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Second Benevolent Baptist
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33.9165° N, 118.2327° WOpen map →TraditionBaptistAbout →
Sourcing statusTradition default
Beliefs on file899 positions
Statement of faithNot on file
Where they stand
Each position below is labelled by how it was sourced, so you can weigh it for yourself.
VerifiedConfirmed by the church
From their statement of faithEstimated, not verified
Tradition defaultEstimated, not verified
Showing 79 of 899 positions across 18 topics. Expand any topic to see the rest.
God & the Trinity52 positions
- Analogical LanguageAffirmsTradition defaultHuman language about God is analogical: true but never capturing God univocally as it captures creatures.Estimated, not verified
- Apophatic PriorityAffirmsTradition defaultWhat God is in himself is ultimately beyond human comprehension, so negative ("God is not...") statements are more reliable than positive ones.Estimated, not verified
Christ67 positions
- Assumed Fallen Human NatureStrongly rejectsTradition defaultChrist assumed a fully fallen human nature (subject to the effects of the Fall) in order to heal it from within.Estimated, not verified
- Assumed Unfallen Human NatureStrongly affirmsTradition defaultChrist assumed an unfallen, sinless human nature, untouched by original sin/corruption.Estimated, not verified
Sin & the fall45 positions
- Adams Sin Brought Physical DeathStrongly affirmsTradition defaultPhysical death entered the human race as a consequence of Adam's sin; humans were not originally subject to death.Estimated, not verified
- All Sin Deserves Death EquallyStrongly affirmsTradition defaultEvery sin, however small, deserves God's condemnation/death: there is no class of sin that does not by nature merit it.Estimated, not verified
- All Sins Equal Before GodStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBefore God all sins are fundamentally equal: there are no greater or lesser sins.Estimated, not verified
- Conscience Universally Witnesses LawStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAll people have an innate moral conscience/knowledge of God's law (written on the heart), so none sin in total ignorance.Estimated, not verified
- Cosmic Fall Creation AffectedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAdam's sin disordered not only humanity but the wider created order (a "cosmic fall" affecting nature itself).Estimated, not verified
- Elect Infants Dying Are SavedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultInfants who die are (at least the elect among them) certainly saved by Christ apart from any work or profession of their own.Estimated, not verified
- Entire Sanctification AttainableRejectsTradition defaultBelievers can, by grace, reach a state in this life in which they are freed from all willful/known sin (Christian perfection / entire sanctification).Estimated, not verified
- Evil Arises From Creaturely FreedomAffirmsTradition defaultMoral evil arises necessarily from the gift of genuine creaturely free will, which God could not give without the possibility of its misuse.Estimated, not verified
- Evil Is Coeternal Principle DualismStrongly rejectsTradition defaultEvil is a real, independent principle or power, in some sense co-eternal with or independent of the good God.Estimated, not verified
- Evil Is Illusion Or UnrealityStrongly rejectsTradition defaultEvil and sin have no genuine reality; they are errors of perception or illusion to be dispelled by truth.Estimated, not verified
- Evil Is Privation Of GoodAffirmsTradition defaultEvil has no positive substance of its own; it is a privation or corruption of good (evil = the lack of a due good).Estimated, not verified
- Evil Originated In Angelic FallStrongly affirmsTradition defaultMoral evil entered creation first through the prideful fall of angels (Satan/the devil) prior to humanity's fall.Estimated, not verified
- Fall Affected Human Sexuality SpecificallyRejectsTradition defaultThe transmission and locus of original sin is especially bound up with sexual concupiscence/generation (sin is propagated through the disordered act of generation).Estimated, not verified
- Fall Historical EventStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThere was a real, primeval historical event ("the Fall") in which the first humans disobeyed God and lost an original state of integrity.Estimated, not verified
- Fall Symbolic Of Human ConditionStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe Genesis Fall narrative is best read as a symbolic or mythic depiction of the universal human condition, not a report of a singular past event.Estimated, not verified
- Fall Was Fortunate Felix CulpaAffirmsTradition defaultThe Fall, though evil, was a "happy fault" because it occasioned a greater good (the incarnation and redemption) than would otherwise have been.Estimated, not verified
- Fall Was Upward IrenaeanStrongly rejectsTradition defaultHumanity was created immature and the "Fall" was part of a developmental ascent toward maturity rather than a catastrophic loss.Estimated, not verified
- Fallen Can Do Civic GoodAffirmsTradition defaultEven without saving grace, the unregenerate can perform genuine civic/external good (justice, kindness) that is truly good on its own level.Estimated, not verified
- God Not Author Of SinStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod is in no way the author or cause of sin, even while sovereign over all things.Estimated, not verified
- Historical Adam EveStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAdam and Eve were real, historical individuals from whom humanity descends.Estimated, not verified
- Humans Naturally Good OptimismStrongly rejectsTradition defaultHuman beings are by nature fundamentally good, and wrongdoing is chiefly the result of ignorance, environment, or unmet needs rather than an inner corruption.Estimated, not verified
- Image Of God Retained After FallStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe image of God in humanity, though damaged by sin, is genuinely retained and is the basis of human dignity and capacity for relationship with God.Estimated, not verified
- Infants Morally Innocent At BirthAffirmsTradition defaultInfants are born morally innocent and become guilty only by their own actual sins once capable of moral choice.Estimated, not verified
- Mary Preserved From Original SinStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe Virgin Mary was, by special grace, preserved free from original sin from the moment of her conception (Immaculate Conception).Estimated, not verified
- Mortal Venial DistinctionRejectsTradition defaultSome sins are "mortal" (gravely severing the soul from grace/eternal life) while others are "venial" (wounding but not destroying the relationship with God).Estimated, not verified
- No Special Grace Needed PelagianStrongly rejectsTradition defaultHumans can live righteously and attain salvation by free will and effort without a special interior grace beyond creation, law, and example.Estimated, not verified
- Original Sin Is PrivationRejectsTradition defaultOriginal sin consists essentially in the loss/privation of original righteousness (a lack), rather than a positively infused evil.Estimated, not verified
- Original Sin RealStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAdam's first sin has real, inherited consequences for all his descendants (an "original sin"), not merely a bad example.Estimated, not verified
- Original Sin Removed By BaptismStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe guilt of original sin is truly removed/remitted by baptism (concupiscence may remain, but the guilt is taken away).Estimated, not verified
- Pre Fall Original RighteousnessStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBefore the Fall, humanity possessed an original righteousness / supernatural endowment of grace and integrity that was subsequently lost.Estimated, not verified
- Presumptuous Vs Weakness SinsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSins committed deliberately/high-handedly are more culpable than sins of weakness, ignorance, or passion.Estimated, not verified
- Satan Real Personal AgentStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSatan is a real, personal spiritual being who tempts and opposes God, not merely a symbol or personification of evil.Estimated, not verified
- Sin Became Human Substance FlacianStrongly rejectsTradition defaultAfter the Fall sin is so deep that it has become the very substance/essence of fallen human nature.Estimated, not verified
- Sin Is Primarily Relational BreachLeans toward affirmingTradition defaultSin is most fundamentally a rupture of relationship/covenant with God and neighbor, more than law-breaking or substance-corruption.Estimated, not verified
- Sin Is Transgression Of LawStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSin is fundamentally the transgression of God's law/command (an offense against a divine standard).Estimated, not verified
- Sin Is Ultimately Self Idolatry PrideAffirmsTradition defaultThe root of all sin is pride / inordinate self-love (turning from God to self).Estimated, not verified
- Sin Requires Voluntary ActAffirmsTradition defaultProperly speaking, something counts as sin only if it is voluntary (chosen knowingly and willingly).Estimated, not verified
- Sin Total In Degree Perfectionism DeniedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultNo one in this life (apart from special exception) is wholly free from sin; the regenerate continue to sin.Estimated, not verified
- Sins Differ In Gravity And GuiltStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSins genuinely differ in heinousness and in the degree of guilt and punishment they incur.Estimated, not verified
- Systemic Sin Reducible To PersonalStrongly affirmsTradition default"Structural sin" is ultimately reducible to the sum of individual personal sins and has no independent reality.Estimated, not verified
- Total Depravity Every FacultyStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSin has corrupted every part of human nature (mind, will, affections, body) so that no faculty is left untouched ("total" in extent, not necessarily in degree).Estimated, not verified
- Unbaptized Infants Lose BeatitudeRejectsTradition defaultInfants who die unbaptized are, because of original sin, deprived of the beatific vision (whatever their further state).Estimated, not verified
- Unbelief Is The Root SinStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe fundamental sin is unbelief (failure to trust God's word) from which other sins flow.Estimated, not verified
- Unforgivable Sin ExistsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThere is a sin (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) that will not be forgiven, in this age or the next.Estimated, not verified
- Unforgivable Sin Is Final ImpenitenceAffirmsTradition defaultThe "unforgivable sin" is best understood as persistent, final impenitence/rejection of grace until death, not a single past utterance.Estimated, not verified
Salvation60 positions
- Active Obedience ImputedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultChrist's lifelong law-keeping (his "active obedience"), not only his death, is imputed to the believer as their positive righteousness.Estimated, not verified
- Assurance Grounded In Christ AloneStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAssurance rests on Christ's finished work and God's promise, not on the believer's own works or sacramental performance.Estimated, not verified
The Holy Spirit56 positions
- All Gifts Continue TodayStrongly rejectsTradition defaultAll the spiritual gifts described in the New Testament, including the miraculous ones, continue and are normative for the church today.Estimated, not verified
- Assurance Is Normal For BelieversStrongly affirmsTradition defaultSettled assurance of salvation is normal and to be expected for genuine believers in this life.Estimated, not verified
The Church56 positions
- Apostolicity Is Doctrinal Not SuccessionalStrongly affirmsTradition defaultApostolicity consists primarily in fidelity to apostolic DOCTRINE, not in an unbroken chain of ordinations from the apostles.Estimated, not verified
- Baptism Is The Entry Into The ChurchStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBaptism is the rite of entry/incorporation into the visible church.Estimated, not verified
Sacraments & ordinances51 positions
- Age Of Accountability Before BaptismStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBaptism should wait until a person reaches an age of accountability and can repent and believe for themselves.Estimated, not verified
- Anointing Sick Is A SacramentRejectsTradition defaultAnointing of the sick with oil is a sacrament conveying grace, healing, and forgiveness to the seriously ill.Estimated, not verified
Worship & liturgy37 positions
- Altar Call InvitationStrongly affirmsTradition defaultA public invitation/altar call inviting people to come forward to receive Christ or rededicate is a fitting close to worship.Estimated, not verified
- Bowing And ProstrationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBowing, prostration, or full physical reverence before the altar, icons, or sacrament is fitting in worship.Estimated, not verified
Last things28 positions
- A Literal Mark Of The Beast Is ComingAffirmsTradition defaultA literal future "mark of the beast" will be imposed as a condition of economic participation.Estimated, not verified
- Apocalyptic Prophecy Read Literally FuturisticallyAffirmsTradition defaultThe prophecies of Daniel and Revelation should be read primarily as literal predictions of still-future events.Estimated, not verified
Scripture62 positions
- Authority Holy Tradition OrthodoxStrongly rejectsTradition defaultScripture is rightly read only within Holy Tradition: the Fathers, councils, liturgy, and consensus of the Church.Estimated, not verified
- Authority Magisterium InterpretsStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe authentic interpretation of Scripture is entrusted to the Church's living teaching office (Magisterium), whose judgments bind the faithful.Estimated, not verified
Revelation, creation & science35 positions
- Adam Special Creation From DustStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe first human was specially and directly created by God from the dust, not biologically descended from earlier hominins.Estimated, not verified
- Angels Created BeingsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAngels and other spiritual beings are part of God's created order, made by God.Estimated, not verified
Life & bioethics63 positions
- Abortifacient Contraception WrongStrongly affirmsTradition defaultMethods that can prevent implantation of an already-fertilized embryo (e.g., certain IUDs, emergency contraception) are morally equivalent to early abortion and impermissible.Estimated, not verified
- Abortion A Protected RightStrongly rejectsTradition defaultAccess to abortion is a fundamental right that should be legally protected.Estimated, not verified
Sexuality & marriage54 positions
- Abortifacient Contraception WrongStrongly affirmsTradition defaultContraceptive methods that may act after fertilization (potential abortifacients) are morally wrong even if other contraception is permitted.Estimated, not verified
- Annulment Recognizes Invalid MarriageRejectsTradition defaultSome unions that appeared to be marriages were never valid marriages, and the church can rightly declare them null (annulment).Estimated, not verified
Society & politics48 positions
- Active Nonviolent Resistance ObligatoryAffirmsTradition defaultChristians should actively resist injustice through nonviolent means (protest, civil disobedience, noncooperation), not merely abstain from violence.Estimated, not verified
- Capital Punishment LegitimateAffirmsTradition defaultThe civil authority may rightly execute criminals for grave crimes.Estimated, not verified
Angelology Demonology49 positions
- Angelic Fall Caused By PrideStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe angels fell primarily through pride: refusing subjection to God / seeking to exalt themselves.Estimated, not verified
- Angelic Fall Predates Human FallAffirmsTradition defaultThe angelic rebellion occurred before the fall of humanity, and the serpent's temptation issued from an already-fallen angel.Estimated, not verified
Anthropology45 positions
- Body Essential To PersonStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe body is essential to being a complete human person, not an accidental or dispensable container for the soul.Estimated, not verified
- Body GoodStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe material human body is intrinsically good as created by God.Estimated, not verified
Covenant Law Israel30 positions
- Abrahamic Covenant Foundational And OngoingStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe Abrahamic covenant is foundational and its promises remain operative for the people of God today.Estimated, not verified
- Baptism Replaces Circumcision Covenant SignStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBaptism is the New Covenant counterpart to circumcision, marking entrance into the covenant community.Estimated, not verified
Mariology Saints61 positions
- All Believers Are SaintsStrongly affirmsTradition default"Saints" in the New Testament sense means all believers, not a special canonized class.Estimated, not verified
- Altar Relics Required Or ProperStrongly rejectsTradition defaultIt is fitting (or required) that altars contain the relics of saints.Estimated, not verified
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