Avoiding schism at all costs

The Southern Baptist Convention has for some years been troubled by internal strife between Arminians who want to kick Calvinists out of it, justifying themselves with stupid arguments (like "Calvinists don't evangelise") (and yet I'm a Calvinist), and Calvinists who ultimately waste time by saying stuff like "But the guys who set up the institutions that later became the SBC were mostly Calvinists" (instead of sticking with "But the Bible says your soteriology is wrong. Let's debate it")

There are those who are pretty invested in trying to keep this tension from developing into full-blown fracture and schism. Politicians. Their intentions may be laudable, to keep men they truly regard as brothers from doing what they ought not do - cause division among brethren. But in staring at the Calvinism question, it is all too easy to ignore other more problematic signs of Downgrade.

Take, for example, Ronnie Floyd. He of the confetti cannon baptistry. This kind of stuff also happens on his watch. And yet Dr Al Mohler has all but ensured that Floyd will be the next President of the SBC. Why? Probably because he'll be more or less acceptable by both Arminians SoBaps and Calvinist SoBaps, so the tension can remain to be dealt with another day. Meanwhile, we get another big-shot megachurch pastor in a position to be put on a pedestal and imitated by those who think the favor of God is evidenced by lots of butts in pews.

Some costs are too high.