This edition of DarkLinks, we will cover something we overlooked, and that is the Apologia Recording Scandal. This scandal was passed over in large part because we took the time to wait and assess the situation before taking a side on the issue. But now it seems clear that this was a gross violation of clergy-penitent privilege. Other reasons for not diving into this controversy was our devotion to the Robert Lopez story which we are providing updates to regularly. The Robert Lopez/SWBTS scandal similarly is easier to fall behind on if you do not catch it from the beginning. This DarkLinks will hopefully make this situation easier to understand.
Apologia Elders, Including James White, Should Step Down for Clergy Misconduct
By Pulpit & Pen
As Pulpit & Pen has previously reported, Apologia Church secretly recorded clergy-penitent conversations to archive and later use for retaliatory purposes. After we reported that Apologia’s secret sin confession recordings found its way on YouTube (with both Durbin and White using it to threaten Tim Hurd), the church was silent for days while many of their fans assured the world that Durbin was surely not the one who released the audio anonymously. In fact, some even insinuated that I released it (Durbin would not correct them).
After days of putting together a strained, victim-flailing response, Apologia’s elders put together a three-hour-long video confessing that Durbin indeed released the secret recording on an anonymous YouTube channel but blaming Tim Hurd for “victimizing, slandering, and abusing” Durbin for years.
Apologia Uses Scientologist Attack Strategies Against BTWN
By Jeff Dornik @ Gatekeepers
Again, this all comes down to power. I’ve experienced this personally with Dr James White, who is an elder at Apologia Church. I’m not surprised that he is involved in a church like Apologia that is employing these types of tactics. It’s a pattern with him and his crowd. He & his followers have used similar attack strategies against me, personally. Ad Hominem and different forms of intimidation in order to hold onto whatever perceived power and influence they have.
In closing, I did want to mention one other aspect: and that is accountability for Tim Hurd. Jeff Durbin had sent the secretly recorded video of Tim confessing & repenting to JD Hall, who is on the board of BTWN. There was no setup. There was no explanation. Just sending the video telling JD to watch it. JD said no, because he didn’t want to participate in gossip or hearsay. Jeff Durbin is now claiming that Tim Hurd has no true accountability because JD Hall refused to deal with this claim of sin against Tim.
Here’s the thing. I’ve written about churches and ministries who don’t have accountability in place. Often times these churches and ministries will not allow people to bring their complaints or accusations of sin to the elders. This is typically done to protect them, keep them in control and ensure that they don’t have a bad PR event on their hands. Let me be explicitly clear: That’s not what is going on with JD & Tim.
Blacklisted: ERLC known to blacklist, attack conservatives
By Capstone Report
Lopez not the first conservative to be attacked by Russell Moore’s ERLC.
In 2017, Dr. Robert Gagnon first alleged ERLC & Russell Moore blacklisted conservatives.
James White of Alpha & Omega Ministries experienced consequences of the SBC’s 11th Commandment.
Will McRaney attacked by the North American Mission Board.
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention is known for its pettiness. It routinely blacklisted and worked to end the careers of scholars its leadership did not like, according to conservative Christian scholars.
Were the sons of God in Genesis 6 fallen angels? Who were the Nephilim?
By JD Rucker @ NOQ Report
Dr. Gentry’s interpretation offers no reason for the context of mentioning the Nephilim in verse 4. But again, I’m not ready to counter it because it could really go either way. The plain reading of the text makes it relatively clear to me that the Nephilim were the result of the sons of God having sex with human women, but Dr. Gentry has his reasons for believing otherwise, which I respect.
Whatever the connection between the Nephilim and the sons of God is can be debated, but the belief that the sons of God were not angels seems to be clearly debunked. Unfortunately, it’s still prevalent in many church teachings today.
“God’s World Mission” Class from Covenant Theological Seminary Blatantly Promotes Critical Race Theory
By Enemies Within The Church
It’s difficult to think of a Christian denomination or organization that has not started down the path of Marxist-inspired social justice. Lately, the Southern Baptist Convention has stolen most of the headlines. However, the Presbyterian Church of America is not far behind. Here’s a syllabus from Covenant Theological Seminary’s Mission’s course “WM 310: God’s World Mission,” revealed by a concerned student.
Two purposes for the course are: “To discern the role of sociological categories of identity (race, ethnicity, culture, class, nationality) in the spiritual formation of our community and that of others,” and “To lament the Western, white cultural captivity of the Church and to place ministerial priority on the socially and culturally marginalized.” Several “woke” books are used in the curriculum including “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James Cone and “Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation” by Jennifer Harvey. Students even go on a “privilege walk.”
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