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Copyright © 2017 Brian Steven Dubberly, Jr. All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2017 Brian Steven Dubberly, Jr. All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. COMPETING VISIONS: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM, 1961-1991 __________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________________ by Brian Steven Dubberly, Jr. May 2017 APPROVAL SHEET COMPETING VISIONS: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM, 1961-1991 Brian Steven Dubberly, Jr. Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Robert A. Vogel (Chair) __________________________________________ Thomas J. Nettles __________________________________________ Gregory A. Wills Date______________________________ To God’s greatest gift to me in this life—my precious wife, Lauren. Here’s to new adventures and quick getaways. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xii PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ xiii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 The Controversy and Baptist Identity .................................................................2 Thesis ..................................................................................................................3 The Reflection of a Denomination ......................................................................5 The Value of Studying the Pastors’ Conference and SBC Forum ......................6 From Progressive to Conservative ......................................................................7 A Rhetorical History of the Conservative Resurgence .......................................9 The Pastors’ Conference and SBC Forum, 1961-1991 ........................... 10 The Conservative Resurgence as a Social Movement ............................. 11 The Use of Ultimate Terms ..................................................................... 11 Fantasy Theme Analysis .......................................................................... 12 A Summarized Integration of Findings ................................................... 12 2. THE SERMONS OF THE PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM, 1961-1991 .............................................................................................13 Topical Method of Sermon Selection ...............................................................13 The Topics of the Controversy ................................................................ 14 The Frequency of the Topics ................................................................... 15 Insights Gained from the Topical Comparison ........................................ 16 iv Chapter Page The Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, 1961-1991 ................17 Tension in the Convention (1961-1967) .................................................. 17 A Struggle Over Ideas (1968-1978) ........................................................ 21 The Conservative and Moderate Movements (1979-1990) ..................... 28 A Different Convention (1991-) .............................................................. 36 The SBC Forum, 1984-1991 .............................................................................37 An Alternative Pastors’ Conference ........................................................ 37 The Preaching of the SBC Forum ............................................................ 39 Conclusion ........................................................................................................47 3. THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT RHETORIC OF THE PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM ...................................................................48 Social Movements, Rhetorical Situation, and the Functions of Social Movement Rhetoric ..................................................................................48 Social Movements and Their Rhetoric .................................................... 48 The Rhetorical Situation of a Social Movement ...................................... 51 The Functions of Social Movement Rhetoric .......................................... 54 Understanding the Preaching of the Conservative Resurgence as the Rhetoric of a Social Movement ................................................................61 The Conservative Resurgence as a Social Movement ............................. 62 The Rhetorical Situation of the Conservative Resurgence ...................... 63 The Conservative Resurgence as a Particular Kind of Social Movement .................................................................................................83 Anti Movement ........................................................................................ 83 Managerial Movement ............................................................................. 84 Value-Oriented Movement ...................................................................... 86 The Functions of Social Movement Rhetoric in the Preaching of the Pastors’ Conference and SBC Forum, 1961 – 1991 .................................87 v Chapter Page The Stages of a Social Movement as Exemplified in the Preaching of the Pastors’ Conference and SBC Forum, 1961 – 1991 ...........................93 Dormancy (1961 – 1967) ......................................................................... 94 Organization (1968 – 1978) ................................................................... 103 Response (1979 – 1990) ........................................................................ 114 Decay (1991 to the Present) ................................................................... 123 A Competition of Baptist Visions .......................................................... 126 4. ULTIMATE TERMS IN THE PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM ......................................................................................................127 Introduction .....................................................................................................127 What Are Ultimate Terms? .............................................................................128 Different Types of Ultimate Terms ....................................................... 130 Characteristics of Ultimate Terms ......................................................... 132 Another Ultimate Term .......................................................................... 133 Ultimate Terms and the Ethics of Rhetoric .....................................................137 The Ultimate Terms of Conservative Rhetoric ...............................................137 God Term ............................................................................................... 138 It Was All about Inerrancy .................................................................... 144 Devil Term ............................................................................................. 148 Charismatic term(s) ............................................................................... 154 The Ultimate Terms of Moderate Rhetoric .....................................................157 God Term ............................................................................................... 157 Devil term .............................................................................................. 164 Charismatic terms .................................................................................. 169 Conclusion ......................................................................................................175 5. A FANTASY THEME ANALYSIS OF THE PASTORS’ CONFERENCE AND SBC FORUM .................................................................177 vi Chapter Page Introduction .....................................................................................................177 Fantasy Theme Analysis ........................................................................ 178 A Methodological Caveat ...................................................................... 181 The Appeal and Function of Fantasy Themes ....................................... 182 This Study .............................................................................................. 187 The Conservative Rhetorical Vision ...............................................................187 Conservative Fantasy Themes ............................................................... 188 The Functions of Conservative Fantasy Themes ................................... 207 The World of Conservative Fantasy ...................................................... 210 The Moderate Rhetorical Vision .....................................................................211 Moderate Fantasy Themes ..................................................................... 211 The Functions of Moderate Rhetoric ..................................................... 229 The World of Moderate Fantasy
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