Product Description

The Holy Bible, Baptist Study Edition under the editorial leadership of W.A. Criswell and Paige Patterson, offers a comprehensive study Bible with accurate, detailed scholarship in the Baptist tradition. Every serious student of Scripture, including pastors and lay men and women, will find this Bible a valuable resource for growing in the knowledge of God's Word. The Holy Bible, Baptist Study Edition will help you find deeper meaning in your daily study of the Scriptures, as well as practical applications for your day-to-day walk with the Lord. Offered in the New King James Version.

Customer Reviews (12)

Bible
This product is out of print. This was the only place I found this particular Bible. I ordered it with 2 day shipment. It arrived in new condition and sooner than I expected.

Excellent Study Bible
W.A. Criswell is by far one of the clearest teachers of the Bible.I use the commentary in this Study Bible as a resource to teach and preach.If you are looking for a clear study Bible, this is the one you should purchase.Criswell College is named after W.A. Criswell and home of the Pasche Institute of Jewish Studies.His teachings are clear and easy to understand.

The problems with "Study Bibles" ...
1) They almost never inspire "study" - we Americans are laaa-zeee.We would rather have someone else do our thinking for us.2) Their "notes" are too often propaganda rather than exegesis - please learn the difference and always keep this distinction before you.3) Any Bible that has a subtitle is, by definition, suggesting that this edition is better than the rest - do you see why I would say that?4) Too often "Study" Bibles are simply devices for selling more paper and ink - the same applies to "new" translations.

If you want to celebrate your heritage, good for you.But be aware of this - if you are a Christian your heritage is neither in your church's denomination nor even in your church's pedigree.Our heritage is in Christ and in Him alone.We need to stop thinking in terms of "It's all about me" (e.g. I'm a Baptist / Presbyterian / Episcopalian,etc.) and start focusing on the excellencies of God in Christ.(Perhaps you might want to read Packer's KNOWING GOD.)It's not about "me", it's all about Him ...

... I'm just along for the ride.

P.S. for some additional historical issues see the review titled "Errant Notes to the Inerrant Word, October 24, 2006".Interesting, if true.

Errant Notes to the Inerrant Word
This study Bible adds errant notes to the inerrant Word of God. It represents the definitive position of a theology (dispensationalism) that will be so changed in the next few decades that it will be unrecognizable from its present form. Those who believe that dispensationalism is Baptist theology don't know their Baptist history. Gill, Fuller, Boyce, Dagg, Carroll, Hovey were all covenant, calvinistic theologians. The precursors to modern Baptists who hold to dispensationalism were either holiness folks like A.J. Gordon, or radical sepratists like William B. Riley. This study Bible is no more representative of Southern Baptists than the Ryrie Study Bible. Go buy the Open Bible, a much better choice.

Great!
This study Bible is a fantastic resource for any and every Baptist believer! When you open the cover, and see a forward by Billy Graham, you know it is going to be good, and when you look at the list of contributors and see W.A. Criswell and John MacArthur, you know it is going to be great!

Each Bible book starts out with an in-depth introduction that discusses such things author, date and theme, then has a nice outline, and then follows with the Biblical text (New King James Version) with copious and highly informative annotations at the bottom of the page. At the end of the book are several Bible study articles, maps, and a nice concordance.

Now, my description above is not really exhaustive. There is so much in this great book that I could probably write a small book just describing it! So, suffice it to say that this is a great study Bible, one that is sure to please any Baptist believer. I love this great study Bible, and give it my highest recommendations! ... Read more

Product Description
1887. This volume grew from the author's desire to place a comprehensive work in the hands of young converts and those desiring to know the distinctive principles of the Baptists. It is a compilation of facts and the arguments of others, which the author culled from numerous sources after careful and voluminous reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Disapointed
Although Clarence Larkin books are very good, this particular one is just a compilation of other peoples information. I was extremely dissapointed with the small amount of information in it. The book was way over priced. Had I paidconsiderably less for it I wouldn't be as disapointed. I paid as much for it as I paid for the book of Revelation by Clarence Larkin. I am very happy with that book and several of his others, and highly recomend the other books. My suggestion is, save your money and put it towards one of the other dispensation books and then study about the baptist online or take other avenues but dont buy this book it will be a definite waist of your money.

from a classical dispensationalist view
Do not buy this book if you are looking for perspectives on the historic Baptist faith. ... Read more

Product Description
Baptists’ Timothy George and David S. Dockery update and substantially reshape their classic book in an effort to preserve and discover the Baptists’ “underappreciated contribution to Christianity’s theological heritage.”George and Dockery have re-arranged this volume—considerably abbreviated from the seven-hundred page first edition—in light of the Southern Baptist identity controversy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Baptist Theologians
Good biographical coverage of the pillars / founders of the Baptist movement - esp. those of the SBC.If you like [...], you will like this book.Not much treatment given to the "liberal" side of the house, so that information will have to be obtained elsewhere.

Helpful Introduction to Southern Baptist Theologians
Looking for a book that sums up the unique contributions of Baptist preachers and teachers to Baptist theology? Theologians of the Baptist Tradition is a terrific place to start.

David Dockery and Timothy George do a great job of compiling terrific contributions about important Baptist figures of the past. Each chapter is devoted to a particular theologian/pastor. Chapters give biographical information, informative summaries of the teacher's theology, and a helpful evaluation. The theology of men like Andrew Fuller, James P. Boyce, Charles Spurgeon, E.Y. Mullins, W.A. Criswell is described in a succint style that helpfully summarizes the strengths and weaknesses from each individual.

While the book is a helpful introduction to Baptist thinkers, several more recent Baptists are missing. Where is Stanley Grenz? Wayne Grudem? And several influential Baptists from the 20th century are absent as well (Walter Rauschenbusch, Martin Luther King, Jr.). Obviously, the writers could not include every important Baptist figure from the past few centuries. But men like Rauschenbusch and William Newton Clarke had much more influence (not necessarily good influence) than some of the theologians included in the book (Benjamin Carroll, for example).

Theologians of the Baptist Tradition succeeds in introducing the reader to the conservative Reformed-leaning stream of Southern Baptists. And the book is extremely helpful in this regard. But if you are looking for a book that also includes evaluation and critique of the influential Baptists who charted diverse paths towards liberalism, you will have to look elsewhere.

The Baptist Tradition is far wider
Dockery and George narrow the Baptist tradition to serve the interests of the fundamentalist machine which took over the Southern Baptist Convention 1979-1994.No one reading this volume will learn of such major Baptist theologians as William Newton Clarke (who wrote the first systematic theology from a liberal perspective in North America), Walter Rauschenbusch (theologian of the Social Gospel), such African-American worthies as Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King, Jr., J. Deotis Roberts, Hispanics like Orlando Costas or C. Rene Padilla, women like Martha Stearns Marshall (18th C. evangelist) or Anne Dutton (19th C. British Baptist theologian), etc.Even the conservative mainstream of Baptist life is narrowed between these covers so that progressive evangelical Baptists like Clark Pinnock or the late Stanley Grenz are ruled out.A more honest title would be "Theologians in the Conservative Calvinist Strand of Baptist Tradition."

Good History of Theology
This book is a historical survery of baptists, mainly from the standpoint of theology.Although this book does discuss history in general, it is much more concerned with the development of Baptist thought and literature over time as opposed to a specific lineage of Baptist people and places.
The book is divided into many short chapters, each devoted to a different historical Baptist theologian.Overall I think this book is very good; the historical information is well researched and informative and the discussion of historical theology is very insightful.Anyone looking for a brief yet interesting survery of Baptist thought and famous figures will find that this book should suit them well.

Drink Deeply of a Rich Heritage
Most of the books I read are a chore or mandatory, especially dealing with theology and Church History.However, this one was sheer delight.There have long been jokes about the ignorace of Baptists, for instance, "Whatis the difference between a Presbyterian and a Baptist?A Presbyterian is a Baptist that can read?"We Baptists may be known for our evangelistic fervor, but not for our Theological heritage.This book introduces the reader to minds that have been rivaled only by Calvin, Luther and the rest. The purpose of the book is to move the reader to study Baptist theology and, if a Baptist, to appreciate one's heritage.If not a Baptist, then to understand, evualuate, and appreciate this denomination's contribution to orthodox Christianity.Nor, are all these theologian's academicians, George and Dockery to a great job of combining mighty pastors (Spurgeon and Criswell, for a few) and Classroom theologians (Garret, Erickson and others).Of special interest are the chapters on A T Robertson, J Broadus, Spurgeon, and Criswell. ... Read more

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See how Southern Baptists agree and differ with the beliefs of other faiths. ... Read more

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Southern Baptists are the nation's largest protestant denomination, with over 43,000 churches and millions of members. Since its inception, controversy has surrounded the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Southern Baptists' most recent confession of faith. The present volume consists of essays by Baptist scholars explaining and defending that document.Each of the 18 articles of the BF&M 2000 is addressed, with special attention to the most critical issues and changes from the denomination's 1963 confession. Also included is an appendix comprising the full text of all three Baptist Faith and Message statements from the 20th century (1925, 1963, and 2000), in side-by-side columns for easy reference and comparison. Contributors include Al Mohler, Paige Patterson, Tom Nettles, Dorothy Patterson, E. David Cook, and C. Ben Mitchell, with a foreword by Susie Hawkins. Brief yet comprehensive, detailed yet accessible to the non-specialist, this volume is a must read for Southern Baptist professors and students, staff and church members, and anyone interested in one of the most powerful religious forces in America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000: Critical Issues in America's Largest Protestant Denomination
This is a great book that i would recommend for any church library as well as any ministers personal library. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Baptist Roots:Getting at the Truth of Our Heritage
This has to be the best, all inclusive study on "Baptist Heritage" that I have found.While enlightening in areas of Baptist roots, it also does a wonderful job dispelling many of the myths that have crept into the Baptist Church as to its beginnings.It is a must for anyone interested in the beginnings of the Baptist Church and the forming of their doctrinal statements of faith.

Good but not exact
This book is very well written.McBeth has laid a good foundation if you are interested Baptist History.The only problem I have found is McBeth allows his own personal views to skew what he calls history and what he has decided to include in this book.Rather than giving a full account of what History says about Baptist, McBeth tells most of the story.Other than that, VERY well written and easy to read.Don't be intimidated by the number of pages.McBeth focuses on a few things that you can skip and not miss anything.Hope you enjoy reading this book and will look further into history.McBeth mentions a good book to give you another side of Baptist History; "The Trail Of Blood".It is out of print but you can still find some copies out there.While it also is not exact it gives you another side.Good Luck and God Bless!

Enjoyable Read of Baptist History
I was required to read this book for a seminary course and instead of being intimidated by the size of the book, I found it to be an extremely enjoyable read on how Baptists have flourished over the years in spite of persecution, church splits, and other challenges.

McBeth traces the origins of Baptists in the early 1600s from England and Holland and chronicles their history up to the late 1900s.

Among the more interesting topics covered include:

1.Baptist beginnings in Europe.
2.Baptist beginnings in America and the part they played in the Great Awakenings.
3.The struggle for religious libery in early America.
4.The split of the Baptists in the 1840s that eventually led to the Southern Baptist Convention.
5.The formation of several types of Baptist groups (Southern, Primitive, Independent, American, National, Landmark, etc.).

Whether you are Baptist or not, after reading this gem you will have a greater appreciation for the Baptist heritage!

Read and enjoy!

McBeth's Magic
Having spent the entirety of his life in Christian service both within and outside Baptist circles, and, as McBeth says, "In a quarter-century of teaching Baptist History...," Dr. McBeth has certainly devoted himself to his work within the Church and the academy.The magnitude of this book is indicative of the scholarship that McBeth has invested in a book of this sorts, yet its size does not overwhelm the reader.If necessary, McBeth uses the extra space to explain the concepts and technical 'jargon' of the oft-misunderstood Baptist theology and history.
Readers of this volume ought to come away with a solid, general understanding of the beginnings of Baptists during the 1600s in England, the spread of the Baptist-Christian flavour to the European continent, as well as to The United States of America.McBeth's handling of Baptist history is balanced between Continental Europe as well as the American context, from which McBeth has invested his life.

Comprehensive and Personal
Without a doubt, this is the most definitive work on the history of Baptists. McBeth leaves no stone unturned in developing a portrait of a faith tradition born out of persecution and intolerance. A tradition born with an affinity for personal freedom, i.e. competency before God. McBeth's work has aided me greatly in understanding why I am Baptist and what that means. At a time in which many Baptists are struggling with a crisis of identity, this book can serve as a rescue. Don't let the size of the book intimidate you. Think of it as crawling into grandpa's lap and hearing the stories of old. More than the book I appreciate the man behind it. He was one of the greatest teachers I ever studied under, and one of the most genuine professor I ever encountered. ... Read more

Product Description
In response to customer requests, Hannibal Books is pleased to announce that James C. Hefley's much sought-after Volume 6 (sometimes called The Missing Volume) of the classic The Truth in Crisis series is available again for the first time in 14 years.

Also known as The Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention,Volume 6 was published in limited quantities in 1991. It immediately sold out; Hannibal Books at that time did not choose to reprint.

Hefley wrote Volume 6 as his final report on the controversy between 1979 and 1991 that rocked and dramatically changed the nation's largest non-Catholic denomination. The book contains 364 pages and is about twice the size of each of Volumes 1 through 5. Hefley designed the book to be a condensed version of the other five volumes but with additional materials included.Then at the time of publication he changed his mind and listed the book as Volume 6.

Hefley, who founded Hannibal Books in 1984 and died in 2004, described the book as ". . . the wrap-up book of The Truth in Crisis series." He noted that it "covered 70 years of eventful Southern Baptist history, culminating in the most revolutionary change of a denomination in American church history."

"Here is very recent history available nowhere else, including the dramatic 'Showdown at the Sunday School Board', the account of the crucial 1991 overturn at Southern Seminary, 'Baylor University--Saved or Stolen?', and much much more," Hefley wrote on the book's back cover.

He called the book "a 'must' study for Southern Baptist pastors, agency employees, seminarians, professors and laity who want the full story of what is happening to Southern Baptists."He said the book would be "helpful to anyone who wishes to understand how a major church body was turned in a more conservative direction by a grassroots movement that got out the vote to defeat one of the most powerful religious establishments in America." In the reprint, Hannibal Books neither edited nor changed in any way Hefley's original manuscript.The book appears exactly as it did in 1991 except for address and website changes for Hannibal Books and the addition of one page dedicating the reprint to James and Marti Hefley. The two died in the spring of 2004 of unrelated illnesses only weeks apart. The dedication says, "Together in life. Together again singing praises around God's throne." Dr. Lewis Drummond, former president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., wrote the foreword. Today, various volumes of The Truth in Crisisseries, especially Volume 1, are used as textbooks in most Southern Baptist seminaries.

During his lifetime, Hefley authored and co-authored about 50 books.Besides six volumes in The Truth in Crisis series, Hefley was perhaps best known outside the Southern Baptist Convention for his Way Back series about life in the Ozark Mountains during the Depression years. ... Read more

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Relates the career of John the Baptist whose preaching predicted the coming of the Messiah. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Greenwood, S.C. : Attic PressSubjects: Baptists -- HistoryNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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In light of the current identity crisis facing Baptists today, editors Nettles and Moore offer a volume of testimonies from contemporary Baptists expounding on that very question—Why I Am a Baptist.Taking a more objective approach than offered in earlier books, Why I Am a Baptist models a more doctrine-oriented approach, explaining Baptist life on the basis of historical tenets of the Christian faith worked out in practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

More than just testimonies
This book is so much more than a mere book of testimonies. This is a solid polemic for Baptist theology in the areas of the absolute authority of Scripture, Believer's Baptism, Religious Freedom, and Local Church Autonomy. It's very interesting that many of the contributors flirted with becoming Presbyterian (one even left being a Baptist to become a Presbyterian, only to come back) but the issue of infant baptism was something they could not overcome. I can truly relate to them on that.

Contributors include:
-Albert Mohler
-Wayne Grudem
-Paige Patterson
-Ann Judson
-Mark Dever
-Stan Norman

If you are flirting with becoming a Baptist, once were a Baptist or just want to understand the Baptist position this book is without a doubt for you.

The one drawback is that there's nothing by Spurgeon or John Gill in here which would have fit so perfectly. Also there is a lack of minority contributors for whatever reason.

Celebrates our Baptist faith and heritage
A book of testimonies by various Baptist leaders, both past and present, on our common faith and heritage. Sadly, Baptists are often known more for our traditions and emotional revivalism than our deep theology, but this book shows there are indeed many biblical, theological, and historical reasons to celebrate being a Baptist. Some great chapters, though the book could probably have been titled, "Why I wish I was Presbyterian, but the Bible's teaching on believer's baptism would not let me."

Doctrinal Distinctives and Personal Testimonies
Search for books called Why I Am a Baptist and you will find titles going back for more than a century. One of the more recent books to claim this title explores the reasons for Baptist identity by drawing from the personal experiences of a variety of Baptist leaders.

Russell Moore and Tom Nettles (both of Southern Seminary) have done conservative Baptists a service by editing a book that describes Baptist doctrinal distinctives in the context of personal testimony. This readable collection of essays will be an encouragement to Baptists who may not know why they are Baptist, aside from their upbringing.

Why I Am a Baptist contains essays from Baptist forefathers (Isaac Backus, Ann Judson, F.H. Kerfoot), from current Baptist leaders (such as Jimmy Draper, Paige Patterson, and Al Mohler), European Baptists (Erroll Hulse, etc.), pastors (Mark Dever, Al Meredith, etc.), pastors' wives, professors, and other Baptist evangelical leaders (Carl Henry, Wayne Grudem, etc.).

Baptist distinctives are clearly articulated in this book, especially the doctrine of believer's baptism as the key to Baptist identity. The contributors emphasize the trustworthiness of Scripture and the autonomy of the local church.

The only complaint I have with this collection is that the majority of the writers lean to the Reformed side of Baptist life. This fact is most clearly seen in many of the authors' journeys between Presbyterian and Baptist churches. Several of the essays could have just as well been titled "Why I Am No Longer a Presbyterian." While I enjoyed these essays, I would have rather heard from a broader spectrum of Baptist theology.

Still, Why I Am a Baptist is a worthy addition to the library of anyone interested in Baptist belief and practice. The distinctiveness of Baptist belief is presented in the form of testimony, leading to a deep appreciation for the Holy Spirit's guidance of Baptists throughout the centuries.

Narrowing the tradition
As the editors state in the introduction, this book was written as a right-wing response to Cecil P. Staton, ed., Why I Am a Baptist:Reflections on Being Baptist in the 21st Century (Smyth & Helwys Press, 1999).The former book has some problems since it is dominated by the losing voices (i.e. centrists and progressives)in the Southern Baptist Holy War, c. 1979-1994, and their pain is still evident as they describe finding ways to be Baptist in other Baptist denominations after being betrayed by their home denomination.Other global voices are in that collection, but not enough.

But this conservative-fundamentalist response speaks falsely about the earlier volume (e.g., claiming that the contributors have no theological convictions simply because they do not share THEIR convictions) and then narrows the Baptist tradition to "fundamentalist Calvinists who practice the immersion of believers." The actual 400 year global Baptist tradition is far more diverse than that, but no one reading this volume would know it from the contents.Don't waste your money or your time.To find out about real Baptists look elsewhere.

A good read
I found this to be a good read.I liked the editor's choice to draw from fairly diverse group of Baptists (though some larger groups go unrepresented).I thought a couple of segments were outstanding, and couple of segments were uninspiring, and the rest was pretty good.I don't know if I would put this on a must read level, but if you are a Baptist and you want to come into a better understanding of the Baptist family, then this is worth your time and money.

-Chris- ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

A Baptist Theology of the Bible
Southern Baptist have recently gone through a period of tumult over the question of biblical authority, and more specifically, biblical inerrancy.

Does the Bible have errors in any field of reality? Does the Bible contain errors when it comes to science or history?

Conservatives within the Southern Baptist Convention chose to face this question head on. Today, the inerrantist view of Scripture has become the prominent position of most everyone in Baptist leadership.

Baptists and the Bible (Broadman & Holman, 1999) by Russ Bush and Tom Nettles, was very influential during the early years of the Southern Baptist debate over inerrancy. It first was released in 1980, right at the time when the political battle over theology was beginning in Baptist life.

Baptists and the Bible was instrumental in that it makes a strong case for Baptist continuity between contemporary inerrantists and the forefathers of the Baptist heritage. Bush and Nettles argue that inerrancy is not something new in Baptist life. Historical documentation establishes a wide consensus on this issue in the past.

Baptists and the Bible is not primarily about the controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention during the last decades of the last century. It is a book of history and theology. With meticulous historical detail, the book outlines a Baptist theology of the Word of God through the centuries, asking such potent questions as:

How is the Bible authoritative?
How is the Bible inerrant?
How is the Bible both a message from God and from man?
This influential book made the case that inerrancy is not an innovation, but rather the historic doctrine of Baptists throughout history.

A Candid & Relevant View
Drs. Bush & Nettles provide an eye-opening historical presentation of the alterations in the Baptist view of the inerrancy of Scripture over roughly 4 centuries.It is an immaculate, surgical dissection of the progressive decline of the most fundamental of positions Baptists can hold: the veracity and accuracy of the one document establishing their faith, and the faith of all true Christians: the Bible.

While examining other issues within the framework of Baptist theology, all issues of difference among Baptists devolve to the fundamental principles of whether the Bible addresses those issues directly or indirectly; and can we trust what it says.If it is truly the word of God and has been passed through history without error, as Baptists have historically believed, then all matters of life and practice must ultimately be ruled by the Biblical view.

Theirs is a powerful call back to the key, first issue - the first presuppositional commitment - Baptists and all true Christians must finally decide; that is, what and who their authority will be.This is also a glimpse into the seminal thought processes of Dr. Thomas J. Nettles as he, with others in the Southern Baptist and Reformed Baptist community, developed a strategy to return modern-day Southern Baptists to their historical theological roots in the doctrines of grace, or Calvinism.That strategy has been to pray, to open the Bible to many, to tell the truth about the historic faith regardless of personal cost, and to teach all who would listen, all who have ears to hear.

(That in itself is an incredible story of a significant level of success, from all outward appearances at least, in returning a denomination to doctrinal soundness.Though none would claim that it has been completely successful in returning the entirety of the denomination to doctrinal purity, the gradually growing return to the faith of their Baptist and Reformed fathers has been a fascinating display of the power of God in working through his people.Many - myself included - chose to leave the Southern Baptist Convention, convinced history has demonstrated clearly that denominations on a downgrade never recover; and yet there are signs that the Southern Baptist return to historic Christianity - historic Baptist beliefs - is taking place.)

Every Baptist should make this part of their library; every pastor should read this with understanding and decide which side they are on.Every church should use this book to check their own position and recall a cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation: 'Sola Scriptura' (Scripture alone).

Bold and Challenging
Again Drs. Nettles and Bush write in an authoritarian manner by going to primary sources for their information.Liberals may not like this book due to the fact that the majority of Baptists have always held a high view of the inspiration of Scripture.Some would naturally discredit this book but Nettles and Bush anticipate that by going to the primary sources (some dating even to the 1600's), as opposed to the secondary sources so often used by people today. For those interested in the documentary hypothesis and its detrimental effect on scripture, chapter eight will be of imdespensable value.Nettles and Bush evaluate the impact of German philosphy on the Higher Critical movement.This book should be on the shelf of all historians of Church and Scripure.

Disturbing
The most interesting and enlighening subject in this book was in the very first part (chapture two, to be exact) when the two separate groups of Baptists are discussed. All my life (life-long baptist) I was told that every person had free-will to chose for himself whether or not to believe in Christ as his savior. I did not know that there was a group of Calvinist Baptistwho held to predestination. It seems that many in the Baptist Church are espousing that doctrine again. The authors have done every Baptist a great service writing this book. It should be read and re-read by every Baptist if not every Protestant. Very disturbing but very informative book.

A Must Read for All Southern Baptist Pastors
If you missed the original edition of this book in the 1980's then you have a great reading experience ahead of you.Dr. Bush and Dr. Nettles explain in this book why Baptists have changed their view of the Bible overthe years.

If you don't understand why there are so many opinions anddisagreements among Southern Baptists today then read this book and youreyes will be opened and your mind will be stretched as you follow thehistory of Baptists and their view of the Bible from the 1600's to thepresent day. ... Read more

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Major SBC spokesmen address key issues of theology, polity,and practice to help readers respond to the most significantchallenges within evangelicalism.

What was once a small, southern, predominantly whitedenomination has become America's largest evangelical denomination.Yet with the Southern Baptist Convention's growth have come thechallenges of increasing fragmentation, theological controversy,and sweeping cultural change. These challenges have caused leadersand members to ask: What does it mean to be a Southern Baptist inthe twenty-first century? How can a fresh consensus be establishedfrom within? What are the core biblical convictions that must beupheld, the key practices that must be sustained, to reach the lostin this age of cultural accommodation?

These essays by editor David Dockery, Al Mohler, Timothy George,Russell Moore, Paige Patterson, and eleven other SBC leadersaddress these important issues and themes from severalperspectives. Their observations will illuminate the way not onlyfor fellow Southern Baptists but for all evangelicals facingsimilar challenges in the twenty-first century and beyond.

Customer Reviews (2)

Core Values of the Great Commission Resurgence
This collection of essays from many of the best known conservative leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention traces the history of the convention and charts a course for its future.The future, in the view of these pastors, scholars and leaders, is to go back to the core biblical values that marked the SBC in the past while seeking to understand how to engage the culture with the gospel.

Recurring themes in the book include the need to avoid the programmatic and pragmatic approaches of the past without neglecting entirely what organized efforts like the Cooperative Program can accomplish.The necessity of regenerate church membership is also often mentioned as a key factor churches must face in the years to come.The plateau/decline in baptisms is pointed out as a factor indicating a lack of evangelism among Southern Baptists.It seems that the conservative resurgence of the early 80's has yet to bear fruit in many respects.These essays say that the SBC must address the stagnated state of some 90% of their churches by recovering the biblical gospel and the, in their view, distinctively biblical heritage of Southern Baptists.

I was challenged and encouraged most by the essays from Ed Stetzer and Danny Akin, but there is much to commend in each essay.Highly recommended for anyone interested in Southern Baptist life and the future of the Convention.

The Future of Southern Baptists
Book titles are important. Smart titles tell you about the book's contents in a memorable way. Brilliant titles make a statement in and of themselves.

Crossway has recently published a collection of essays from a variety of Southern Baptist leaders. David Dockery is the editor of the new book, whose title says more in nine words than some books say in hundreds of pages. Southern Baptist Identity: An Evangelical Denomination Faces the Future (Crossway, 2009) implicitly makes the case that Southern Baptists are indeed evangelicals.

Thirty years ago, Southern Baptists were debating amongst themselves as to their identity. Moderates rejected the evangelical label because they wanted to see us belonging to the tradition of the mainline Protestant denominations. More recently, some conservatives have been reticent to adopt the evangelical label because of the fear we might water down our Baptist distinctives.

The title of Dockery's book demonstrates a willingness to be both evangelical (hence the "evangelical denomination" in the subtitle) and distinctively Baptist (hence the "Baptist Identity" in the title). Ecumenical evangelicalism and distinctive Baptist identity come together wonderfully in this collection of essays.

Before getting into the specifics of this book, let me first point out the curious fact that this very Baptist book has been published by an evangelical, non-denominational publisher - Crossway. One might have expected Broadman and Holman (the Southern Baptist publisher) to put out this book. The very fact that Crossway saw a need for these essays to be published is an indication that other evangelical groups are looking to the Southern Baptist Convention as an example. The future of the American evangelical movement may be tied somehow to the future of Southern Baptists.

The essays in Southern Baptist Identity come primarily from lectures delivered at Union University's recent "Baptist Identity" conferences. Since this book is a collection of essays from a variety of Southern Baptist leaders, the reader can discern some areas of disagreement between the contributors.

For example, Greg Wills comes down very strongly against the idea of open communion, arguing for the practice of close communion (which has been the most widely held historic Baptist position on the Lord's Supper). Yet Nathan Finn (though he agrees with Wills on close communion) believes that the Baptist Faith and Message should leave that question open-ended enough for churches to disagree on the matter.

The book is divided into two main sections. First come the essays that contain theological and historical perspectives on the Southern Baptist Convention. Then, there are essays that focus on specific ministries and convention matters.

David Dockery begins the book by describing the current state of Southern Baptists in the 21st century. He expounds on some of the points in his book Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal.

Dr. Albert Mohler writes about the future of Southern Baptist identity.

Greg Wills, a historian and professor at Southern Seminary, writes about the distinctive identity of Southern Baptists in the past.

Timothy George has a chapter in which he gives his personal testimony and also asks the thought provoking question, `Is Jesus a Baptist?'. He writes:

"We will not meet tomorrow's challenge by forgetting yesterday's dilemma, but neither will we win tomorrow's struggles by fighting yesterday's battles." (92)

He also points out the inherent narcissism of focusing so intently on the identy of Baptists (101), which provides a helpful corrective to some insular tendencies within the SBC.

Russ Moore gives a fascinating glimpse into 19th century Baptist life, particularly the influence of Baptist printed materials in the Whitsett controversy and the pastoral role of T. T. Eaton. (He also has some good words on blogging.)

I particularly enjoyed Paige Patterson's chapter on the Anabaptists. Patterson demonstrates a willingness to learn from these uncles of ours, and he even recommends we look to our independent Baptist brothers and sisters.

"Independent Baptists of a former generation may have been guilty of emphasizing `separation' to the point of legalism, but the trajectory of the contemporary church seems destined to miss the goal of holiness of life and thought." (133)

In the second section of the book, the contributors focus on specific Convention matters that involve our cooperation in common mission.

I thoroughly enjoyed Morris Chapman's chapter on cooperation. Chapman wisely lists ways in which cooperation is undermined, and yet offers helpful suggestions for fostering an attitude of cooperation. Suprisingly, Chapman appears to favor a restructuring of the SBC:

"The SBC needs fine-tuning. In fact, the Convention may require an overhaul, not in its polity, but in its programming and the processes by which it functions daily. A major overhaul by the national Convention and the state conventions appears to be an absolute necessity, letting the facts speak for themselves lest the conventions discover too late they were blind and deaf to a delivery system that better serves the churches." (171)

Such a bold statement makes me wonder why Chapman opposed the Great Commission Task Force, which hopes to analyze the structure of the SBC and recommend improvements. I wonder if Chapman is not so much opposed to the idea of restructuring, but instead is uncomfortable with the people leading the Task Force.

Ed Stetzer has a good chapter on Missional Churches. He writes:

"Our churches need to be biblically faithful, culturally relevant, counter-cultural communities." (193)

Jim Shaddix writes about the future of the traditional church. He makes the case that relevance is not just about form. It's about substance.

The last two chapters in the book are by Danny Akin and Nathan Finn. They set forth a vision for the future for the SBC. These are thought provoking essays that will foster good conversation.

Southern Baptist Identity is brimming with insights that shine light on possible directions for the future of the SBC. The book's recommendations deserve to be read, discussed, debated upon, and in most cases, put into action. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A good overview
This book gives an excellent account of the doctrinal beliefs of Mr. Carroll, but it also includes his testimony of salvation through Jesus Christ, which was the most beautiful thing about it.It would do many"modern" Baptists well to consider what he says concerningconversion.

Very nice!! ... Read more

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This work features a traditional community's struggle to define itself in the face of agricultural change. Since arriving nearly 250 years ago in Franklin County, Virginia, German Baptists have maintained their faith and farms by relying on their tightly knit community for spiritual and economic support. Today, with their land and livelihoods threatened by the encroachment of neighboring communities, the construction of a new highway, and competition from corporate megafarms, the German Baptists find themselves forced to adjust. ... Read more

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More about farming than faith
Although the first few chapters were interesting, it seems to me that the author (who reportedly took several years to write this book) ran out of ideas. The middle and end of the book is more about farming and farm changes than it is about the Brethren.Many people who are interested in learning about the Old Order may be disappointed in this book.If you live in the Franklin County area, or are from this area, you will know many of the people mentioned herein. I am glad I bought the book, although I had to force myself to finish it. ... Read more

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" A Choice Outstanding Academic Title Between the Civil War and the turn of the last century, Southern Baptists gained prominence in the religious life of the South. As their power increased, they became defenders of the racial, political, social, and economic status quo. By the beginning of this century, however, a feisty tradition of dissent began to appear in Southern Baptist life as criticism of the center increased from both the left and the right. The popular belief in a doctrine of ""once saved, always saved"" led progressive Baptists to claim that moderates, once saved, did not address the serious social and political problems that faced many in the South. These Baptist dissenters claimed that they could not be ""at ease in Zion."" Led by the radical Walter Nathan Johnson in the 1920s and 1930s, progressive Baptists produced civil rights advocates, labor organizers, women's rights advocates, and proponents of disarmament and abolition of capital punishment. They challenged some of the most fundamental aspects of southern society and of Baptist ecclesiastical structure and practice. For their efforts and beliefs, many of these men and women suffered as they lost jobs, experienced physical danger and injury, and endured character assassination. In A Genealogy of Dissent, David Stricklin traces the history of these progressive Baptists and their descendants throughout the twentieth century and shows how they created an active culture of protest within a highly traditional society.

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A New Look at Southern Baptist Progressivism
Sticklin's study of Southern Baptist progressives basically contends that a vibrant, although small and loosely organized, strain of progressivism flourished within the SBC.This strand of dissent stood in stark contrastto the confident triumphalism of the Southern Baptist institutional machineand wondered what might happen if Southern Baptist energies andorganizations were directed away from self-promotion and toward alleviationof human suffering.Stricklin illustrates how various personal connectionscreated this genealogy of dissent.He then explains the dominane SBCposition consensus on race, peace and justice, and women in ministry, andthen shows how progressives pursued a more radical response to theseissues.He then contends that the agitation of progressives, especially inthe area of women in ministry, was a key factor that set in motion thefundamentalist take over of the SBC.

Stricklin understands bothprogressives and fundamentalists as "outsiders" to the SBCmoderate leadership.Thus Stricklin divides the SBC into three groups: 1.moderates, who placed their faith in tolerant leadership and thecooperative work of the institutions as the best way to accomplish God'swill; 2. fundamentalists, who placed their faith in pure doctrine and whowould rather limit the effectiveness of the institution in order tomaintain doctrinal purity; and 3. progressives,who placed their faith inlocal congregations and informal networks and who wanted to use thisgrassroots movement of faith as a way to change the political and economicworld.

Fundamentalists won control of the SBC because they were able tomobilize their supporters against the moderates, who were oftencharacterized as "liberal" because of their willingness totolerate the progressives. While the book could do more in explaining thetheology of the dissenters, it succeeds in showing the various ways ofbeing Baptist and suggesting why these ways could no longer coexist withinthe SBC. ... Read more