s.
That Dr. Hazelip can no longer speak ex cathedra for Lipscomb
is a great boon.
Postscript
Dr. Peter Morgan is not to be faulted for accepting the invitation
of Lipscomb to host the Forrest F. Reed Lectures. He is rendering
a great service to Restoration research scholars as president
of the DCHS. David McWherter, the DCHS librarian, superbly supports
him. His role is to promote the DCHS. I respect my friends, Dr.
Morgan and Dave McWherter, for their intellectual honesty to the
same degree that I detest the intellectual dishonesty and the
shabby ethics of the "change agents."
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