If anyone has any doubt that an organization exists that coordinates the activities of Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) takeover leaders, Christian Reconstructionists, and other Radical Religious Right leaders, they ought to do some research on the Council for National Policy (CNP).
The New York Times ran a story on the CNP last Saturday entitled, "Club of the Most Powerful Gathers in Strictest Privacy." A few months ago, ABC news did a story on a "Vast, Right-Wing Cabal." These stories give some valuable information about the organization, but, as is usual in stories by the secular media, they focus on the most easily recognizable personalities and overlook some people that Baptists would find interesting. Most interesting was the Baptist CNP member that Bill Moyers tried to question on camera, Paul Pressler, who refused to answer his questions and walked out of the interview (See the video "God and Politics: The Battle for the Bible")
A good resource for research on the CNP is a little known book by Russ Bellent called The Coors Connection. Bellent himself says little about Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler, but he provides early lists of CNP members. His lists reveal the prominence that Pressler had within the group. As though he were being rewarded for a job well-done, Pressler was elected President of the organization in 1989 -- the year the takeover of the SBC was complete.
Online lists of CNP membership can be found here and here. Besides Pressler and Patterson, other Southern Baptist CNP members include Jerry Falwell, Ed McAteer and Rick Scarborough (if anyone recognizes a Southern Baptist listed that I have missed, please let me know). Scarborough was formerly pastor in Pearland, Texas and once was the Fundamentalist's approved candidate for President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (soundly defeated by Mainstream Baptists in Texas). He is now working for Vision America preaching "revivals" around the country in Southern Baptist churches mustering votes for "Christian values," promoting ten commandments rally's for Judge Roy Moore, and organizing speaking events for Jerry Falwell.
Another influential member of the CNP whose profile with the public is low was R. J. Rushdoony, the founder of the Christian Reconstructionism (See Moyer's Video "God and Politics: On Earth as it is in Heaven;" see also "Prophets of a Biblical America" in the April 12, 1989 issue of the Wall Street Journal and "Democracy as Heresy" in the February 20, 1987 issue of Christianity Today).
The CNP is one of the places where the former editor of the Daily Oklahoman came into contact with Rushdoony. The influence that Reconstructionism's founder wielded is evident from the prominence given to the editor's eulogy of Rushdoony when he died. It appeared in the first column of the editorial page of the Daily Oklahoman. Rushdoony's son-in-law, Gary North, whose radio interview with Paul Pressler first revealed the Fundamentalist's scheme to takeover the SBC, is also a member of the CNP.
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