Southwestern Baptist Seminary forbids speaking in tongues

Using the baseball metaphor of "you don't wear a Yankees uniform when you play for the Mets," the Southern Baptist Convention's Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson defended his resolution banning Baptist seminarians from speaking in tongues or talking about it in their sermons.

Patterson submitted the resolution to trustees Tuesday, it has been reported.

It states: "Southwestern will not knowingly endorse in any way, advertise, or commend the conclusions of the contemporary charismatic movement including private prayer language. Neither will Southwestern knowingly employ professors or administrators who promote such practices."

Pentacostal and charismatic Christians say speaking in tongues is a distinctly Biblical thing to do. Patterson and the Southern Baptists disagree.

"I have opposed (speaking in tongues) for all of these years because I think it's an erroneous interpretation of the Bible," he said.

"Southern Baptists traditionally have stood against what we feel like are the excesses of the charismatic movement. All we're doing is restating where we've always been."

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