“Traditionalistic Protestantism,” which has “endowed with divinity” the Southern way of life, must loosen its grip on the region if the South is to enter the mainstream of American life, a seminary professor declared here.

Dr. Earl D.C. Brewer, professor of sociology and religion at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, told 100 ministers at the university’s Church and Community Workshop that if this happened, the region could become a viable unit of Christian mission, ecumenical and Catholic in scope.”

“Traditionally the Southern sect-type Protestant stresses individualism in religious experience,” he said, “with little attention to social theory or ethics. Traditionally, concern is with personal morality rather than social problems with surface cures rather than basic causes, with salvation by enthusiasm rather than evangelism.

“The fact that prophetic voices in pulpit and pew are today increasingly vocal in criticism of what was formerly defended is obviously disconcerting and confusing to many traditional Protestants.”

“Historically,” the professor explained, “the Southerner was rooted in the plantation system, in a segregated biracial pattern, in states’ rights, and in fundamentalic Protestantism.

“This Southern synthesis has been as much sanctioned and endowed with divinity by Protestantism as ever was the medieval synthesis by Catholicism.”

Dr. Brewer asserted that the “dominance of traditionalistic Protestantism, in its peculiar Southern form, must loosen its hold on the minds of the South before the region can enter fully into the pluralistic mainstream of American economic, social, political and religious life.”

“This restless region,” he continued, “contains enough commonality of history and tradition, and of contemporary problems and pathos that it could serve as a viable unit of Christian mission, ecumenical and Catholic in scope.”

Noting that the “lump” of Southern society is in “vital ferment,” Dr. Brewer questioned whether the “leaven is more of Christ or of culture.”

He urged the ministers to “get into the world.”

“Too often,” he said, “the structures of the church are devoted to private housekeeping duties, with most of the church’s functions being carried on within the building and for the members. We tend to organize ourselves in such a way as never to engage the world in the world, but only insofar as it comes into the house we call God’s—which He may not claim.”

On the search for new church forms, Dr. Brewer observed that the phrase “religious innovation” is a “jarring” one. “We speak of innovations in art and science, but not in religion. We speak of old time religion, not innovation. You don’t get that idea from the New Testament.”

Another seminar at the Church and Community workshop dealt with new forms of ministry for the inclusive church, providing opportunities for Negro and white pastors in the Southeast to examine their problems in the light of the church’s mission.

Ministers also went on field trips to look at some church responses to rapid rural and urban changes.