This initial essay is not intended to be an extensive response to the biblical, theological, and historical assertions made by the main speakers at the 2003 Auburn Avenue Pastor's Conference (hereafter AAPC), instead I will have time to address the speaker's comments in greater detail in following installments. In this first part, I wish to give a brief overview and critique of the conference and to give my own highly subjective observations of the events that transpired.

My intention in writing this critique is not to snipe at the participants from a concealed position. It is my intention to make copies of this essay available electronically to all the speakers at the conference, and indeed I do not intend to say anything in these pages I would not say to them in person, or in a court of the church.