Contending for the Faith: Southern Baptists in New Mexico, 1938-1995

Preface

vii ——————— Preface For anyone interested in the study of religion in America, the state of New Mexico offers unparalleled opportunities. It is a microcosm of the nation. Within the state’s borders, one finds Native Americans practicing their ancient beliefs alongside adherents to Islam. A short distance away, Sikhs congregate at their temple. Although Roman Catholics and Protestants dominate the religious landscape, various forms of Eastern mysticism and New Age thought also abound. They have roots traceable to the “health seekers” who followed the Santa Fe Trail looking for alternative methods of healing involving the mind as well as the body. New Mexico, therefore, is an ideal place to undertake a study examining paradigm shifts in American religious history. Originally, my idea had been to study the effects of alternative religions on mainline Protestantism. But my academic colleagues helped me to steer the project into more manageable waters. Instead, I chose one group, the Southern Baptists, to examine for possible adaptations to a pluralistic environment. Before World War II, the Southern Baptists in New Mexico were a small denomination struggling for their existence. Two decades later, they were the largest Protestant body, and second only in size to the Roman Catholic Church in New Mexico. Given the background of Southern Baptists and the nature of New Mexico, the study posed an interesting academic question. How did a Southern form of evangelical religion, which was culturally, racially, and geographically homogeneous, rise to prominence in a state noted for its pluralism and diversity? This study begins in 1938 with the employment of Harry Stagg as the new corresponding secretary for Southern Baptists in New Mexico. Under his administration the Southern Baptists’ state convention achieved its phenomenal growth. Fortunately, Stagg was still living at the time this book was written and agreed to be interviewed. The study concludes in 1995, when the Baptist Convention of New Mexico went through a second reorganization, in an attempt to position itself for the twenty-first century. Such an event provided a natural point of demarcation. A brief epilogue on the 1996–2000 period viii brings their story up to the present. Interestingly, soon after the project began, it became apparent that Southern Baptist numbers in New Mexico had plateaued. Now, the focus of the study changed. I searched not only for factors that had caused them to grow, but also those contributing to a possible decline. Examining expansion and stagnation would allow me to understand better the Southern Baptist journey in New Mexico, illuminating any paradigm shifts in their theology and practice. Such an inquiry required a different method of analysis, one that would juxtapose the two conditions. For this purpose, I chose to study the three areas of church function: theology, structure, and fellowship. The interplay among these elements over time would reveal the nature of any alteration in Baptist practice, thus providing answers to why this reversal occurred and under what circumstances. The study is divided into five sections. Chapters 1 and 2 provide a historical backdrop, starting with Baptist beginnings in England up to the present, as well as a survey of Baptists in New Mexico from 1849 through 1937. Chapters 3 through 5 concentrate on the Stagg years and include the building of the Southern Baptist Convention’s western conference grounds at Glorieta. The tumultuous 1960s receive attention in chapters 6 and 7. Baptist adjustments to the post-1960s era comprise chapters 8 through 10. Finally, chapter 11 seeks to answer the two questions that framed the study: What factors allowed Southern Baptists to grow to prominence in New Mexico and why are they now beginning to decline? Attempting to write about Southern Baptists presents a unique set of problems. They are a noncreedal, nonhierarchical, fiercely independent people. In fact, in the seventeenth century, both the English government and the Anglican Church considered Baptists to be anarchists. This tradition continues to the present day. Indeed, “the” Baptist church does not exist. One can be a member of “a” Baptist church, and Baptist churches may come together for fellowship or to conduct specific work, usually evangelism and missions, yet each is totally autonomous. One must be aware then, that general statements about Baptists refer to trends or patterns. Such tendencies do not necessarily apply to a specific Baptist church. Therefore, readers are encouraged to turn to the appendix before beginning to read this book to acquaint themselves with Baptist beliefs. Foy Valentine, who for many years directed the Christian Life Commission of the...