Baptist Churches Books

Book SynopsisFor centuries, Baptists have published confessions of faith as formal statements of their beliefs. Chief among these is the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. This doctrinal statement is a spiritual treasure trove worthy of our fresh attention. In this new study, more than twenty contributors unpack its timeless biblical truths, ‘things which are most surely believed among us’ (Luke 1:1). Our prayer is that the Lord will use this volume to richly edify and sanctify His people worldwide, and to assist the churches in pursuing biblical holiness and doctrinal purity. May these labors send God’s people back again and again to the Bible, which is—as the confession states—the ‘only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience’ (1.1). Includes contributions from: Earl M. Blackburn Brian Borgman Dave Chanski David Charles Jason Ching Victor Claudio Jim Domm Gary Hendrix Steven Hofmaier Jeff Johnson Mitch Lush Lee McKinnon John Price Mike Renihan John Reuther Mark Sarver James Savastio Jeffery Smith Rob Ventura Calvin Walden Sam Waldron Austin Walker Jeremy Walker Trade ReviewBiblically rooted, theologically careful and engagingly written, this work is also consistently warm in its tone and practical in its application, authored as it is by pastors who are committed to the biblical truths that the Confession teaches. -- Robert Strivens (Pastor, Bradford–on–Avon Baptist Church, Wiltshire, UK & former Principal, London Seminary)Whereas there are many books dealing with one or two aspects of theology, it is good to have one book that gives those coming to Reformed Baptist convictions a comprehensive view of what we believe. -- Conrad Mbewe (Pastor, Kabwata Baptist Church, Kabwata, Zambia; Founding Chancellor, African Christian University, Lusaka, Zambia)… many of the chapters are superb in their biblical, theological, and experiential understanding and application of the great truths of Scripture. -- Joel R. Beeke (Chancellor, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan)This volume will add richness to the weekly study of a pastor and give an invaluable book for church groups for enriching their biblical knowledge and the contextual consistency and doctrinal coherence of the inspired Scriptures. -- Tom Nettles (Senior Professor of Historical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)Here is a tool for every follower of Christ who desires to see Jesus, our altogether lovely One, more clearly, understand His redemptive labors more fully, and walk more nearly to Him in applied truth. -- John Snyder (Pastor at Christ Church, New Albany, Director of Media Gratiae)Many of the contributing expositors of the chapters in this new exposition of the 1689 are veteran pastors in the latter years of their longstanding pastorates. May the following generations be faithful stewards as they have been, in profession and practice, of the “sound words” they have set forth in this new work. Herein is a legacy of truth to be bought and not sold (Proverbs 23:23). -- George McDearmon (Pastor Ballston Lake Baptist Church, Ballston Lake, NY)In an age of relativism and unregulated piety, a return to the doctrines of grace espoused by this confession is urgently needed. The exposition of these truths given in this volume is masterful. May its publication and use aid in the reformation of the church in our time. -- Derek W. H. Thomas (Senior Minister of Preaching and Teaching, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina)In a most attractive, readable and scholarly way this rich volume presents historic Christianity as Baptists have absorbed it and been confessing it for the last 333 years in this grand statement of our best Confession of Faith. This book is a tremendous achievement. -- Geoff Thomas (Conference Speaker and author, Aberystwyth, Wales)You do not need to agree with every sentence in this 1689 Confession to benefit greatly from its exposition by men of theological orthodoxy and pastoral integrity. Read and sink your mind and heart into the rich truths as expressed in this new work. -- Ian Hamilton (President, Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Newcastle, UK )

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Book SynopsisThe mid-seventeenth century saw both the expansion of the Baptist sect and the rise and growth of Quakerism. At first, the Quaker movement attracted some Baptist converts, but relations between the two groups soon grew hostile. Public disputes broke out and each group denounced the other in polemical tracts. Nevertheless in this book, Underwood contends that Quakers and Baptists had much in common with each other, as well as with the broader Puritan and Nonconformist tradition. By examining the Quaker/Baptist relationship in particular, Underwood seeks to understand where and why Quaker views diverged from English Protestantism in general and, in the process, to clarify early Quaker beliefs.Trade Reviewimportant book ... a fascinating, scholarly analysis of the crucial years in which Quakers defined and established their beliefs and structures ... Detailed notes and an extensive bibliography support the text ... a coherent and clear presentation of early Quaker beliefs, and their occasional difficulties in supporting them ... This book is essential reading for understanding the challenge and achievement of seventeenth century Quakerism. * The Friend *This is a valuable study. * J.F.McGregor. Ecclesistical History Vol.50 No.3 July 99. *Important book ... a fascinating, scholarly analysis of the crucial years in which Quakers defined and established their beliefs and structures ... Detailed notes and an extensive bibliography support the text ... Professor Underwood is able to give a coherent and clear presentation of early Quaker beliefs, and their occasional difficulties in supporting them ... This book is essential reading for understanding the challenge and achievement of seventeenth century Quakerism. * The Friend *

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Book SynopsisStephen Holmes is Lecturer in Theology at The University of St Andrews, UK. He has published extensively in the field of Christian theology and has previously collaborated with Colin Gunton in The Practice of Theology (2001).Trade ReviewIn exploring the Baptist tradition, Stephen Holmes offers an astonishing range of material packed into a relatively small space. He clarifies the difficult balance between individuality and life in community that Baptists have tried to maintain, and with an exceptional ease he integrates history with theology, offering many insightful theological judgements as he tells the story. In a masterful way he sets the development of a particular group within the wider movements of church, society and Christian thought, in a tour de force that should be read by all students of the Christian Church. -- Prof Paul S. Fiddes, Regent's Park College, Oxford, UKDo Baptists have a theology? The answer, as this book clearly shows, is ‘Yes'. But what sort of theology is it? Is it a version of Protestant evangelicalism, democratic individualism, or radical sectarianism? Holmes offers an account of Baptist theology as an activity that attends closely to the convictions and practices of congregations. This explains why expressions of Baptist theology often vary significantly. Yet in the particular attention to local gatherings, Holmes displays that Baptists still share the theological consensus of the wider church on such basic doctrines as the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, and creation. But as Holmes also makes plain, this emphasis on the gathered community finds distinctive manifestation in congregational church government, respect for the liberty of conscience, and participation in God's mission to the world. It is a clear and concise summary of Baptist theology that deserves to be widely used. -- Curtis W. Freeman, Research Professor of Theology and Director of the Baptist House of Studies, Duke University Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina, USAThis volume focuses on the origins and establishment of baptism and proposes a key concept of the Church as a local community . . . A book which should be of interest to more than just evangelical Protestants. * Istina (Bloomsbury translation) *Table of Contents1. Who are the Baptists? Beginnings; 2. Who are the Baptists today?; 3. The Baptist vision of the church; 4. Christ is Lord, and the believer is free; 5. God's desire to save; 6. The high calling of the Christian; 7. Conclusion: a vision of Baptist theology.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first full account of the crucial role of black women in making the church a powerful institution for social and political change in the black community. From 1880–1920, the black church served as the most effective vehicle by which men and women alike, pushed down by racism and poverty, rallied against emotional and physical defeat.Trade ReviewIf the period was so important for women but simultaneously a low point for black Americans as a group, then how should we understand the apparently contradictory politics of that time? Righteous Discontent accentuates the positive, finding in the contradiction ‘a creative tension that both motivated and empowered black women to speak out.’ Ms. Higginbotham moves beyond the dichotomous thinking that has often short-circuited our attempts to understand the situation of black women… An important, sophisticated, and richly instructive book. -- Suzanne Lebsock * New York Times Book Review *Higginbotham’s book is populated with fascinating and accomplished women… [Her] research is impeccable and her work both ambitious and important. Righteous Discontent contributes significantly to the still underappreciated history of the black church in America. -- Adele Logan Alexander * Washington Post Book World *Higginbotham has pioneered a study of a long-neglected component of the African-American experience. This book is a powerful and compelling story of the religious life of African-American women and their resistance to racism and sexism. Through Higginbotham’s work, the voices of African-American women, which have remained silent too long, emerge distinct and bold. -- Jill Watts * Journal of American History *A landmark contribution to American religious history. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1. The Black Church: A Gender Perspective 2. The Female Talented Tenth 3. Separatist Leanings 4. Unlikely Sisterhood 5. Feminist Theology, 1880-1900 6. The Coming of Age of the Black Baptist Sisterhood 7. The Politics of Respectability Notes Index

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Book SynopsisAnthropologist Carol J. Greenhouse offers an ethnographic study of attitudes toward conflict and law in a predominantly white, middle-class, suburban, principally Southern Baptist community.Trade ReviewA most stimulating book.... Praying for Justice is very successful in describing a people's aversion to discord by means of cultural analysis based on sensitive use of ethnographic and archival materials.... There is also the pure interest in figuring out a cultural system that is not of law, but that impacts on law, one that is based on justification rather than command, on participation rather than obedience, a system of handling conflict not requiring the application of human authority.... This book is superlative. * Law and Society Review *A welcome study analyzing the ideology of Southern Baptists in a suburban community in Georgia. Greenhouse's concern is how religious beliefs provide a basis for people's ideas about justice in their social order and how conflicts or potential conflicts are overcome or avoided entirely by invoking religious doctrine.... Her sophisticated analysis of the data is impressive and demonstrates an understanding of Southern beliefs that few scholars have achieved. * American Anthropologist *The strength of this work is in its imaginative explanation of the structural means of conflict resolution. Greenhouse goes to painstaking length to explain the Baptist response to conflict.... She absorbs herself in her data and maintains that delicate balance of scholar and confidant to her subjects. * Contemporary Sociology *

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Book SynopsisAnthropologist Carol J. Greenhouse offers an ethnographic study of attitudes toward conflict and law in a predominantly white, middle-class, suburban, principally Southern Baptist community.Trade ReviewA most stimulating book.... Praying for Justice is very successful in describing a people's aversion to discord by means of cultural analysis based on sensitive use of ethnographic and archival materials.... There is also the pure interest in figuring out a cultural system that is not of law, but that impacts on law, one that is based on justification rather than command, on participation rather than obedience, a system of handling conflict not requiring the application of human authority.... This book is superlative. * Law and Society Review *A welcome study analyzing the ideology of Southern Baptists in a suburban community in Georgia. Greenhouse's concern is how religious beliefs provide a basis for people's ideas about justice in their social order and how conflicts or potential conflicts are overcome or avoided entirely by invoking religious doctrine.... Her sophisticated analysis of the data is impressive and demonstrates an understanding of Southern beliefs that few scholars have achieved. * American Anthropologist *The strength of this work is in its imaginative explanation of the structural means of conflict resolution. Greenhouse goes to painstaking length to explain the Baptist response to conflict.... She absorbs herself in her data and maintains that delicate balance of scholar and confidant to her subjects. * Contemporary Sociology *

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Book SynopsisThou, Dear God is the first and only collection of sixty-eight prayers by Martin Luther King, Jr. Arranged thematically in six parts--with prayers for spiritual guidance, special occasions, times of adversity, times of trial, uncertain times, and social justice--Baptist minister and King scholar Lewis Baldwin introduces the book and each section with short essays. Included are both personal and public prayers King recited as a seminarian, graduate student, preacher, pastor, and, finally, civil rights leader, along with a special section that reveals the biblical sources that most inspired King. Collectively they illustrate how King turned to private prayer for his own spiritual fulfillment and to public prayer as a way to move, inspire, and reaffirm a quest for peace and social justice. With a foreword by Rev. Dr. Julius R. Scruggs, it is the perfect gift for people and leaders of all faiths, and an invaluable resource for spiritual individuals and those who lead worship.

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Book SynopsisA distinctive Afro-Baptist faith emerged as African religious emphasis on spirit possession, soul-travel, and rebirth combined with evangelical faith. This book presents the history of the Alabama Missionary Baptist State Convention - its origins, churches, associations, conventions, and leaders. It also explores the role of women.Trade ReviewThis work makes a significant contribution to the study of American church history. It is clear and does a good job of surfacing figures, communities, and their roles in the history of Black Baptists in Alabama. - Stephen G. Ray Jr., author of Do No Harm: Social Sin and Christian Responsibility

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Book SynopsisMelody Maxwellâs The Woman I Am analyses the traditional, progressive, and potential roles female Southern Baptist writers and editors portrayed for Southern Baptist women from 1906 to 2006, particularly in the area of missions. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) represents the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, yet Southern Baptist womenâs voices have been underreported in studies of American religion and culture. In The Woman I Am, Melody Maxwell explores how female Southern Baptist writers and editors in the twentieth century depicted changing roles for women and responded to the tensions that arose as Southern Baptist women assumed leadership positions, especially in the areas of missions and denominational support. Given access to a century of primary sources and archival documents, Maxwell writes, as did many of her subjects, in a style that deftly combines the dispassionate eye of an observer with the multidimensional grasp of a participant. She exami

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Book SynopsisThe Disciples of Christ, led by reformers such as Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone, was one of a number of early 19th-century primitivist religious groups ""seeking to restore the ancient order of things"". This text looks at the history of the movement.

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Book SynopsisBased on extensive interviews with the most important Southern Baptist conservatives who have assumed control of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), this title shows how differing cultural perceptions help explain the great chasm that developed between fundamentalists in the SBC and the moderates who preceded them as leaders of the denomination.Trade ReviewThis richly detailed and closely narrated work is a fascinating study of key figures in the bitter struggle from 1979 to the 1990s for control of the nation's largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention.... [It is] a unique work and essential reading for those interested in contemporary 'culture wars.' - Paul Harvey, Religious Studies Review; ""Hankins is going against the common notion that SBC conservatives are reasserting the southernness (read racism, patriarchy, and general backwardness) of the SBC. By examining the development and thinking of specific conservative leaders, such as Albert Mohler, Richard Land, and Adrian Rodgers, Hankins is able to demonstrate that important influences upon them were neither southern nor Baptist, but more broadly national and evangelical."" - The Journal of Southern Religion Reviews; ""This is a 'must-read' for Baptist historians. College and divinity school libraries should purchase this book. It would be a great monograph for use in a Baptist history or American religious history survey class."" - Choice; ""A fair and first-rate account."" - Douglas Abrams, Georgia Historical Quarterly

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Book SynopsisPresents a survey on the history of Baptists. This work highlights the persistent commitment of most Baptists to an informal constellation of 'Baptist distinctives'. It also highlights the Baptist commitment to religious liberty and the individual conscience.

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Book SynopsisWritten by a leading authority on Baptist life and thought, this inclusive survey traces the development of the Baptist tradition in North America over the past 400 years. Shows how from a handful of churches on the Atlantic Coast, the Baptist movement spread to become the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Considers the contribution of all Baptists, including those in the United States and Canada, men and women, Caucasians and non-Caucasians. Includes statistical data, a timeline, lists of Baptist groups and related institutions, and a glossary of terms. Trade Review"Baptists in North America is an excellent resource for undergraduates, seminary students, and general readers "who have an interest in Baptist history. Baptist churches should hold Baptist heritage seminars, utilizing this book as the primary text." (Baptist History and Heritage, Fall 2010) “Baptists in North America – a stellar accomplishment – is the result of a life of Baptist churchmanship and Baptist scholarship. Who in the world knows more about Baptists in North America than William Brackney?” William B. Shurden, The Center for Baptist Studies, Mercer University “Given the astonishing diversity of Baptist life and thought, not to mention the subtle but real differences between American and Canadian culture, few scholars could write a meaningful history of Baptists in North America, but Bill Brackney has done it. The author has a firm grasp of the chronological and institutional details but also shows his ability to interpret thematically the big picture. This is a valuable piece of work.” Stanley K. Fowler, Heritage Theological Seminary "Brackney (Baylor Univ.) is one of the foremost scholars of Baptists in North America. Out of that expertise he has produced this new history, which, impressively, is comprehensive yet concise enough not to overwhelm the reader. That makes it ideal for college undergraduates or divinity school students. Brackney analyzes the traditional, distinctive characteristics of Baptists, such as their attention to a believer's church, separation of church and state, soul freedom, and local church autonomy. However, he also describes the process of how Baptists have moved toward denominationalism over the last several centuries. This book will be a valuable addition to any library and can be an excellent resource for the classroom as well.Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. -- G. Jonas, Campbell University, Choice "The African American churches need less absolutizing in order to undertake their great task of addressing the still rampant inequality and structural racism that criminalizes so many of their young males and reduces others to passivity. A radical gospel is needed more than ever, and it is to be hoped that this book will stimulate research to galvanize the churches into reflective action." Theological Book ReviewTable of ContentsForeword. Preface. Introduction: What Are the Baptists? or Who Are the Baptists?. 1. Coming to America. 2. Revivalism and a Fondness for Liberty. 3. Growth and Diversification. 4. The Institutionalization of a Tradition. 5. A Tradition of Several Families. 6. The Pinnacle of Baptist Denominationalism. 7. The Come-outer Tradition. 8. The Uniqueness of African American Baptists. 9. Baptists and the Missionary Impulse. 10. Social Concerns and Mores of an Evangelical Tradition. 11. Baptists Face Modernity. Bibliography. Appendix List of Baptist Groups in the United States and Canada. Glossary of Terms in Baptist Usage. Index.

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Book SynopsisBest-selling author John Piper puts the life of Andrew Fuller on display as inspriration forallChristians to devote themselves to knowing, guarding, and spreading the true gospelto the ends of the earth.

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Book SynopsisProvides an illuminating look at the diverse world of Black religious life in North America, focusing particularly outside of mainstream Christian churchesFrom the Moorish Science Temple to the Peace Mission Movement of Father Divine to the Commandment Keepers sect of Black Judaism, myriad Black new religious movements developed during the time of the Great Migration. Many of these stood outside of Christianity, but some remained at least partially within the Christian fold. The Black Coptic Church is one of these. Black Coptics combined elements of Black Protestant and Black Hebrew traditions with Ethiopianism as a way of constructing a divine racial identity that embraced the idea of a royal Egyptian heritage for its African American followers, a heroic identity that was in stark contrast to the racial identity imposed on African Americans by the white dominant culture. This embrace of a royal Blacknesswhat McKinnis calls an act of fugitive spiritualityilluminates how the Black CoptiTrade ReviewMcKinnis’s writing style is clear and inviting. . . . This book is poised to make a major contribution to American and African American religious studies. -- Wallace D. Best, author of Langston’s Salvation: American Religion and the Bard of HarlemThe book makes original contributions to our understanding of Black religious diversity, providing a theological portrait of an unexamined Black new religious movement and engaging the Black Coptic Church as a lens on religion and race in America. -- Judith Weisenfeld, Agate Brown and George L. Collord Professor of Religion, Princeton UniversityContributes valuably to underscoring the diversity of African American religious diversity. -- Charles A. Price, Temple University

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Book SynopsisProvides an illuminating look at the diverse world of Black religious life in North America, focusing particularly outside of mainstream Christian churchesFrom the Moorish Science Temple to the Peace Mission Movement of Father Divine to the Commandment Keepers sect of Black Judaism, myriad Black new religious movements developed during the time of the Great Migration. Many of these stood outside of Christianity, but some remained at least partially within the Christian fold. The Black Coptic Church is one of these. Black Coptics combined elements of Black Protestant and Black Hebrew traditions with Ethiopianism as a way of constructing a divine racial identity that embraced the idea of a royal Egyptian heritage for its African American followers, a heroic identity that was in stark contrast to the racial identity imposed on African Americans by the white dominant culture. This embrace of a royal Blacknesswhat McKinnis calls an act of fugitive spiritualityilluminates how the Black CoptiTrade ReviewMcKinnis’s writing style is clear and inviting. . . . This book is poised to make a major contribution to American and African American religious studies. -- Wallace D. Best, author of Langston’s Salvation: American Religion and the Bard of HarlemThe book makes original contributions to our understanding of Black religious diversity, providing a theological portrait of an unexamined Black new religious movement and engaging the Black Coptic Church as a lens on religion and race in America. -- Judith Weisenfeld, Agate Brown and George L. Collord Professor of Religion, Princeton UniversityContributes valuably to underscoring the diversity of African American religious diversity. -- Charles A. Price, Temple University

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Book SynopsisHistory professors Linford Fisher and J. Stanley Lemons immediately recognised the importance of what turned out to be theologian Roger Williams' final treatise. Decoding Roger Williams reveals for the first time Williams' translated and annotated essay, along with a critical essay by Fisher, Lemons, and Mason-Brown.Trade Review"Decoding Roger Williams revels in the ingenuity of American historical scholarship and renews Williams' fame as early New England's most intriguing and challenging figure." -- Jon Butler, Yale University"A gem of a book and feat of careful scholarship, Decoding Roger Williams illuminates an important aspect of Williams' thinking. It's a very welcome addition to what we know about him." -- David D Hall, Bartlett Research Professor of New England Church History, Harvard Divinity School"Brilliantly transcribed from Roger Williams' shorthand notes, this previously undecoded manuscript demands reconsideration of New England's encounter with Baptist ideas and also of the colonial effort to Christianize native Americans." -- Francis J Bremer, Professor Emeritus, Millersville University of PennsylvaniaDecoding Roger Williams provides significant insights into the life of Roger Williams, particularly by examining what is likely his latest extant theological writings and by discussing two subjects rarely touched on in his other texts. It will provide much fodder for future scholars, not only in decoding what remains in the gaps of the document, but also in the implications of a fuller picture of Williams's religious beliefs. -- Alyssa N. Gerhardt -- The Journal of Southern ReligionStudents of Baptist history and of colonial New England will appreciate this addition to the Roger Williams corpus -- Andrew C. Smith -- American Baptist QuarterlyTable of ContentsList of Figures and Maps Acknowledgments Foreword by Ted Widmer A Key into the Language of Roger Williams: Cracking and Interpreting the Roger Williams Code Roger Williams: "A Brief Reply to a Small Book Written by John Eliot" (1679-1683) John Norcott, Baptism Discovered Plainly and Faithfully According to the Word of God (1675 [1672]) John Eliot, A Brief Answer to a Small Book Written by John Norcot Against Infant-Baptisme (1679) Further Reading and Research Index

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Book SynopsisThe essays in Baptists and the Kingdom of God, written by scholars from several countries and disciplinary perspectives, approach the question of the kingdom under four major themes: ecclesial, eschatological, social, and providential. The book illuminates views of Baptists wrestling with ideas surrounding the kingdom concept.Table of Contents Preface Introduction: Baptists and the Kingdom of God David Bebbington Part One: The Kingdom of God and Ecclesiastical Interpretations Introductory Comments Paul S. Fiddes 1. Collective Virtue and Baptist Ecclesiology Meghan Byerly 2. What Does Leadership Look Like in the Kingdom of God?: "Serviceable Leadership" in Rauschenbusch's The Social Principles of Jesus (1916) Michael Whiting 3. "For the Extension of Christ's Kingdom": Australian Baptist Missionary Women in East Bengal, 1901 to 1945 Rebecca Anne Hilton Part Two: The Kingdom of God and Eschatological Interpretations Introductory Comments Jeanette Mathews 4. Baptist Legacies in Latin America: Fundamentalists, Evangelicals, and Changing Views of God's Kingdom across Borders Ivan Dias da Silva 5. Contingency, Joy, and the Kingdom of God: Theological Reflections on the Relationship between Divine and Human Joy Aidan Luke 6. Millennial Eden?: Baptist Postmillennialism and the Shaping of the Australian Dream Nicole Starling Part Three: The Kingdom of God and Social Interpretations Introductory Comments Terry G. Carter 7. The Kingdom of God: A Dangerously Powerful Challenge to Oppression Stephanie Peek 8. Slavery, Justice, and the Kingdom of God: Mapping Baptist Hermeneutics in the Atlantic World Ryan J. Butler 9. "Scotching Some Myths": Apartheid, Baptist Distinctives, and the Search for Social Concern Myra Ann Houser 10. "Wonderfully Ecumenical"?: The SBC Christian Life Commission, the Mainline, and 1960s Social Concern Skylar Ray Part Four: The Kingdom of God and Providential Interpretations Introductory Comments Roger Ward 11. Kingdom-Shaped Apologetics: Making Apologetics Accessible to All Seidel Abel Boanerges 12. Baptist Perspectives on Freedom and the Kingdom of God Joshua T. Searle Afterword Seeking the Kingdom of God: With Mind and Heart Karen Smith About the Contributors About the Editors

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Book SynopsisIn this fast-paced and thought-provoking memoir, David Lyle Jeffrey recalls growing up in the ‘old-time’ Scottish Baptist tradition in rural Canada. With nostalgia, good humour, and sometimes lament, he considers his own theological and spiritual formation in a nearly vanished variety of Christian culture.Table of Contents Preface: The Way We Were 1 The Sabbath 2 Outhouse Theology 3 Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting 4 Baptism 5 The Missionary Conference 6 Churchy Expletives 7 Youth Groups and the New Music 8 Sin 9 Salvation 10 Grace 11 Grave Matters 12 Gratitude 13 A Reckoning Appendix: The Necessity of Biblical Language

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Book SynopsisThe essays in Baptists and the Kingdom of God, written by scholars from several countries and disciplinary perspectives, approach the question of the kingdom under four major themes: ecclesial, eschatological, social, and providential. The book illuminates views of Baptists wrestling with ideas surrounding the kingdom concept.Table of Contents Preface Introduction: Baptists and the Kingdom of God David Bebbington Part One: The Kingdom of God and Ecclesiastical Interpretations Introductory Comments Paul S. Fiddes 1. Collective Virtue and Baptist Ecclesiology Meghan Byerly 2. What Does Leadership Look Like in the Kingdom of God?: "Serviceable Leadership" in Rauschenbusch's The Social Principles of Jesus (1916) Michael Whiting 3. "For the Extension of Christ's Kingdom": Australian Baptist Missionary Women in East Bengal, 1901 to 1945 Rebecca Anne Hilton Part Two: The Kingdom of God and Eschatological Interpretations Introductory Comments Jeanette Mathews 4. Baptist Legacies in Latin America: Fundamentalists, Evangelicals, and Changing Views of God's Kingdom across Borders Ivan Dias da Silva 5. Contingency, Joy, and the Kingdom of God: Theological Reflections on the Relationship between Divine and Human Joy Aidan Luke 6. Millennial Eden?: Baptist Postmillennialism and the Shaping of the Australian Dream Nicole Starling Part Three: The Kingdom of God and Social Interpretations Introductory Comments Terry G. Carter 7. The Kingdom of God: A Dangerously Powerful Challenge to Oppression Stephanie Peek 8. Slavery, Justice, and the Kingdom of God: Mapping Baptist Hermeneutics in the Atlantic World Ryan J. Butler 9. "Scotching Some Myths": Apartheid, Baptist Distinctives, and the Search for Social Concern Myra Ann Houser 10. "Wonderfully Ecumenical"?: The SBC Christian Life Commission, the Mainline, and 1960s Social Concern Skylar Ray Part Four: The Kingdom of God and Providential Interpretations Introductory Comments Roger Ward 11. Kingdom-Shaped Apologetics: Making Apologetics Accessible to All Seidel Abel Boanerges 12. Baptist Perspectives on Freedom and the Kingdom of God Joshua T. Searle Afterword Seeking the Kingdom of God: With Mind and Heart Karen Smith About the Contributors About the Editors

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Book SynopsisIt wasn’t until Libby Phelps was an adult, a twenty-five year old, that she escaped the Westboro Baptist Church. She is the granddaughter of its founder, Fred Phelps, and when she left, the church and its values were all she’d known. She didn’t tell her family she was leaving. It happened in just a few minutes; she ran into her house, grabbed a bag, and fled. No goodbyes.Based in Topeka, Kansas, the Westboro Baptist Church community is one the country’s most notorious evangelical groups. Its members are known for their boisterous picketing—their zealous members with anti-military, anti-Semitic, and anti-gay signs—“Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” “God Hates Jews,” or “Thank God for 9/11”—and their notorious catchphrase “God hates fags.” Search for them online and you’re directed to their website, www.godhatesfags.com.The church makes headlines in news across the country. You’ve driven past its picketers or seen them on TV. It has seventy members and ninety percent of them are part of Libby’s family. They picket concerts, football games, other churches, and, most notoriously, the funerals of servicemen and victims of hate crimes. For its members, to question its rules is to risk going to hell—where worms eat at your body and fire shoots out of your eyeballs.In Girl on a Wire, Libby is candid about her experience and what’s happened since her escape. On Anderson Cooper Live, she was confronted by the mother of a soldier whose funeral had been picketed, and had to respond. Despite it all, she cares for her family. Her grandfather’s sermons were fear mongering, but she loves him. This unusual memoir presents a rare, inside look into a notorious cult, and is an astonishing story of strength, bravery, and determination.Trade Review"Very honest . . . surprising and powerful—I suppose we’d all like to believe that everything becomes much easier when you leave an oppressive environment. But of course, it doesn’t work that way. In fact, life becomes more complicated."—Louis Theroux, documentarian "Fascinating"--Booklist "From the inside of one of America’s most infamous churches, Phelps delivers a captivating study of how free speech can become a vehicle for cruelty and hatred."--Publishers Weekly"Very honest . . . surprising and powerful—I suppose we’d all like to believe that everything becomes much easier when you leave an oppressive environment. But of course, it doesn’t work that way. In fact, life becomes more complicated."—Louis Theroux, documentarian "Fascinating"--Booklist "From the inside of one of America’s most infamous churches, Phelps delivers a captivating study of how free speech can become a vehicle for cruelty and hatred."--Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisBarry Harvey provides a doctrine of the church that combines Baptist distinctives and origins with an unbending commitment to the visible church as the social body of Christ. Speaking to the broader Christian community, Harvey updates, streamlines, and recontextualizes the arguments he made in an earlier edition of this book (Can These Bones Live?). This new edition offers a style of ecclesial witness that can help Christian churches engage culture. The author suggests new ways Baptists can engage ecumenically with Catholics and other Protestants, offers insights for Christian worship and practice, and shows how the fragmented body of Christ can be re-membered after Christendom.Table of ContentsContents Foreword to the Revised Edition Introduction 1. Where, Then, Do We Stand?: The Church as the Presupposition of Theology 2. Can These Bones Live? The Dismembering of Christ's Body 3. Caught Up in the Apocalypse: God's Incursion into the World in Israel and Christ 4. Let Us Be like the Nations: Becoming Entangled in the Ways of the World 5. Sacramental Sinews: The Sacramental Re-membering of Christ's Body 6. Holy Vulnerable: Spiritual Formation for a Pilgrim People 7. Dwelling Again in Tents: Living in Tension with the Earthly City Indexes

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