Product Description
A clearly written introduction to the history and theology of this international people, Baptists through the Centuries provides a chronological survey of the main developments in Baptist life and thought from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. As Baptists spread globally beyond their British and American origins, Bebbington persuasively demonstrates how they constantly adapted to the cultures and societies in which they lived, generating even more diversity within an already multifaceted identity. In the course of telling the story of Baptists, Bebbington also examines the challenging social, political, and intellectual issues in Baptist history attitudes on race, women's roles in the church, religious liberty, foreign missions, and denominational identity and situates each one within a broader context. ... Read more

Product Description
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

Product Description
An inclusive language version of the modern spiritual classic, an exquisitely beautiful meditation on the incarnation, on what it means to be fully human, and on finding the face of God hidden in our neighbors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Christian Existentialist Read
To my mind, this is one of the finest products of the Christian Existentialist school.Brilliant, poetic, insightful, profound.A moving meditation on the nature of poverty of Spirit.It has sustained me many nights through difficult times in post-disaster New Orleans.Highly Recommended.

revelation
A very brief but dense text that takes you to the core of spirituality. Read it in small bits.

Densely packed - needs to be read slowly
Didn't understand this the first time through because I read it too quickly. Reading it now slowly (and aloud) and I am seeing what the author is getting at.

==========

Update 2006-10-23 - Heh, almost finished reading this, and to be honest I don't get it. It's fairly abstract - I'd find it helpful if there were concrete examples of applying these principles to the daily life of a typical layperson.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom
This is the first of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3). The subsequent ones are merely variations on this first one. Accomplishing this one will accomplish them all.

To be poor in spirit is to shed oneself of all security, identity, importance, power, etc., anything that separates us from our humanity, and from God himself. The last days of Christ reveal the true meaning of what it is to be a human being, completely defenseless, stripped even of one's clothing, and abandoned by one's supporters. He resisted all temptation to call upon his divine powers throughout, choosing instead to embrace and experience in full the humann experience. To complete this experience is the cornerstone of Christ's Victory, and the cornerstone of the path of salvation for his followers.

When Christ utters the words "Eloi, Eloi, why have you forsaken me?" the impoverishment is complete, his victory is complete, his life is complete, and the new covenant is established.

This is a book to read in a single evening. It is only 60 very small pages. But it is a book that will take a lifetime to really understand. It is a map to the kingdom of heaven.

summary of poverty in Christology from Augustine to Merton
Metz singles out poverty as the key to salvation and union with God because poverty as he sees it is the summit and fulfillment of our natures and our participation in creation.Poverty of spirit recognizes theessential unfulfillment of the present human state, the poverty of lackingunion with God.God is humanity's highest and only good; poverty of spiritrecognizes the forlorn state of humanity.All pride and accomplishmentwhich does not tend towards spiritual poverty is mere vanity andself-reliance.It is, as Metz points out, a devastating realization tobecome poor in spirit if one puts great stock in pride and oneself; thepoint of poverty of spirit is God and our need for Him, not someself-glorification or accomplishment.This book preaches an understandingof how humanity substantially relates to God: we are poor and broken andhave an infinite longing for nothing but Him.Metz does an outstanding jobof relaying these very difficult concepts in a clear and concise fashion. ... Read more

Product Description
Universally and repeatedly praised ever since it first appeared in 1983, Modern Baptists is the book that launched novelist James Wilcox’s career and debuted the endearingly daft community of Tula Springs, Louisiana.It’s the tale of Bobby Pickens, assistant manager of Sonny Boy Bargain Store, who gains a new lease on life, though he almost comes to regret it.Bobby’s handsome half brother F.X.—ex-con, ex-actor, and ex-husband three times over—moves in, and things go awry all over town. Mistaken identities; entangled romances with Burma, Toinette, and Donna Lee; assault and battery; charges of degeneracy; a nervous breakdown—it all comes to a head at a Christmas Eve party in a cabin on a poisoned swamp. This is sly, madcap romp that offers readers the gift of abundant laughter.

Modern Baptists was included in Harold Bloom’s The Western Canon, in GQ magazine’s forty-fifth anniversary issue as one of the best works of fiction in the past forty-five years, and among Toni Morrison’s "favorite works by unsung writers" in U.S. News and World Report.

AUTHOR BIO: James Wilcox is the author of eight novels, including North Gladiola, Miss Undine’s Living Room, Guest of a Sinner, and, most recently, Heavenly Days.He is Robert Penn Warren Professor and director of creative writing at Louisiana State University and lives in Baton Rouge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

bemused
I read and loved Guest of a Sinner and was excited to read more books by Wilcox.I checked out the reviews carefully before choosing Modern Baptists to read next.I found the book to be very dated.The characters were stereotypical, the situations weren't interesting, the pace crawled along.Unlike apparently everyone else who reviewed this, I didn't laugh out loud, not once.If I hadn't bought it new, I'm not sure I would have even finished it.I'm giving this three stars because I feel as if I must have missed something. . . but I'm not sure what it could have been.I certainly won't be reading it again to find out.

Funny portrait
I don't read much fiction anymore, but this book had amazing endorsements by such notables as Robert Penn Warren, Walker Percy, Toni Morrison, Anne Tyler, and others, so I gave it a try.

This book reminded me a lot of John Welter's I Want to Buy a Vowel in it's intimate, humorous, and ironic look at American small-town life. In this case, it's small-town southern Louisiana that Wilcox describes, and he does a fine job of realizing the little dramas and characters that inhabit this declining small town near Baton Rouge. I found the humor more bittersweet and ironic, compared to the thigh-slappers that one gets from authors like Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey, Chris Moore, and Bill Fitzhugh, but it's still funny in a bittersweet sort of way and worth reading by itself.

I note that this book came out in 1988, not long after Hiaasen started writing, and things have gotten much wackier since in the humor genre. If you've read Dorsey's Triggerfish Twist and Fitzhugh's Pest Control then you know what I'm talking about. So although not quite in that league, I still enjoyed it and can recommend it for those looking for a writer with a talent for humorous, sensitive, and realistic portraits of small town life in the deep South.

One of my favorite books.
I'm a voracious reader, but I rarely RE-read books.(You know how it is--so many books, so little time.)Still, I've re-read this novel over and over.Simply put, it's extremely funny, impeccably written, and contains some of the most vivid characters you'll find anywhere. My advice to those considering this book:read the first ten pages or so.If you're drawn into the story and/or find yourself laughing like a crazy person, then you know this is the book for you.If these things DON'T happen to you, well, I'm sure you're got good taste in some other area of your life. :)Really, if you're a fan of good fiction, you should give yourself the opportunity to experience the unsung, underrated James Wilcox, and this book is the best beginning.

Wilcox is a master of subtle, all-too-human comedy
Where has this author been all my life?Or, maybe a better questions is,where have I been?"Modern Baptists" was the first Wilcox novelI have ever read, and now I want to read them all.Deft, comic, eloquentlyspare prose, and hilarious on every page.With writing that includes lineslike "I'm just here looking at the opera," (paraphrased - butit's close) I'm ready to read the whole Wilcox oeuvre!

The funniest novel I have ever read
James Wilcox is the best author you have never heard of. His novels are comic masterpieces. MODERN BAPTISTS remains his best but NORTH GLADIOLA, PLAIN AND NORMAL, and GUEST OF A SINNER are all quite good. But if you readPOLITE SEX or SORT OF RICH, you will be amazed by the way he balanceshysterical comedy with dramatic pathos. In a perfect world his novels wouldbe read by millions and he would have the status of a Phillip Roth or aJohn Updike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I was immersed by this book!!
Having just finished reading Alexander J. Burke's fine biography of John the Baptist, I was sorry to see that it has gotten only two Amazon.com reviews ("Repent, repent, repent!"; and "Excellent Research Text"). Both of my precursors rightly give the book 5 stars: L.E. Bowers is right that Burke provides excellent grist for schoolroom essays. And Carol Blank is right that Burke's book stresses "the sterner Christian virtues that need reinvigoration today," such as mortification of the flesh. (How many Christians today still flagellate themselves?How many OUGHT to!)

Burke covers the usual sources on John the Baptist--the gospels, Josephus's _History of the Jews_, and patristic literature. And I especially admire the book jacket:Burke reproduces a wonderfully sexy, ooh-la-la portrait of John, painted by Valentin de Boulogne.

(P.S. Don't be misled: the historical John looked less like the Valentin portrait than like the actor John Lahr in his role as the Geico Insurance caveman.)

That said, Burke's biography is comprised chiefly of well-written speculation based on second-hand sources.

I'd like to a few words in loving memory of John the Baptist. As I remember him, John was an odd fellow, and quite literally dirt-poor.He was not one of these evangelists who strut to the pulpit in a dry-cleaned powder-blue $3000 Armani suit and shiny $500 Gucci shoes, with an $80 calfskin Zondervan NIV Study Bible tucked under their arm.In physical appearance, John the Baptist's clothing and rhetoric better resembled that of the well-known American hermit, Theodore J. Kaczynski, than that of someone like Rev. Kenneth Copeland or the Rev. Billy Graham.

Even as a young man, John was not a flashy dresser.To cover himself he wore only a tattered camelskin and no underwear.Some people said that his raiment smelled worse than a dead camel, but that's what it was, a dead camel, and the holy Ghost will back me up on that (Matt. 3:4).The camel hair was terribly itchy, and hard to distinguish from his own.Also, quite dirty.There was an old joke among the Jews:"Why does John the Baptist have such dirty fingernails?"And the correct answer was:"From scratching himself."

I remember feeling very badly when Herod the Tetrarch arrested John, and then cut off his head and served it on a platter, just to please Queen Herodias.I never saw John's head after that.Saint Jerome - who never wrote anything about anybody that was not either kind, true, or necessary - reports that Herodias kept John's severed head in her bedchamber; and that she periodically lifted the silver lid, and stabbed a knife into John's open and rotting mouth, again and again, to satisfy her feminine fury.I'm not sure why Queen Herodias should do anything quite so weird; but perhaps she was still annoyed with John's hugely popular and widely quoted "Sex Sermon," which contained some edgy political criticism, as when the Baptist repeatedly referred to Queen Herodias as "Herod's filthy incestuous whore" (Mark 6:14-29).

Until the arrest, John the Baptist was a dynamic speaker, and well admired by everyone except by the particular people whom he condemned in his sermons, such as the Pharisees, the Sadducees, lawyers, scribes, women, priests, homosexuals, money-lenders, the Romans, Africans, Queen Herodias, Belial, and Beelzebub.

Okay, me too.Self-righteous Mr. Camelskin Man also had a few unkind words to say about yours truly.But strangely, I did not resent it.I could have sat there on the banks of the Jordan and listened to John the Baptist condemn me for hours on end - if I had wanted to.More often, I would arrive late and leave early; but when John was done railing against sin and had come to the final "Amen," I was often the first one in the audience to offer him a standing ovation.To this day, I wish I had John the Baptist's sermons on tape.For entertaining rant, the Baptist was hard to beat.I'd say he was right up there with the Rev. Billy Sunday, Anne Coulter, and Mussolini.

In terms of his overall viewing audience, John the Baptist was bigger than Jesus.For his time he was probably even bigger than the hit TV series, Fear Factor, and for one of the same reasons:John had a peculiar diet: locusts dipped in wild honey.Sometimes he ate live ones.People from all over Judaea came to see him do it. "Better to eat bugs and enter the kingdom of Heaven," he preached, "than to eat bacon and go to Hell, where the worms gnaw your flesh and where the fire is not quenched; for until Heaven and Earth pass away, no [Mosaic] Law shall perish" (Matt. 3:4-6).To prove his point, John would take a squirming locust, dip it in honey, bite off its head, and then pop the entire bug into his mouth, and chew it, and swallow.I once saw the Baptist perform this feat at least forty times in the course of a single sermon; and he said that every one of those bugs represented a Pharisee or a Sadducee, come Judgment Day.

John also handled live poisonous snakes, which he used for a popular sermon called "Ye Brood of Vipers!" (Matt. 3:7, Mark 16:18).He did not eat them, or even bite off their heads - but he would not have been afraid to do it.He bit the heads off the locusts and not from vipers because a locust is kosher and a snake is not.

Not until John the Baptist came along, seconded by Jesus, did the Trinity reveal to the Jews for the first time that there is a real place called Hell where all non-Christians will go, following the resurrection and the Last Judgment; nor did the Jews realise that most of them will go there, after death, to suffer for all eternity.The Jews knew that Yahveh is a just God, an angry God.They knew that Yahveh is entitled to hurt people who disobey His commandments.And they knew that whenever Yahveh needs to inflict human suffering, the Jews are usually His chosen people.But the curses in the Old Testament (on nearly every page) pertain to life here on Earth: "'Behold, I will pull your skirt up over your head, to shame you,' saith the LORD" (Nah.3:6); or: "You shall eat the flesh of your own sons, and the flesh of your daughters" (Lev. 26:29); or: "Thus saith the LORD, 'Behold, I will corrupt your sperm and smear a turd on your faces'" (Mal. 2:3); or: "The LORD will afflict you with the botch of Egypt, and with hemorrhoids, and with festering scabs and the itch, from which you cannot be cured" (Deut. 28:27):you know, that sort of thing - scary, but not eternal.Then came John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah, with a new, updated gospel, saying: "Behold, you think it's bad now?Just wait until you're dead! Because your suffering in Hell will combine every curse in the Old Testament, for ever and ever!"

Needless to say, those first-century sermons about Hell took biblical theology down to a whole new level.Some Jews, who thought Yahveh had already been a little too hard on them, just could not accept it.Enough, already!That's what some of the Jews said when John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah spoke of eternal damnation, which was every day of the week.But that is exactly why Jesus came to Earth: so that he could give the Jews a get-out-of-Hell-free card, if they would only accept it.

Which, unfortunately, they didn't.

- L.

Excellent Research Text
I needed to write a biography on John the Baptist for class. I didn't think it would be so hard, but finding a good book on John the Baptist wasn't so easy. This is the best one I found anywhere. This is the most exhaustive text on John I found anywhere and it takes everything into consideration. I highly recommend it for research, but it is written so well that it is good for even a curious reader.

Repent, Repent, Repent
Early in this comprehensive work, the author reminds us that John the Baptist's message emphasized sin, repentance, judgment, and hell, "topics that run counter to the more user-friendly religion of the twenty-first century." Burke, who holds a doctorate in theology from Fordham University, begins by tracing Old Testament patterns and prophesies that set the stage for John's appearance as "the last of the prophets and the first of the Christians." We learn of the culture into which John emerged after 20 years in the desert, his effect on the Israelites, and the parallels between his message and that of Jesus.

The chapter on John as a Model for Contemporary Christians goes into detail about what Burke calls "the sterner Christian virtues that need reinvigoration today," centered on repentance. Burke suggests that if John were alive today, his priority would be restoration of the sacrament of confession to a position of central importance. "He would require sincere acts of mortification as evidence of good faith."

Burke's work on John the Baptist, though scholarly, is nonetheless accessible to the layman. The layout and style are clear and inviting, and the author has included a number of tables to help clarify the text, questions for reflection on each chapter, and a detailed index. The text is enriched by references to artists' renderings of John the Baptist and their significance as well as opinions of scholars that may differ from those presented by the author. Burke closes with several pages of devotions to John the Baptist.

Individuals and groups would profit most by studying this work straight through, but an alternative approach that tailors the material to time constraints would also be of benefit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Primer for a Reformed Baptist
I just read this book and it filled in a lot of gaps for me.I knew I was Reformed Baptist by listening to Reformed Baptist preachers, but after reading Mr. Waldron and Barcellos' book, I now know why precisely I am.I know where I fit in now and I am thankful for that.The thrust of the book is the New Covenant as the Constitution of the Church and how that works itself out as it relates to law and grace, Arminianism and Calvinism, Paedobaptism and Credobaptism.

I currently attend a Presbyterian PCA church and have many brethren there that I love, but some of their practices I cannot get over, as much as I have tried.One in particular is Paedobaptism (infant baptism.)Though not an exhaustive treatment, A Reformed Baptist Manifesto forcefully presents why Reformed Baptists do not hold to infant baptism and why they believe in Believer's Baptism only.I am not going to spoil why because I want you to buy the book.I have to admit that I skipped ahead and read the Paedobaptism chapter, but after reading the book I believe it probably would have been better to start at the beginning.This is not only chapter in the book or even its main argument, but it was the initial reason I purchased it.The Reformed Baptist Manifesto contains more than a fight about baptism. It allows one to understand why there is a denomination called Reformed Baptist.Paedobaptism is only one aspect that interested me, but after reading why it is rejected, I see much larger issues.

The book itself is easy to read, not too technical, and continues to be edifying to this believer.If you want a super technical treatise of everything this book is not for you.If you want a good overview with apologetic content, then you should like this book.It is a departure point to other works on the subject.It also does not contain a lot of history.The book is about the New Covenant as found in the book of Jeremiah and Hebrews and it gets to that topic immediately.

Concerning the book and its writing mechanics, I liked the larger print, but in reality it is a larger book because of the size of the print, not the content.Some of the grammar I thought was a little less polished in places, but nothing that could not be understood.I remember no misspelling or gross errors in the writing.

This work does what I think may be better than anything else.The Reformed Baptist Manifesto causes you to go back to the Bible and study for yourself, seeing and being interested in things you may have not thought about before.

I gave this book five stars because I believe it accomplishes what it is intending to do.It stays on topic and gives an overview and comparison to competing thoughts to clarify its thesis.The small faults above do not amount to enough to drop a star, and if you do not buy the book intending to find an encyclopedia, then you will be pleased with your purchase.

A clear declaration
Baptist of all stripes will find this book of great help and edification.In a little more than a 100 pages, these men deal biblically and clearly with significant issues.

Dispensationalism, Antinomianism, Arminianism, and Paedobaptism are all tackled from a New Covenant perspective.The first three in this list have been particularly troublesome to Baptist in America since the late 19th century.

This book gives me hope that we may soon see a full treatment of Covenant Theology from a Baptist perspective.

Along these lines is the short, but helpful treatment of the so-called "New Covenant theology" that is gaining in popularity.

The irenic tone of the book made it exceptionally enjoyable to read. ... 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

Product Description
Respected leaders point a way forward in the key debates within the Southern Baptist Convention, one of the largest denominations at more than 16 million members. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What is Southern Baptist
This book synthesizes core issues.
If you think change is needed this is a must read.

It doesn't answer everything but the answers it does give points
the Church in the direction it should have always been going.

Don't be fooled by the title
This is an excellent apologetic for Baptist Distinctives. Excellent through and through. This book lays out the major issues that make Baptists Baptists:

-Regenerate Church Membership
-Believer's Baptism by Immersion
-Memorial View of the Lord's Supper
-Church Discipline

Pick this up along with The Baptist Way: Distinctives of a Baptist Church.

For anyone thinking about becoming a Baptist, anyone with questions about Baptist theology and for Baptists themselves.

A must for heads of Baptist churches
Some say integrity is something that has taken quite the beating in modern society. "Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches" is a collection of wise, Christian minds on the current decline of church attendance nation wide and the fall of moral values in America. Speaking on membership, Baptist principles, Discipline, and how to spread the values to a congregation, "Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches" is a must for heads of Baptist churches.

Excellent
Various authors - Mark Dever, Daniel Akin, and Stan Norman to name a few - provide overlapping chapters on themes like "Regaining Meaningful Church Membership," "Fencing the Table," and "The Reestablishment of Proper Church Discipline."

This book mentions by name current debates within the SBC on these issues. There is no doubt that this book will benefit the daily conversation among denominational leaders and pastors regarding the health of Baptist churches. I found the authors to be soaked in Scripture, aware of church history, and given to pastoral practicality.

Book Endorsements
"In a day when many believe the most important ingredients to effective ministry are intellect, intensity and insight this volume restores our faith in the fact that it is really integrity in the local church.Integrity is rooted in our private lives, reflected in our personal lives, reinforced in our professional lives and ultimately revealed in our public lives as churchmen.Restoring Integrity...read it and reap!"

O.S. Hawkins
President/CEO
Guidestone Financial Resources
Southern Baptist Convention


"My favorite verse in the Bible is found in Proverbs 20:7, which magnifies integrity. The church will be blessed by our Heavenly Father in direct proportion to its integrity. This book will chart the path that leads to the place of knowing His hand on the church's work. What we are in the inward parts is what matters most."

Johnny Hunt
Pastor
First Baptist Church of Woodstock
Woodstock, Georgia

"Restoring Integrity in the Church. Formidable Assignment! Formidable scholars! Formidable proposals! I believe the Lord will use this book by committed conservative scholars to return our churches to New Testament integrity."

Jerry Vines
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL
Two-time President, Southern Baptist Convention
and President, Jerry Vines Ministries


"The loss of a biblical vision of the local church - indeed the collapse of biblical ecclesiology in many congregations - is the greatest threat to the Baptists.Restoring Integrity is a book urgently needed and well timed.The writers of this book are some of the brightest theologians and scholars in Baptist life today, and they are deeply committed to the recovery of integrity in Baptist life and in Baptist churches.We have needed this book for a long time."

R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
President
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Baptist church manual
I bought this to replace a well worn one that I've had for years,
It came ina timely matter, that I appreciate very much ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best book about the John the Baptist
One can hardly ask for a more thorough study of the Baptist and his relationship to Jesus. Taylor refutes (once and for all, hopefully) theories which associate John with the Essenes. He lived in the wilderness himself, but he sent people home after baptizing them; he was an ascetic, but the particular foods he rejected were accepted by the Essenes;he wore camel hair sackcloth, the Essenes wore white garments; he lived in the lower Jordan, they lived on the western shores of the Dead Sea. About the Pharisees, Taylor concludes that they were probably not overly hostile to John. They may have disagreed with the belief that a purification rite like baptism needed prior repentance, but they certainly wouldn't have been offended by a prophet who was turning sinners back to righteousness. Her chapter dealing with John's execution is very helpful, probably the best in the book. She notes that unlike other wilderness prophets of the first century (whose followers were also rounded up and slaughtered), John did not gather people in order to march on Jerusalem. He believed the kingdom was coming -- and thus that the powers-that-be would soon "get their due" -- but his methods were less seditious, as he sent people home to await the kingdom after they were baptized. But Antipas no doubt worried that the Baptist movement could flower into the more popular form of prophetic revolution, and so John's criticism of his marriage was the excuse he needed to do away with him. Finally, Taylor explores the relationship between John and Jesus, suggesting that Jesus counted himself among the followers of the Baptist who needed repentance, and who upon immersion had a prophetic calling, went out into thewilderness himself...and then began his own movement, in which he continued the practice of baptizing. ... Read more

Product Description
The Story of John the Baptist accurately retold from the Bible (from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John). Illustrated by Duncan Maclaren

The Bibletime series by Carine Mackenzie have been praised for their accurate retelling of great bible stories. This timeless collection has been printed in many languages throughout the world and sold in their millions. They can be read over and over again.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well done with a caution
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, preaching repentance for sins.Many will know the story well.While I have rated other books in this series quite highly (almost all 5 stars), this one merits a 3 star review due to the manner in which the beheading of John the Baptist is discussed; while tastefully written and without a picture of his head on a platter, the details of the beheading may be more specific than some parents desire to share with very young children.I realize of course that there will be disagreement among Christian parents as to whether this is too graphic or not and yes, the Bible itself tells us of these things.Indeed, it is wise to let children know that great leaders were and have been killed for speaking boldly of their faith in Christ, but the specific details as to the manner of their deaths is, in my opinion, not needed at such young ages (3-5 as the read aloud recommendation states).

Otherwise this book is just as well written as others in the Bibletime series, written with greater depth than typical Bible passages retold in story form for children. Young readers who still enjoy picture books but ready for more text will appreciate this book and others in the Bibletime series. The illustrations are well done and appealing without depicting graphic detail.
... Read more

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

Baptists are a study in contrasts. From Little Dove Old Regular Baptist Church, up a hollow in the Appalachian Mountains, with its 25-member congregation, to the 18,000-strong Saddleback Valley Church in Orange County, California, where hymns appear on wide-screen projectors; from Jerry Falwell, Jesse Helms, and Tim LaHaye to Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Maya Angelou, Baptist churches and their members have encompassed a range of theological interpretations and held a variety of social and political viewpoints. At first glance, Baptist theology seems classically Protestant in its emphasis on the Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, salvation by faith alone, and baptism by immersion. Yet the interpretation and implementation of these beliefs have made Baptists one of the most fragmented denominations in the United States. Not surprisingly, they are often characterized as a people who "multiply by dividing."

Baptists in America introduces readers to this fascinating and diverse denomination, offering a historical and sociological portrait of a group numbering some thirty million members. Bill J. Leonard traces the history of Baptists, beginning with their origins in seventeenth-century Holland and England. He examines the development of Baptist beliefs and practices, offering an overview of the various denominations and fellowships within Baptism. Leonard also considers the disputes surrounding the question of biblical authority, the ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper), congregational forms of church governance, and religious liberty.

The social and political divisions among Baptists are often as dramatic, if not more so, than the theological divides. Leonard examines the role of Baptists in the Fundamentalist and Social Gospel movements of the early twentieth century. The Civil Rights movement began in African American Baptist churches. More recently, Baptists have been key figures in the growth of the Religious Right, criticizing the depravity of American popular culture, supporting school prayer, and championing other conservative social causes. Leonard also explores the social and religious issues currently dividing Baptists, including race, the ordination of women, the separation of church and state, and sexuality. In the final chapter Leonard discusses the future of Baptist identity in America.

Customer Reviews (5)

The Baptist Idenity
This is an important book.It is clear and concise.It is easy reading and easy to comprehend.

The four freedoms in which Baptists believe.
This book reviews the four freedoms that the Baptist church is based on. Well written and easy to read. Goes well with Baptist history by Leonard.

The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms
Very Good and Very informative.I highly recommend the reading of this book because we tend to take for granted the freedoms that allows us to stand and proclaim God's Holy word to the world.Upon reading this book we will realize how fragile our freedoms are becoming in bringing the word of God to a dying world.

A review of The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter B. Shurden
Walter B. Shurden is a well-known Baptist historian, author, educator and editor.

I disagree with some of Mr. Shurden's conclusions, but I recommend that this book be purchased and read. The work is thought-provoking, scholarly and the research is thorough.

In his book, The Baptist Identity, Walter Shurden sets out to answer the question "What makes a Baptist a Baptist?" He says "what I have tried to do in this book" is define the essence of what constitutes being a Baptist. So he sets out to find any "spiritual and theological marks", any "generic distinctives", "any peculiar convictions" that Baptists have in common and that make them Baptist. To be a "five-star" book, Shurden must accomplish this purpose.

Shurden tells us when and how he arrived at his consensus of Baptist distinctives, as presented in his Four Fragile Freedoms. "I first identified the four freedoms discussed in this book in the concluding chapter of my book 'The Life of Baptists in the Life of the World,' published in 1985." He goes on to note, "I arrived at these Baptist Freedoms by analyzing the sermons and addresses given by Baptists from around the world at the meetings of the Baptist World Alliance from 1905 to 1980." Herein lies what I believe was Mr. Shurden's mistake -- his conviction that sermons and addresses given by Baptists at the Baptist World Alliance is the best place to look to find Baptist distinctives. I think such a conclusion is mistaken because it is too narrow.

1. The time element (1905-1980) is too narrow. Looking in this time frame alone dismisses a large volume of Baptist thought prior to 1905. Shurden believes that Baptists arose out of English Separatism in the early 1600's. But he does not investigate what was distinctive in that time that caused those men/churches to leave Separatism and become Baptist, nor does he look the 300 years following. The time period is 75 years, but it also only represents 14 meetings of the Baptist World Alliance (see Dictionary of Baptists or BWA on Wikipedia, e.g.). The bibliography also reveals almost entirely 20th century sources.

2. The "Baptist variety" element is too narrow. It might seem that a sampling of Baptists from across the world would give the best variety. Though there were approximately 135 Baptist bodies represented in the BWA at the time of Shurden's writing, the purpose of the BWA somewhat skews the type of Baptists that participate.The numerical majority of Baptists in America were represented in the BWA then (due to the presence of the Southern Baptist Convention). Nevertheless, only 14 of over 50 groups of Baptists in the United States belonged to the Baptist World Alliance. In England, only the liberal open membership Baptist Union is represented. Albert W. Wardin, Jr. [BWA member and author of the Baptist Atlas] identifies three broad divisions of Baptists worldwide -- mainline ecumenical, conservative evangelical, and separatist fundamental (p. 3), and says that the BWA "includes all Baptists of the first party and a good cross section of bodies in the second party but none of the third group."

3. The content element is too narrow. Shurden pulls his information from "sermons and addresses...at meetings of the Baptist World Alliance." With no intended disrespect for Baptist intelligentsia, it is my opinion that the people who would be invited to speak at the Baptist World Alliance probably are not the best representatives of what rank and file Baptists really are -- not necessarily even the rank and file of those bodies affiliated with the BWA. One could probably find a broader sampling other than those who spoke before the BWA. The fourfold purpose of the BWA is to unite Baptists worldwide, lead in evangelism, respond to people in need, and defend human rights [Baptist Atlas, 1995, p. xxx]. This fourfold purpose of the BWA surely affects and limits the type of speakers who would be chosen to address the assemblies.

Shurden's "four freedoms" are a fair representation of commonalities in the sermons and addresses given by speakers at the Baptist World Alliance. How well do these speakers represent the constituency of the BWA, and how well can they represent Baptists as a whole? Mr. Shurden chose this format in which to frame his argument, and therefore it is his task to convince us that this is a broad enough pool of Baptist thought and representative of the broader body of Baptists. In my opinion, he fails to do so.

Another book that addresses the Baptist identity is More Than Just a Name: Preserving Our Baptist Identity by R. Stanton Norman (Broadman & Holman, 2001). It comes from a different perspective as well as a different methodology. Mr. Norman investigates a broad range of writings in a distinct body of literature that consciously addresses Baptist distinctives -- "What makes a Baptist a Baptist". Those interested in buying Mr. Shurden's book should also consider buying Norman's book.

Excellent for laity or clergy
I first encountered this book in a college course on Baptist Heritage.Over the years I have used it as a teaching guide for Sunday School classes, as a resource for sermon materials, and for seminars on what itmeans to be Baptist.Shurden defines Baptists clearly and cogently in amanner that is easy to read, yet full of substance.

I strongly recommendthis book to persons interested in learning about Baptists, but have beenput off by the publicity of the Southern Baptist Convention in recentyears.It's good material for persons new to Baptist life/churches. ... Read more

Product Description
This book has won wide acceptance as a standard reference work in Baptist history. No Baptist pastor&#146s bookshelf, no church or seminary library, is complete without it. Since the original publication in 1950, the book has seen several new editions, adding findings and interpretations of scholarship and events through the 1970&#146s. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Comprehensive and dated
Tolbert's book is comprehensive and does a good job of overviewing Baptist groups in Europe and North America. The book is dated and does not include any of the important developments among American (Northern) Baptists and Southern Baptists of the past 25 years.

Tolbert seems to write from a northern perspective and seems to view Southern Baptist history from a distance fueled by a distaste for the American South and a lack of understanding of the deep role Southern culture has among Southern Baptists.

Difficult to read and unnecessarily repetitious in his history, Tolbert's is still a standard in Baptist history. Though Leon McBeth's history is more readable, it is also much more liberal in its leanings and transparent in his opinions and perspectives, hurting the contribution in his monumental work. Thus, Tolbert remains the standard in Baptist history.

Must read for students of church history
First of all, I don't know what book the reviewer from South Carolina read.Torbet distances himself from so-called Baptist successionism in the very first chapter of the book.He traces the developement of the modern Baptist church to the Particular Baptists in England.

This is an outstanding overview of not only the history of the denomination, but the developement of the "Baptist Distinctives" that set Baptists apart from other evangelical denominations.There is a rich history behind the Baptist church -- it is unfortunate that the Trail of Blood advocates have clouded that heritage in questionable historiography.

If you want to know what the truth is behind the Baptist church's history, read this book -- not Carroll's fantasy work.

Just the real facts.
Mr. torbet does his very best to try to make us believe that somehow other groups were really Baptist (maybe they didn't know it). I often feel sorry for the Baptist in their efforts to get past the 16th century as a church. I have been around long enough to realize they were born out of the reformational era and are a very radical offshoot of the Anglicans. I can well agree with them on their desire to cleanse the temple and make things simple in the way of worship and faith. However, I wish they just be honest and open about their real lack of ancient historical roots. Over all the book is a interesting read

Excellent, Accurate Baptist History
Mr. Torbet has done an excellent job detailing the often misunderstood history of the Baptists.His comments are supported by numerous references and sources so that the serious student may research his conclusions on their own.The history of Baptists, as shown by the author, did not beginin the Reformation, but their roots go back to the first Baptist baptizingin the Jordan River.Mr. Torbet traces the roots of the Baptists throughthe Montanists, Novatians, Paulicians, Anabaptists and others, who thoughnot called Baptist by name, hold the same historical doctrinal beliefs astoday's Baptists.This is an excellent book for anybody searching for acredible Baptist history book without the modern leanings towardecumenicalism. ... Read more

Product Description
With 16.3 million members and 44,000 churches, the Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Baptist group in the world, and the largest Protestant denomination in the United States.Unlike the so-called mainstream Protestant denominations, Southern Baptists have remained stubbornly conservative, refusing to adapt their beliefs and practices to modernity's individualist and populist values. Instead, they have held fast to traditional orthodoxy in such fundamental areas as biblical inspiration, creation, conversion, and miracles. Gregory Wills argues that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has played a fundamental role in the persistence of conservatism, not entirely intentionally. Tracing the history of the seminary from the beginning to the present, Wills shows how its foundational commitment to preserving orthodoxy was implanted in denominational memory in ways that strengthened the denomination's conservatism and limited the seminary's ability to stray from it. In a set of circumstances in which the seminary played a central part, Southern Baptists' populist values bolstered traditional orthodoxy rather than diminishing it. In the end, says Wills, their populism privileged orthodoxy over individualism. The story of Southern Seminary is fundamental to understanding Southern Baptist controversy and identity. Wills's study sheds important new light on the denomination that has played - and continues to play - such a central role in our national history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

History is written by the winners
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009
by Gregory Wills

As someone who enjoyed doing a Ph D in New Testament Between 1968 and 1971, I have watched from afar the comings and goings at Southern Seminary and the parallel events in the Southern Baptist Convention in the 39 years since I returned to my native land of Australia. During my time in Louisville I came to appreciate the diversity of Southern Baptist life. There were people who availed themselves of the freedom to study the Bible with the best scholarly tools in the light of the Lordship of Christ. Such people followed Jesus like their Baptist ancestors without the restrictions of creed or clergy, gender or government. They related to local Baptist congregations and participated in the larger Christian community. They ministered as witnesses of Christ in thought, word, and deed. They came to Southernwith hopes and dreams and left to serve with skills as preachers, pastors, lecturers, missionaries, religious educators, musicians, and social workers in churches, colleges, and church agencies.

Against this background I have read the Seminary History by Gregory Wills. I was intrigued to read the behind scenes stories of the last three presidents McCall, Honeycutt, and Mohler. The references to the professors I knew academically and personally were very revealing. There seemed to be little appreciation of their deep commitment to truth in the academy and to ministry in the church. The criteria for assessing them appeared to be narrowly confined to one somewhat strained view of the Bible. Wills is unaware of the distinction between evangelicals and fundamentalists beyond the shores of the United States. Wills does tell a sad tale of suspicion and almost hateful treatment of people who do not follow particular interpretations ofbiblical authority, pastoral leadership, sexual ethics, and calvinistic theology.

The move from an internationally recognised Baptist seminary to a regional Southern Baptist seminary under Mohler has been evident in various ways. For example, McCall like his predecessor Mullins served as President of the Baptist World Alliance. Mohler, on the other hand, has been part and parcel of the withdrawal of the Southern Baptist Convention from the BWA. Mohler presided over the demise of the Carver School of Social Work in 1995 because he failed to see the compatibility of Social Work and Southern Baptist Churches. At one stage, Mohler weighed into the debate on the use of inclusive language in the Today's NIV. Furthermore, the world famous Pastoral Care programme inaugurated by Wayne Oates and his colleagues in the 1950s was replaced at Mohler's insistence in 2005.

Where does all this leave the reader of Wills' Seminary History? Someone has said that history is written by the winners. Wills writes on behalf of the winners. I would advise readers to appreciate the research that has gone into writing the book. At the same time I would recommend readers to look at chapter 3 of Barry Hankins, Uneasy in Babylon: Southern Baptist Conservatives and American Culture (University of Alabama Press, 2002). It analyses the Louisville situation in the 1990s during the changeover of trustees and faculty fairly from both sides.

It is a pity that we Baptists cannot observe the sentiments of the much quoted precept: `In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.'I do like the story of the Kentucky farmer and Baptist deacon who would often pray, `O God, help us to remember where we came from, how much we've got to do, and how much we need one another to do it.'

A fascinating story with many lessons for today; I couldn't put it down!
I wrote several blog posts as I read through this excellent work, and I've reproduced them here:

1. Al Mohler on the Conservative Takeover of Southern Seminary
I've read about 200 pages of Gary Wills' history of Southern Seminary, including the final section on the Mohler years (I couldn't wait!), and I'm really enjoying it. God used James Boyce to perform Herculean tasks to keep the seminary alive in the early years, and faculty members like John Broadus made deep sacrifices, too. The seminary was firmly Calvinist in those days, as was the denomination, and the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy hadn't happened yet--so it was a dynamic quite different from today.

However, the SBTS of today is more like the SBTS of the 1860s than it has been in a century, a point the book makes well. Al Mohler is, humanly speaking, the major reason for the recovery of Boyce's original vision. Mohler performed Herculean tasks of his own, and every good conservative will thrill to hear how the wolves in sheep's clothing were removed from the faculty.


2. Sadness Over Southern
I can hardly put Gregory Wills' history of Southern Seminary down, and I'm willing to call it a must-read for conservative seminarians.
It was thrilling to read of Boyce and Broadus' doctrinal rigor and foresight, and it's been deeply saddening to read how quickly all their life-spending labors were co-opted by the "mediating" theology of E. Y. Mullins. How different our whole country might be if the SBTS founders' vision and doctrine had maintained control at their institution!

I thought this little paragraph about Mullins, who began his tenure right at the turn of the twentieth century, was telling and tragic:
"Southern Baptists relinquished Calvinism in the early twentieth century due largely to the influence of pragmatism, experiential theology, and a growing emphasis on the priority of individual freedom. E. Y. Mullins provided leadership in all three areas." (p. 240)

Wherever you stand on Calvinism, lovers of the gospel will agree that when it went out the SBTS back window into the bluegrass, a lot of good things went with it.
Incidentally, the way Wills tells the story, the conservatives lost the presidency to Mullins in part because of the sinful vanity of Boyce and Broadus' successor, William H. Whitsitt. Personal sin led to institutional downfall.


3. A Truly Great Line from a Truly Great Book
I'm still thoroughly enjoying--and receiving historical instruction from--Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009.
I just got through the major fight liberal-moderate president Duke McCall had in the 1950s with a group of liberal-moderate faculty. McCall won, and because he was not viewed as liberal, rank and file Southern Baptists viewed his victory as a purge of unsound theology from the school. But they weren't quite right. Wills' little line at the end of this paragraph is brilliant:

"Herschel Hobbs's assessment prevailed widely: 'This was Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's finest hour as she stood in the breach and said to modernism and its kind that it shall go no further in Southern Baptist institutions and life.' McCall's purge had saved the school and the denomination from liberalism. The orthodox soon discovered, however, that it was not a case of once saved, always saved."

4. You Lie!
I finished up the history of Southern Seminary. I couldn't help it. It was a riveting read. I knew the conservatives would win in the end, I just couldn't guess how Providence would manage it.

The story was worse than I expected. When liberal-moderates realized that they were losing both the denomination and its flagship seminary, they embarked on a policy of obfuscation. "Obstructivism," Wills called it. "Lying" would not be too strong.

"Liar" and "Hitler" have the same pedigree in debate terminology. I've long opposed the extremist rhetoric--shouted by right and left alike--that resorts to either. The meaning of "lie" is specific and universally agreed upon: telling an untruth which one knows to be an untruth.

That's why Rep. Wilson (SC) had to apologize for his infamous recent outburst. President Obama, like President Bush before him, is certainly guilty, in a specific sense, of telling untruths. Someone who has to speak constantly, relying on advice from others, can't help it in this fallen world. But it's another thing to charge that our president knows certain of his words are false and utters them anyway.

That, however, is just what successive liberal-moderate presidents of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary did repeatedly. They insisted to their constituency that their faculty were doctrinally sound--according to their constituency's definition of soundness--when they knew otherwise. One even released a statement, signed by the five other liberal SBC seminary presidents, claiming to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. That president subsequently told his faculty that, basically, he had not intention of honoring his words. He felt that any action he took was justified in light of his goal of saving the seminary from the fundamentalists.
Conservatives can be guilty of the same casuistry, but in this case they were the good guys. A fascinating story I highly recommend. And the final line was quite affecting.

A Magnificent Achievement
Published by Oxford University Press, historian Greg Wills' book, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009 is now the definitive resource for understanding the history and identity of the oldest of the six Southern Baptist seminaries.

The research in these 500+ pages is groundbreaking. Over a period of several years, Wills combed through more than a million pages of documents. His access to recently-discovered records illuminates the details surrounding the crucial moments in Southern's history.

Last year, I read and reviewed William Mueller's book, A History of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859 - 1959. Mueller sought to establish a line of continuity between the Seminary's founders and the administration in the late 1950's. What Mueller tried to do, Wills actually accomplishes. Since Mohler has been president, Southern Seminary has been brought in line with the theological vision of the founders.

The book begins by telling the story of James P. Boyce and his tireless efforts to establish a seminary in the south. Boyce brought together the best Southern Baptist minds of the time: Basil Manley, Jr., William Williams and John A. Broadus.

The school's founding took place in 1859, just two years before the Civil War. The war would temporarily close the seminary and place its future in jepoardy. But the founders exerted enormous energy to raise the financial support needed to give the school long-term viability.

Wills charts the seminary's path toward liberalism. In the 1880's, Crawford Howard Toy, an Old Testament professor, was forced to resign because of his higher critical views of the Bible. During the presidency of E.Y. Mullins in the early 20th century, the direction of the faculty moved in a leftward direction. I do not agree Wills that Mullins should be categorized a liberal. Wills uses the term based on Mullins' methodology, but I would reserve that label for theologians whose doctrinal affirmations actually depart from orthodoxy. Wills is right, however, to point out the importance of Mullins for laying the foundation for the later controversies of the SBC.

The 1958 controversy, in which 13 members of the faculty were dismissed, is described in great detail. The 1958 controversy helps the reader understand the tension of being a left-leaning academic institution tethered to a largely conservative denomination.

The later years of the 20th century were filled with controversy, as the Southern Baptist Convention reaffirmed its commitment to conservative theology and sought to bring the seminaries in line with the prevailing sentiments of Southern Baptist constituents. Wills recounts the battle for the seminary's theological direction, expressing his agreement with the conservatives. Yet he seeks to portray the facts in a clear and objective manner.

Anyone interested in Southern Seminary or the history of the Southern Baptist Convention simply must read this book. I could not put it down! Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009 is a magnificent achievement.

Scholarly, Yet Engaging
Institutional histories tend not to make for engaging reading, but Wills' history of the Southern Baptist Convention's flagship seminary is a welcome exception to the norm. Wills is both scholar and storyteller, consulting from over a million sources in order to present a history that not only covers the important names and dates but tells a very human story about the personalities who have shaped the seminary over its 150 year history. Southern Seminary is a unique institution that originated as a doctrinally conservative Baptist school, progressively incorporated liberal ideas throughout most of the twentieth century, but remarkably swung back towards its conservative roots under the administration of Al Mohler in the 1990s. Wills argues that the school was able to recover its conservative identity on account of its confession of faith, called "Abstract of Principles," and its inseparable ties to the Southern Baptist Convention. Though Wills is a professor at the seminary, he has labored to remain objective in his analysis and accurately presents the viewpoints of the diverse characters who make up the story of Southern Seminary.

I recommend this book for Baptists, Evangelical Christians, or even critical readers who want to understand the development of American Christian higher education over the last two hundred years.This is a book that people will be talking about for years to come.This is one of three excellent Southern Baptist history books which have come out in 2009 (the other two being James Slatton's biography of William Whitsitt and Thomas Nettles' biography of James P. Boyce). It's been a very good year for Baptist historical appreciation.

Intriguing Institutional History
Institutional histories often go unnoticed; this one is worth the read.Baptist historian Gregory Wills provides an insightful, in-depth, and intriguing look at one of the most important theological seminaries in the country.From its difficult founding in antebellum South Carolina to its contentious shift from liberalism to orthodoxy, the history of Southern Seminary mirrors the struggles of the Southern Baptist Convention through the years.Beyond baptist history, this book addresses many of the seminal debates in seminary education: academic freedom, denominational identity, and struggle for orthodoxy are recurrent themes.Wills is a scholar par excellence.He gives careful attention to the primary sources, citing frequently from an expansive breadth of original documents including personal correspondence and other unique documents.The result is a full and faithful picture of the lives of those connected with the Seminary and a careful catalog of important events and their consequences.Wills is fair but unflinching in recounting the many turbulent controversies surrounding the Seminary.The history is lively and engaging; his analysis is perceptive.It is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in baptist history or the pivotal role seminaries play in American religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Binding worries me a little
I knew the content before buying this, it is an excellent and concise work detailingReformed Baptist beliefs with scriptural support. I am a little concerned though that this book will fall apart on me as the binding doesn't seem to be really strong. ... Read more

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A favorite among countless thousands of Baptists, the Hiscox manual addresses church membership, officers, and Christian discipline; the nature of the church; ministry, ordinances, and worship; the ch ... Read more

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This classic work of defense of the Reformed, Presbyterian view of the meaning and mode of baptism is available again, with annotations and gently-updated language. Chaney's engaging style of dialogue will guide and instruct the reader on the biblical teaching of Christian baptism. ... Read more