Baptist History and the Lack of Concern

I am familiar with them. At least to the extent that their work appears on this web site: http://www.reformedreader.org/

Patterson's critique of their scholarship is compelling.

(Sidebar. If I recall correctly, Isaac Backus' work - A History of New England with Particular Reference to the Denomination of Christians Called Baptists - covered only Baptists in America. No discussion from him of Baptists going back to NT times.)

CA

 

I just called out Backus because you mentioned him among the successionist writers, which - to my knowledge - he was not.

Hope you take the chance to look at the Patterson and McGoldrick books.

CA

 

So who are the "true" Baptists today?

And what is the "true Gospel" that Baptists have preserved since the NT era?

 

I received, just yesterday, the book Compendium of Baptist History by J.A. Shackelford written in 1892. He deals with church succession in one chapter. I am reviewing the book for possible use in our Bible College.

 

Here is what he actually wrote:

Backus's A letter to the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Lord of Norwich (1764).
on pp. 8-9:
"this puts the succession where it ought to be, in the line of divine truth"
....
"And where is the protestant in the world, that will pretend that there has been an uninterrupted succession of ordained ministers clear down from the apostles, who have none of them grossly perverted the gospel of Christ?"
....
"I know 'tis pretended that those people at Munster, were the first that appeared against infant baptism; but that is sufficiently proved by many to be a groundless pretence. Mr. Crosby, in the preface to the first volume of his history of the English baptists, has produced authorities from paedobaptist writers, of no less than seven other different periods of time, which they assign for the original of this opinion."

Backus's History of New England, vol. I (1777), pp. 106-107:
"This Baptist church at Providence appears to be the second distinct society of that denomination in all the British empire. There had been many of them intermixed with other societies from their first coming out of Popery, but their first distinct church in our nation was formed out of the independent church in London, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob was pastor from 1616 to 1624, when he went to Virginia, and Mr. John Lathrop was chosen in his room. Prince's Chronology But nine years after, "several persons in the society, finding that the congregation kept not to their first principles of separation, and being also convinced, that baptism was not to be administered to infants, but such only as professed faith in Christ," desired and obtained liberty, and formed themselves into a distinct church, Sept. 12, 1633, having Mr. John Spisbury for their minister. ...Crosby's History, vol. I, p. 148, 149."

 

I should have been more direct.

Do Baptists who believe in an unbroken succession today hold to the same theological views concerning soteriology?

If it is varied has this always been the case?

 

Thanks for bringing this up. I heard Bro. Beller speak this past spring at Heartland BBC here in Oklahoma City. That morning he was giving what he called a "briefing" on Baptist history and related it to current issues. It was basically the same as the book mentioned in the OP, "The Coming Destruction of the Baptist People". I did obtain this book, budget constraints kept me from getting any of the others.

I heartily recommend going to hear him, even if you think you won't agree with all of his points. You will have food for thought. He gives a very clear and precise presentation.

Part of the presentation deals with "Soul Liberty" and the Baptist influence on the Constitution of the United States. [Not the "Christian" influence, the "Baptist" influence.] It has been a Baptist principle that I cannot be compelled by the sword to change my heart's belief, not a principle of the Major Christian Denominations.

 

Bro. Beller's books are available here:
http://www.21tnt.com/pfp/

 

I have just stumbled on this thread, so forgive my late additions. I would like to recommend three books that I have not seen mentioned in the thread. First is The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter Shurden (Smyth & Helwys, 1993). The four freedoms are Bible freedom, soul freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom. The book also includes as appendices several documents related to these freedoms from different Baptist bodies.

Second is Baptist Ways: A History by Bill J. Leonard (Judson Press, 2003). The very first chapter has a section on theories of Baptist origins, so it should provide some information relelvant to the discussion on this thread.

Third is Baptist Roots: A Reader in the Theology of a Christian People by Curtis W. Freeman, James William McClendon, Jr., and C. Rosalee Velloso da Silva (Judson Press, 1999). This is a reader of primary sources beginning in about 1440. There are introductions to each period discussed and other resources.

I have connections of at least a minimal sort to each of these, so I can heartily recommend them to you. I took one of Shurden's classes when I was a student at Carson-Newman College in the early 1970's. I have met Bill Leonard and heard him speak on several occasions. And, though I did not have a chance to meet McClendon before he died, I have read him extensively, particularly his baptist systematic theology (Ethics, 1986; Doctrine, 1994; Witness, 2000; all Abingdon Press). McClendon is the most difficult to read, but he is worth it as are the others.

Tim Reynolds

 

This books sounds very interesting, does anyone know where I can attain a copy?