Book 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 (3)

The Best Collection of the Type
Baptist theologians are here allowed to speak for themselves in these excerpts.The diversity of voices is a hallmark of this volume. It includes Anabaptist forebears, African-American Baptists, voices from Asia, Latin America, and Africa, as well as women's voices.There are some idiosyncratic choices, as well as odd selections from the figures chosen, but this reader is breathtaking in its scope.The introductions are usually very insightful and the appendix listing even wider selections of Baptist life and thought and further reading possibilities make the collection even more helpful.Since publication, one of the editors, James Wm. McClendon, Jr., has died.In any future edition, McClendon's own voice needs to be included since he has made a major impact on younger generations of Baptist (and other) theologians, especially in the Free Church tradition.

Deep Roots--For a Rootless Era
In an era where no one seems to know their spiritual ancestors, this is a much needed work.It complements sourcebooks like Lumpkin's _Baptist Confessions of Faith_ by excerpting theological works by major Baptist (and related baptists) theologians over the centuries.While I am disappointed at the neglect of 2 17th C. Baptists of major importance, Richard Overton and Gerrard Winstanley, overall I think this was one of the most inclusive collections.I am known to disagree with the interpretation of E. Y. Mullins held by one of the editors, Curtis W. Freeman, and, for that reason, wish that a different selection had been made of Mullins' work.Likewise, in addition to the Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail," which is reprinted in many places, I would like to have seen some other selections from King.Since there is a tendency for white Christians to "tame" King, excerpting the portion of _Where Do We Go From Here?_ which analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of "Black Power," might have awakened many to the radical nature of King's thought.A selection from his posthumously published _The Trumpet of Conscience_ might also have been useful in that regard. Still, caveats aside, this is an excellent collection and, with the exception of Mullins, the editors' introductory remarks are usually excellent in helping beginners to interpret baptist theologians with whom they are not familiar.This "reader" should become a textbook for courses with titles like "Baptist Theologians in Historical Perspective," and should find its way to church libraries and pastor's shelves as an essential reference. One of the editors, James McClendon, himself a very creative baptist theologian, unfortunately died in 2000.Hopefully Freeman or Velloso da Silva (now Velloso Ewell) will take up the challenge of the next step:Convincing a publisher to reprint some of the major works of these baptist thinkers in full.That way, readers of this volume who get excited by one or more of these "roots" can explore it further without spending months in the "rare book" sections of major theological libraries.

What Does it Mean to Be a baptist?
In a time when being a baptist (the small "b" is no accident) isleft to those who have no historical understanding of baptist roots, this book is a breath of fresh air.Don't let the scholarly leanings of this volume get in the way - it is a straightforward account of the baptist heritage and its meaning and impact on contemporary theological thought.From the separation of church and state to the autonomy of the local church this is a helpful guide in navigating the current milieu of confused understanding which equates being baptist with being a member of the religious right or the politically correct.This third way charted by Freeman, McClendon, et al, will resonate with anyone seeking a better way to understand church history, present and future. ... Read more

Book Description
Stanley J. Grenz seeks to build upon emphases that have been significant throughout Baptist history?the personal nature of the salvation experience, the ordinances of believer?s baptism and the Lord?s Supper, primacy of Scripture, the church as a company of the redeemed, and the concept of separation of church and state. Questions relating to each chapter will stimulate group interaction and provide thought for personal reflection. Baptists of all fellowships and affiliations will find this book an invaluable resource for understanding the foundations of Baptist beliefs and polity. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ORIGINAL NEW NATIONAL BAPTIST HYMNAL, IN HARDCOVER EDTION. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Overview
I learned a lot from reading this book because I knew nothing about how African-Americans clung so strongly to the Baptist Church (especially along the southern atlantic coast).

Within this book you will clearly understand how and why the National Baptist Convention splintered into so many different factions and how the Southern Baptist Church came to dissociate iself from it.

A good read...and not too academic to boot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Sources!
There are diverse voices from across the centuries that one can find nowhere else in this great collection by Leon McBeth.!

A Superb Supplement
Leon McBeth adds his Sourcebook for the Baptist Heritage as a larger extension of footnote material for his "Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness" (Broadman, 1987)The student of Baptist history will certainly appreciate this extra volume because of the effort that McBeth has included in its pages to carefully illustrate not only the genuine scholarship that he has put into his work, but also the 'human' side of the people about whom he is writing.(There are some personal letters included within the Sourcebook to give the reader some glimpses into the lives of the people or the events connected with the materials presented in the BH.)Furthermore, this book gives the readers the chance to read the primary materials for themselves and to dialogue with McBeth's conclusions. ... Read more

Book Description
In this extensive exposition, the author, Sam Waldron, shows that the '1689' Confession is a masterly statement of the historic Christian faith.He writes in a direct and lucid style that will help ministers, students and laymen alike to a clear understanding of this Confession and to its relevance and application to our modern age.This exposition was originally published in 1989 to mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of the Second London Confession, which also became known as the '1689 Baptist Confession of Faith'. Today, reformed Baptists world-wide hold this Confession in high esteem and many churches continue to regard it as their official statement of faith.After being one of the pastors of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids for almost 24 years, Sam Waldron is now attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where in May of 2005 he will complete a Ph. D. in Systematic Theology. With his wife, he is a member of Heritage Baptist Church, a Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky where in January 2005 he became one of the pastors. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Quick and easy to understand, not deep theology
Edgar Young Mullins (1860-1928), minister, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and professor of theology, originally published this book in 1912, but the edition I read was the Judson Press 1991 reprinting of the 1925 edition. In this nifty little book, Dr. Mullins collected what he considered to be the core Baptist beliefs, and then explained them in as simple words as possible. This is no deep theological treatise, using scripture to defend every point. Instead, it is a quick and easy to understand explanation of Baptist beliefs. I found this book quite interesting, and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning what Baptists believe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Beginnings in Britain
Tom Nettles teaches at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Understanding history demands patience, humility, and love. If historical personalities are not treated by one who exercises these virtues, history easily becomes a club wielded by those primarily interested in pursuing their own agenda. Nettles exercises patience, humility, and love, and this is evidenced in his ability to explain why General Baptists (whose positions Nettles' does not hold), for instance, rejected the conclusions of the Particular Baptists (with whom Nettles agrees). One sometimes wonders if the contemporary heirs of these disputes have taken the time to understand why their opponents have rejected their conclusions. The SBC desperately needs a patient, humble, loving treatment of its Baptist heritage, and this is exactly what Tom Nettles has provided. The book under review here, Beginnings in Britain, is the first of a projected three volume series.

This volume is broken down into three parts: In Part I, "Competing Models in Setting the Profile," Nettles describes previous summaries of Baptist history and identifies major points of division among those who identify themselves as Baptists. Nettles describes two approaches to being Baptist. The first he labels "the soul-liberty party," which identifies with the enlightenment and emphasizes the primacy of Christian experience. The second, which Nettles argues for, identifies with the reformation, historic Christian orthodoxy, evangelicalism, theologically integrated ecclesiology, and a conscientious Confessionalism. Nettles calls this the "coherent-truth model." The "soul-liberty" people emphasize the doctrine of the priesthood of the believer to the point that each individual believer can pick and choose which parts of the Bible are authoritative. The "coherent-truth" people submit themselves to the authority of both Scripture and orthodox Christian thought as represented in historic creeds and confessions.

Part I sets the stage, and the rest of this book is a biographical approach to history. Major figures have been selected, and their lives, ministerial experiences, and theological contributions are surveyed. This approach gives the volume a personal feel and makes for fascinating reading.

Part II treats three General Baptists: John Smyth (d. 1612), Thomas Grantham (1634-1692), and Dan Taylor (1738-1816). Smyth began as a Reformed Puritan, eventually separated from the Church of England, and by 1609 concluded that church membership should be based on believers' baptism. Smyth baptized himself because though the Mennonites and Anabaptists practiced believers' baptism, he considered them doctrinally suspect and perhaps even heretical (63-64). He later repudiated his baptism, rejected Augustine on predestination and original sin, rejected Luther on justification by faith, and sought to join the Mennonites.

Grantham, who like Paul was stoned for his preaching (73), drafted a confession of faith signed by 41 General Baptist ministers. Grantham held to general atonement, to election based on foreseen faith, and thought that believers could lose their salvation (74-75). Consistent with his other positions was Grantham's view that God does not require of his creatures things they are not able to perform. This leads naturally to inclusivism (as opposed to universalism or exclusivism): if people never hear the gospel, but respond rightly to natural revelation and the law written on the heart, they "do know this Mediator virtually, and believing on the Lord as such, do know him savingly" (91, quoted from Grantham, St. Paul's Catechism [1687], 11).

This issue of what is required of those who are not otherwise able is at the heart of the "Modern Question." Nettles explains, "The Modern Question plainly stated is this: `Whether it be the duty of all men to whom the gospel is published, to repent and believe in Christ?'" (248). What Grantham shows us is that there were erroneous responses to the Modern Question in two directions: some Particular Baptists slipped into hyper-Calvinism, mistakenly thinking that if God does not require of his creatures what they cannot do, there is no sense calling sinners to repent and believe the Gospel. Grantham shows us the other error, of inclusivism, which claims that people can be saved apart from conscious faith in Jesus Christ (people who have not heard of Christ cannot trust him, therefore God does not require them to trust him for salvation). We will see that those who held fast to both Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility avoided both hyper-Calvinism and inclusivism.

Taylor was confirmed in the Church of England, but Particular Baptists spurred him to revisit the question of Baptism (96). When he became convinced of believers' baptism, the Particular Baptists refused to baptize him because of his Arminian convictions (97). Taylor became a General Baptist but was forced to separate from the General Baptist General Assembly in 1769 because they refused to affirm the full deity of Christ and stand against Socinianism and Arianism. Those who went with him formed the "New Connection of General Baptists." This group eventually united with the Particular Baptists to form the Baptist Union in 1891. Taylor avoided Pelagianism, but misunderstood Calvinism. He could not comprehend how Andrew Fuller could be both fully Calvinistic and evangelistic (the Modern Question again). He thought that regeneration, rather than preceding faith, followed and arose from it, and "took it for granted that the hyper-Calvinism of the eighteenth century did not arise at all as an aberration but constituted the essence of historic Calvinism" (105).

Part IIIdeals with seven Particular Baptists: John Spilsbury (1593-1662/68), William Kiffin (c. 1616-1701), Hanserd Knollys (1598-1691), Benjamin Keach (1640-1704), John Gill (1697-1771), Andrew Fuller (1754-1815), and William Carey (1761-1834).

Spilsbury, Kiffin, and Knollys were roughly contemporary. They were followed by Keach, who passed the torch to Gill, who was followed by Fuller, who "held the rope" for Carey.

According to Nettles, Spilsbury, Kiffin, and Knollys completed the reformation by leavening its theology through their ecclesiology. Spilsbury's views gave a clear answer to the Modern Question before it ever became an issue: he held that everyone was bound to believe the Gospel (125). This, in good biblical fashion, maintains human responsibility. An early observer called Kiffin the Father of the Particular Baptists (129). Both his parents died of the plague when he was nine. Like Spilsbury, both Kiffin and Knollys held that all were required to believe long before the Modern Question was ever asked. Nettles writes, "the issues addressed in the next century were not really such a `modern question' and . . . leading Baptist Calvinists already had reasoned through the implications of the question and had preceded Fuller and Carey in the answer" (138, cf. 157). Knollys was originally a minister of the Church of England, and his resignation of that post and adoption of Baptist views resulted in much hardship. Like the Apostle Paul and Thomas Grantham, he lived through being stoned for his preaching (152).

Benjamin Keach's views on the atonement and the human will changed, and he became a great proponent of Particular Baptist Theology. The church he pastored in London had to move to a location that would accommodate nearly one thousand people (166). John Gill followed Benjamin Keach (after Benjamin Stinton) at the Horsly-down Church in London. Nettles finds one place where Gill "appears to hold the hyper-Calvinist view," in that "Theoretically Gill held that the non-elect were not obligated to evangelical obedience, because the necessity of such obedience did not exist in unfallen humanity as deposited in Adam" (226). Nettles demonstrates, however, that this view did not work its way into Gill's own practice (227). Gill disputed with Wesley, but he "did not differ in any essential theological category from the Grand Itinerant, George Whitefield" (241).

Some took hold of Gill's "theoretical" answer, and as a result they did not call sinners to repentance. They reasoned like Grantham: sinners are not obligated to do what they are unable to do (247-48). Helped by Jonathan Edwards' distinction between Natural Inability--what one is physically unable to do, and Moral Inability--what one is unable to do because one is unwilling to do it (the Gospel does not call people to do what they are physically incapable of doing but to what they volitionally refuse to do)--Andrew Fuller wrote The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, which argued for "the congruity between divine sovereignty and human responsibility" (250). Like their Baptist forefathers, Fuller joined with John Ryland Jr. and William Carey in the opinion that "the affirmative side of the Modern Question [the Gospel should be indiscriminately proclaimed and all called to believe it] was fully consistent with the strictest Calvinism" (290). These three men who held to "the strictest Calvinism" initiated the modern missions movement. Clearly "strict Calvinism" is not to be equated with "hyper-Calvinism," which Fuller rejects as "false Calvinism" (245). There is an important point here. Hyper-Calvinism is a specific theological position. It seems today that some non-Calvinists are ready to label anyone who appears to be less evangelistic than they think themselves to be as hyper-Calvinistic. The rejection of manipulative methods and coercive techniques in favor of boldly proclaiming the pure Gospel and trusting the Spirit to quicken hearts is not less evangelistic but more so (compare Paul's practice in 1 Cor 2:1-5).

Tom Nettles' important book imparts much truth that speaks directly to several battles taking place in Baptist life today: the new IMB policies on Baptism do not appear to be Landmarkist, historically speaking.The move to accept people who have not been baptized as believers as members at Bethlehem Baptist Church, where John Piper pastors, has been argued against by William Kiffin, who engaged in controversy with John Bunyan over the same issue (138-42). Hanserd Knollys long ago argued against the principle behind the modern multiple campus phenomenon (158). Some contemporary Baptists allege that having a plurality of elders is not Baptist but Presbyterian, but even the General Baptist Thomas Grantham held that biblical church officers are "Elders and Deacons" (75). Moreover, the 1925 version of the Baptist Faith and Message states that the "Scriptural offices" of a Gospel church are "bishops or elders and deacons."

If Baptists today are to be unified, we must pursue two things: (1) the ability to articulate the positions of those with whom we disagree in a way that satisfies those who hold those positions, and (2) the fair representation both of what the Bible indicates and of the historical record. We must approach those with whom we disagree from a spirit of brotherly love. If we consider others benighted by mistaken conclusions, let us dialogue with them in such a way that they feel that we love them and want to help them. There is no place for caricature and misrepresentation for rhetorical advantage. The book discussed here is a model of the kind of contributions needed. This history will take us a long way toward understanding those who have gone before us. May many Baptists read this book that Tom Nettles has given to us. It will inform our discussions, and we will surely be inspired and humbled by the faithful suffering of our forefathers. Let us remember them, consider the outcome of their lives, and imitate their faith (Heb 13:7).

Great Book!
This is a great second volume to this series on Baptist history. Most Baptists are ignorant of their own history. Reading this book (and the first one on Baptist beginnings in England) will go a long way to correct this problem.I highly recommend the book. Buy it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

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

Book Description
The Mayflower Pilgrims: Roots of Puritan, Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Baptist Heritage is the fascinating Account of one of the greatest adventures of all time, recounted here in its entire breadth, from Reformation backgrounds to the ninteenth century. Engagingly written, this complete and up-to-date account includes research never before published.Dispelling numerous popular myths concerning the English Separatist Movement, this book establishes the movement's true role in English, American and Christian heritage.

Contains beautiful color illustrations and photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mayflower Pilgrims
(...)David Beale, professor of Church history at Bob Jones University, has taken advantage of recent scholarly studies and his own personal knowledge in putting together an excellent treatment of the Mayflower Separatists and their connections with other seventeenth century British dissenters. After describing their background in the context of the English Reformation, Beale details the fortunes of the Pilgrims from their beginnings in the Lincolnshire area of northern England to their landing at Cape Cod in 1620 and beyond. He references everything with the best sources and fleshes out his account with colorful descriptions of these indomitably brave souls. This is the best single reference volume on the Pilgrims in print. An added bonus for Baptists especially is Chapter Eight, “How the Earliest English Baptists Originated from the Pilgrim Separatists,” in which Beale accurately describes the relationships of both General and Particular Baptists to Separatism. In doing so, he dispels the myth that seventeenth century Baptists were the product of continental Anabaptism. He also advances the position that Henry Jacob, normally considered the founder of English Puritan Congregationalism (the Independents), actually became a Separatist, having more in common with John Robinson, the Pilgrims’ “consistent separatist” pastor, than with either the English Puritans or the more radical “Brownists.”
What makes this volume particularly valuable are the appendices, ten in all, which consist of primary source materials highlighting significant events in Nonconformist history. Several practical selections are included in the appendix section as well, such as an explanation of “double” dates for British events and a selfguided tour of Leiden, home of the Pilgrim Separatist congregation for twelve years. And if you are interested in researching your family name, Beale gives you the necessary help to get started.
Several personal trips to England, coupled with extensive technical research, has given Beale the reputation of being one of the world’s leading authorities on the Pilgrims. The quality and detail of his careful research is everywhere evident in this book. The intricacy of explanation in no way encumbers the narrative, however, but enhances an appreciation for the untiring fortitude and faith of this small band of Christians who faced incredible obstacles in helping to establish a strong foundation for American freedoms. Particularly in a day when our liberties are under severe attack by ruthless terrorists, a study of the Pilgrims can renew hope and endurance in the midst of trial and inspire devotion to the Word of God, the book that governed their actions and sustained their faith. The following summation from the Mayflower Pilgrims expresses well the reason why their lives are worthy of emulation: “The Pilgrim story is essentially a story of conviction, born in persecution, developed in exile, and based upon the Bible” (p. 160).
Dr. Beale conducts the Mayflower Tour of England, Wales, and Holland on a regular basis.(...)

Enjoyable and Informative
Not just dry history but a very enjoyable read by an author who has researched, first hand, his subject. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

WOW,WOW,WOW!'Engrossing' is an understatement!
Want a devotional that is not only mindful of Christian history, but hardcore BAPTIST history to boot?Personally, I never would have believed it until I saw it myself!The subject matter is fascinating and thewriting and research really rise to the occasion.

Forget the dailypep-talks and 12-step mantras that line the bookstore shelves.Read aloudto YOUR family about Swiss Anabaptists, Judson, Carey, Spurgeon, Leland,John R. Rice, and even the first Baptists in Norway!Thrill to the storiesof martyrs, missionaries, translators, and country preachers.Your familyaltar time will be richly enhanced!

Recommended to any Baptist parent.

Excellent insight of those who sacrificed all.
We take our religious liberties for granted and so few know or appreciate the hardship, trials, and suffering of our forefathers. This daily inspiration is concise and spirit-provoking. An excellent companion to any serious Bible student's daily devotions.

The result of four years of meticulous Baptist research.
This book provides a slice of Baptist history without regard to a chronological time table.The continuity promised by the Savior's statement "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (My church) are taken literally by the authors.The price paid by faithful Baptists through the years to secure and practice religious freedom is well documented in cases of those who suffered persecution and martyrdom for the preservation of truth.The Baptist's view of Scripture, the ordinances, polity and perpetuity are all clearly and concisely taught through illustrations that grip the heart.The document is completed foot-noted with a tremendously lenghy bibliography.This is "must reason" for those who are seriously interested in the subject of Baptist history.

A book rich in history with valuable devotional content.
This Day in Baptist History is in a very easy to read format of daily devotions, rich in history of the many men and women who took a stand througout the years and made a difference.Though it serves as a devotional, it is much more than that.It is a valuable addition to anyones library to serve as a theological history text.

I was especially moved by the reports of those who gave their lives willingly to further the faith they held so dear.

We have used this book in our own home to teach our children to appreciate the faith we so often take for granted.

We are looking forward to the publication of VOLUME TWO!! ... Read more

Product Description
The categories of music contained in this new hymnal include spirituals, traditional gospel, contemporary gospel, ""praise & worship,"" urban gospel, and many more.FEATURES: * special meditations * calls to worship * benedictions * and easy-to-use scriptural and topical indexes." * New National Baptist Hymnal ... Read more