Wade Burleson

Wade Burleson
Born (1961-12-27) December 27, 1961 (age 62)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
EducationBaylor University (BA)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv)
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (DMin)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseRachelle Burleson
Children4
RelativesRufus Columbus Burleson (ancestor)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Wade Burleson is an American politician, author, and retired pastor for Emmanuel Enid church in Enid, Oklahoma, United States. Burleson was twice elected President of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, serving between 2002 and 2004. He later served as a trustee for the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board from 2005 to 2008. Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating appointed Burleson to the northwest Oklahoma Higher Education Program Board in 1996.

He is a speaker on the Civil War in Oklahoma,[1][failed verification] the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, conspiracies associated with assassin John Wilkes Booth,[2] and the history of the National Football League with its roots in Indian Territory.[3]

Career

In 1992, Burleson moved from Texas to Enid, Oklahoma to pastor for Emmanuel Baptist Church.[4] Burleson was appointed to serve on Oklahoma's Higher Education Program Board in 1996 by Governor Frank Keating.[5] In 2002, he was elected the President of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and he was reelected to the position in 2003.[6][4] He was elected to the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board in 2005. In 2006, his fellow members requested his removal from the board, citing "gossip, slander, lack of accountability and loss of trust."[4]

Burleson has publicly advocated for the removal of elected officials, advocating for their removal in court filings. These political stances were taken on church letterhead, as the office of Lead Pastor.[7][8] The effort Burleson advocated was later found to be "fatally-flawed" by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

2022 ‘Burleson for Congress’ campaign

On February 1, 2022, Burleson announced his candidacy as a Republican to represent Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Frank Lucas; he lost in the primary to Lucas.[9][10]

Political views

Wade Burleson has publicly supported Judd Blevins, a known white nationalist affiliated with Identity Evropa who marched at the 2017 Unite the Right rally, for election to Enid City Commission.[11][12] He also brought conservative speakers to his church such as Charlie Kirk and Dinesh D'Souza, and wrote articles that promote anti-trans, Christian supremacist, Western supremacist, and anti-Palestinian viewpoints.[12]

Gender equality

Christians for Biblical Equality awarded Burleson the International Priscilla and Aquila Award for his advocacy of gender equality.[13]

The termination of Sheri Klouda was broken on Burleson's blog.[14]

Burleson was a speaker at a rally for women during the 2018 Convention in Dallas, telling messengers that "The New Testament we say we believe teaches us Jesus Christ sets women free to serve, to lead, to minister."[15]

Proposed database of sexual predators

Wade Burleson Speaking at the 2018 "For Such a Time As This" Rally in Dallas, Texas

In 2007, Burleson recommended the creation of a database to track sexually abusive ministers.[16]

Istoria Ministries blog

In 2005, Burleson used his blog, Istoria Ministries, to identify what he called "the continuing narrowing of the doctrinal parameters of fellowship and cooperation in the area of missions and evangelism by demanding conformity and agreement on nonessential doctrines."[17]

In May 2015, policies implemented by International Mission Board and spoken against by Burleson, leading to his censure by the IMB, were reversed.[18]

Awards and honors

Burleson received the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters for his radio and television ministry.[19]

Burleson spoke on the subject of respecting women during the 2009 regional New Baptist Covenant meeting in Norman, Oklahoma.[20]

Burleson was awarded the International Priscilla and Aquila Award for his advocacy of gender equality.[21]

Personal life

Wade Burleson has been married to Rachelle Burleson, DNP, chief nursing officer at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center,[22][23] for over 30 years. They have four adult children and three grandchildren.[citation needed] In 2011, Burleson was briefly jailed in Mexico after causing a traffic collision that injured two.[24]

Burleson retired from Lead Pastor at Emmanuel Enid in 2022. [25]

Bibliography

Year Title Notes References
2003 Happiness Doesn't Just Happen: Learning to Be Content Regardless of Your Circumstances [26]
2009 Hardball Religion: Feeling the Fury of Fundamentalism [27]
2016 Radically New: The New Covenant Will Change the Way You Think and Live [28]
2017 Fraudulent Authority: Pastors Who Seek to Rule Over Others [29]
Forthcoming Red Earth Courage [30]

Electoral history

2022 Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district Republican primary results[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Lucas (incumbent) 44,442 61.1
Republican Wade Burleson 22,258 30.6
Republican Stephen Butler 5,997 8.2
Total votes 72,697 100.0

References

  1. ^ "Historian to chronicle Union flight from Indian Territory". News Ok. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma Town's Connection to Lincoln's Assassination". News 9. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  3. ^ "LISTEN: Wade Burleson on Oklahoma's Impact on the Formation of the NFL". K-1O1. May 14, 2018. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2018.[non-primary source needed]
  4. ^ a b c "Baptist Roots Run Deep for Controversial IMB Trustee". EthicsDaily. January 16, 2006. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  5. ^ "Legislative Updates 1996". Ok higher ed. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  6. ^ "'Man of grace' rises from crowd to head Baptists". NewsOK. November 30, 2002. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  7. ^ "Legislative Updates 1996". Ok higher ed. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "In tabling recall election vote, city has drawn ire from petitioners, local pastor". Enid News. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  9. ^ Ewald, Alexander (June 28, 2022). "Lucas wins GOP primary vote, defeating Enid's Burleson". Enid News & Eagle. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Court rules Ezzell recall petition is insufficient; election won't be held". Enid News. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  11. ^ Zadrozny, Brandy (March 13, 2024). "A small city in Oklahoma elected a white nationalist. Will it be able to vote him out?". NBC News. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Mathias, Christopher (March 13, 2024). "He Didn't Deny Being A White Supremacist. Then He Was Elected To City Council". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  13. ^ "Priscilla and Aquila Award Recipients". CBE International. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  14. ^ "Sheri Klouda surprised at the fallout from her 'removal' at Southwestern". Baptist News Global. January 25, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  15. ^ "At Southern Baptist meeting, lunchtime protest calls for change". Dallas News. June 12, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  16. ^ Davis, J. Mostyn (February 1990). "Who Ever Said It Would Be Easy?". Postgraduate Medicine. 87 (2): 24–25. doi:10.1080/00325481.1990.11704548. ISSN 0032-5481. PMID 2300526.
  17. ^ Hansen, Sarah Pulliam and Collin. "Costly Complaints". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  18. ^ "IMB drops ban on 'private prayer language'". Baptist News Global. May 14, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  19. ^ Long, Jeannine (Fall 2013). "Official Publication of the Oklahoma Society of Mayflower Descendants" (PDF). Oklahoma Mayflower. Oklahoma Society of Mayflower Descendants.
  20. ^ "Burleson urges respect for women in ministry". Baptist News Global. August 11, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  21. ^ "Priscilla and Aquila Award Recipients". CBE International. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  22. ^ Emily Summars, Returning to work: St. Mary's hires new chief nursing officer, Enid Eagle, 26 Dec 2016.
  23. ^ "Rachelle Burleson Named Chief Nursing Officer". St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. December 13, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  24. ^ "Enid pastor briefly is jailed while in Mexico".
  25. ^ "Burleson announces GOP candidacy running against incumbent Lucas". Enid News. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  26. ^ Burleson, Wade (June 30, 2010). Happiness Doesn't Just Happen: Learning to Be Content Regardless of Your Circumstances. United States: Trestle Press. pp. 1–5. ISBN 978-0-98274461-1.
  27. ^ Burleson, Wade (April 20, 2009). Hardball Religion: Feeling the Fury of Fundamentalism. United States: Smyth & Helwys Publishing. pp. 1–5. ISBN 978-1-57312527-7.
  28. ^ Radically New: The New Covenant Will Change the Way You Think and Live. Enid, OK: Istoria Ministries. April 5, 2016. ISBN 978-1-52032020-5.
  29. ^ Fraudulent Authority: Pastors Who Seek to Rule over Others. April 16, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2018 – via Amazon.
  30. ^ "Enid's Night of the Generals". Enid news. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  31. ^ "June 28 2022". okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved June 29, 2022.