Chute Anthony L - The Baptist story : from English sect to global movement

This is the Baptist history textbook I have been waiting for since I studied the subject in seminary. It actually makes the subject interesting! This work has been long overdue.

Daniel L. Akin , president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Respected church historians Anthony Chute, Nathan Finn, and Michael Haykin have served the church well with their book The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement . Though intended as a textbook, their fine work is accessible to most every reader, including those in nonacademic settings. For all interested in Baptist history, I heartily recommend The Baptist Story .

Jason K. Allen , president, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

The Baptists have grown from a small and mainly marginal body in seventeenth-century England into a strong and sometimes influential set of denominations across the world. While the core of this account of their development concentrates on the history of the two-thirds of the worlds Baptists who live in the United States, there is also coverage of England, Canada, Germany, and the rest of the world. So this volume provides a concise but comprehensive summary of the course of Baptist life over the last four centuries.

David Bebbington , professor of history, University of Stirling

The Baptist story is long and often convoluted. Numerous histories have been written over the course of their 400 years. Each new volume proffers its own interpretation of the data and furthers the cause and concern of the author. While honest, this has not always been helpful, and often fails to provide todays Baptists with a modern account of their tale that informs the mind and encourages the soul.

The Baptist Story , as told by Haykin, Chute, and Finn, changes all that. The authors give us an irenic yet thorough reading of our collective past. They admit the nuances of a faith that boldly defends and exemplifies liberty of conscience while explaining the facts. While the authors concede that their goal was not to provide the definitive telling of the Baptist story, they may have done just that. Haykin, Chute, and Finn are to be commended for their effort, thanked for their grace, and congratulated for their contribution to the cause of Christ and the history of the Baptist people. The Baptist Story always encourages, sometimes challenges, and never disappoints.

Peter Beck , associate professor of Christian studies, Charleston Southern University

The Baptist Story is a masterful work by three superb Baptist historians. Tony Chute, Nathan Finn, and Michael Haykin are to be commended for providing us with an even-handed, incisive, well-organized, and accessible survey of the larger Baptist family. Readers will be introduced to both general and particular Baptists, as well as revivalists and Landmarkists, fundamentalists and liberals. In doing so, they will gain a fresh appreciation for the contributions of thoughtful theologians and practical pastors, along with faithful missionaries and martyrs. This full-orbed, carefully researched, and well-written look at the expansion and development of Baptists over the past four hundred years will certainly become a standard resource for the study of Baptist history for years to come. It is with much enthusiasm that I gladly recommend this work.

David S. Dockery , president, Trinity International University

Being a Baptist is about more than bearing a denominational label. Its about affirming a doctrinal distinctive and embracing an identity based on historical precedent. This superb volume will help you appreciate what it means to be a Baptist and celebrate the unique contributions we have made to global Christianity. Read it with holy awe at how God has used Baptists to make a difference in his world!

Jeff Iorg , president, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary

This textbook originates from within but expands beyond the Southern Baptist tradition to narrate the Baptist story in a way readers will understand and appreciate. Images, primary source quotations, and review questions make the book especially useful for the undergraduate or graduate classroom.

Melody Maxwell , assistant professor of Christian studies, Howard Payne University

The Baptist Story reflects well on the gifts and expertise of three distinguished Baptist historians and professors. They have written an eminently readable, thorough, and well-balanced account of the Baptist past from its roots in English Separatism to the modern context where the Baptist movement has become truly global. The authors respect the diversity and complexity of Baptist history, and they judiciously avoid any partisan agendas. In addition to providing vital factual information about Baptist history, they suggest some important interpretive and analytical perspectives that enrich their narrative. This textbook should be widely adopted for use in relevant college and seminary courses, as well as in church study groups.

Jim Patterson , university professor and acting dean, School of Theology and Missions, Union University

The Baptist Story is meticulously researched, well written, and full of insight into the history of the people called Baptists. This will be the textbook in Baptist history for the next generation of conservative Baptist students and scholars.

Andrew C. Smith , assistant professor of religion and director of the Center for Baptist Studies, Carson-Newman University

The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement

Copyright 2015 by Anthony L. Chute, Nathan A. Finn, and Michael A. G. Haykin

B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-4336-7375-7

Dewey Decimal Classification: 286.09

Subject Heading: BAPTISTSHISTORY \ SOUTHERN BAPTISTS \ ANABAPTISTS \ SEPARATE BAPTISTS \ BLACK BAPTISTS

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyr ight 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

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Bang

To David Bebbington, Raymond Brown, Keith Harper, Timothy George, Tom Nettles, George Rawlyk, Doug Weaver, Barrie White, and Greg Wills

These Baptist historians are Doctores Ecclesiae who have modeled for us a commitment to historical scholarship, Baptist identity, and the ministry of the Word.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T his book has been a long time in the making, and we have incurred many debts along the way. We first began discussing a new Baptist history textbook with B&H Academic in 2009. At that time, between the three of us, we had two different ideas for a textbook. Jim Baird, Ray Clendenen, Terry Wilder, and Andreas Kstenbergerall of whom have been a part of B&H Academic at some point in recent yearshelped us combine and refine our ideas, resulting in the book you now hold in your hands (or see before you on your e-reader). Chris Cowan, who joined the team at B&H Academic in 2011, has been a constant source of encouragement and advice to us; it has been a genuine pleasure to work with him. When Chris Cowan moved to a new position at B&H Reference, Chris Thompson arrived to shepherd this project through its final stages.

In addition to our friends at B&H Academic, others have offered key assistance to us. Numerous institutions helped us by providing many of the images we use in this book. We wish to thank the following for their assistance: Adam Winters of the Archives and Special Collections Department at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Taffey Hall of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Frederick J. Boehlke and Fran Decker of Eastern Baptist University, Gord Heath and Adam McCulloch of the Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster Divinity College, Art Toalston of Baptist Press , Gary W. Long and Terry Wolever of Particular Baptist Press; and Jonathan Parnell of Desiring God Ministries. We also wish to thank the following individuals for giving us permission to use images in their possession: Dustin Benge, Jason Duesing, Jonathan Jones, Steve Weaver, Malcolm Yarnell, and Fred and Jim Zaspel. Two of Nathans PhD students also assisted us in important ways: Aaron Lumpkin helped prepare the study questions for each chapter, while Shane Shaddix prepared the subject index.