Call Roman Catholicism a cult?

Southern Baptists are seldom shy about calling other religious groups cults. The Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board even has an apologetics and interfaith web site with a section devoted to “New Religions and Cults.”

A minister at a prominent Southern Baptist church in Florida has taken the label to a new high, or perhaps we should say a new low, in declaring the Catholic Church to be a cult. Jim Smyrl, the executive pastor of education at the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, made the accusation on one the church’s official blogs.

Smyrl says he expects to be questioned about his stance, but that the Bible and history are on his side. He compares his position to strong stands made by John Wycliffe, Martin Luther and others.

Smyrl goes on to say he wants to “ultimately see a reformation of the Catholic Church that is not just a schism but a harvest of Catholics coming to Christ alone for salvation.”

In a way, Smyrl’s position might be seen as the next logical step for Southern Baptists.

For years, some Southern Baptists have given out tracts stressing the need for Catholics to be saved. And in a Baptist Press article about the similarities and differences between the two groups, a Southern Baptist “interfaith coordinator” tells how Baptists can “share the Gospel – as they know it” with Catholics.

Smyrl’s blog can also be seen as a departure from a Baptist willingness to dialogue with Catholics.

The Southern Baptist Convention and the Roman Catholic Church had 30 years of official doctrinal talks until the SBC broke them off in 2001. The Baptist World Alliance has continued discussions with the latest talks being in December of last year when a group of Baptists met the Pope.

It’s our view that such civil discussions are more productive than name calling.