Introduction: Distinctives Polity Focuses Origins BAPTIST HERITAGE Introduction: Distinctives Polity Focuses Origins Copyright 2007 NOBTS, Rex D. Butler and Lloyd A. Harsch

Baptist Distinctives

Baptist Distinctives Authority of the Bible Foundational authority for all matters of faith Regenerate church membership Membership is for believers only Baptism by immersion The local expression of one’s conversion is believer’s baptism by immersion

Baptist Distinctives Congregational polity Each congregation is autonomous in choosing its leaders and stating its beliefs No congregation can dictate the practice or beliefs of another congregation

Baptist Distinctives Priesthood of the believer (soul competency) One can go directly to God without any human mediator Religious freedom Faith cannot be forced and the state should not dictate matters of faith Lordship of Christ He rules objectively in the world and subjectively in the lives of believers

Baptist Distinctives Ordinances, not sacraments A sacrament is a means by which God’s grace is conveyed to you We follow in believer’s baptism and observe the Lord’s Supper because God has ordained that we do so, not because we receive a special measure of God’s grace through participation in these activities

Polity

Models Hierarchical Power and decisions flow from the top down Any decision made at a higher ecclesiastical level is binding on all levels below it Examples are: Episcopal & Catholic Structures

Models Representative Congregation sends delegates to presbytery, which in turn chooses delegates to the synod, etc. Any decision made at a higher ecclesiastical level is binding on all levels below it Example: Presbyterian Denominations

Models Congregational Congregations voluntarily join together in associations Decisions made by associations and/or conventions are not binding on any congregation Example: Baptists & Congregationalists

Cooperative Methods Among Baptists Society Made up of individuals whose membership is based solely upon their contributions to the society Organized around a single issue or mission Convention Made up of individuals sent by financially contributing churches No official connection to other entities (state conventions are separate organizations from associations or SBC)

Southern Baptist Convention Associations Composed of congregations which send messengers State Conventions Composed of messengers sent by congregations SBC

Focuses in Baptist Life

Focuses in Baptist Life Doctrine – ultimate concern is correct belief Experience – ultimate concern is how one lives one’s faith While both of these two areas are important to the Christian life, individuals and groups tend to emphasize one area more than the other

Baptist Origins

Four Theories of Baptist Origins Succession Theories Baptist Successionism Spiritual Kinship Non-succession Theories Outgrowth of English Separatism Anabaptist Influence or Dual Ancestry

Background Heated debate in mid-19th century Landmarkists Church of Christ claimed that it was the only true church Many Baptists defected to Church of Christ, which was becoming fastest growing Protestant denomination in America Landmarkists Countered with claims that Baptists originated in first century – even before Pentecost There was an unbroken chain of organic succession from 1st-century church to modern Baptist churches W.H. Whitsitt President of Southern Seminary & church historian Refuted Landmarkist claims; developed theory of Baptist descent from English Separatism & was fired

Baptist Successionism Theory There has been unbroken succession of organized Baptist churches from NT to present Affirms that earlier Dissenters were Baptists under other names Donatists (4th century) Cathari (11th century) Waldensians (12th century) Anabaptists (16th century) Called “JJJ” Theory “Jesus-Jordan-John” Baptists originated with John the Baptist; Jesus was baptized in the Jordan; Jesus formed the first Baptist church & promised that it would never vanish (Matt. 16:18)

Baptist Successionism Advocates Adam Taylor: 1818, The History of the English General Baptists, identified John the Baptist as founder of Baptist denomination G.H. Orchard: 1838, insisted that unbroken successionism of Baptist churches is essential to their validity today J.R. Graves (1823-93), leader of Landmarkism: adopted this theory as hallmark of this movement that portrayed Baptist church as only true denomination J.M. Carroll (brother of B.H. Carroll, founder of SWBTS): 1931, Trail of Blood popularized this theory

Baptist Successionism Problems No evidence to support it Highly polemical; developed during intense competition between denominations Claimed succession from groups that advocated similar doctrines but differed in significant ways; some groups were heretical No major contemporary historian supports this theory

Spiritual Kinship Theory There has been a continuity of Baptist forms of faith through the centuries Not an unbroken succession of organized Baptist churches, but a continuity of Baptist teachings Dissenting groups outside the Roman Catholic Church maintained teachings of New Testament in an unbroken chain These teachings have always been similar to modern Baptist faith and practice

Spiritual Kinship Advocates Thomas Crosby: 1738-40, History of the English Baptists, 4 vols. Traced Baptist lineage through Celtic church, John Wycliffe & Lollards Joseph Ivimey in England; David Benedict in America (both early 19th century) A.H. Newman of SWBTS

Spiritual Kinship Critique These historians are on more solid ground than successionists: Evangelicals did arise intermittently through history of church However, supporters of both organic & spiritual successionism “have wattled together twigs of any kind to fill up remote chasms” (Robert Robertson, Ecclesiastical Researches, 1792) The dissenting groups cited as Baptist churches demonstrate little or no connection to Baptist faith and practice

Outgrowth of English Separatism Theory Modern Baptists emerged from English Separatism in early 1600s Separatists became Baptists as a result of reading the English Bible & taking Separatist views to their logical conclusion Founders of both General & Particular Baptists (John Smyth & John Spilsbury) came from Separatism

Outgrowth of English Separatism Theory This theory highlights differences with Anabaptists & minimizes their influence Anabaptist influence/presence in England before 1600 was minimal Early Baptist leaders denied that they were Anabaptists, rejecting their pacifism, opposition to government service & their Christology It can be acknowledged that there was a connection between Anabaptists & General Baptists, but General Baptists did not constitute majority of early English Baptists

Outgrowth of English Separatism Advocates W.H. Whitsitt (1841-1911) stirred up “Whitsitt Controversy” with his discovery that English Baptists began immersion in 1641; was fired as president of Southern Seminary W.W. Whitley & Winthrop Hudson developed this theory further Barry R. White & Robert A. Baker are more recent advocates

Anabaptist Influence or Dual Ancestry Theory Supporters agree that Baptists emerged from English Separatism But they also believe that Anabaptism prepared the way for Separatism both in England and on the continent Anabaptist refugees settled in London as evidenced by persecution under Henry VIII & “Bloody Mary” Anabaptists influenced English Separatists by input into teachings of Henry Barrow & Robert Browne

Anabaptist Influence or Dual Ancestry Theory John Smyth did not adopt believer’s baptism until 1609, after he came into contact with Mennonites in Amsterdam Richard Blunt went to Netherlands in 1641 to recover baptism by immersion from Mennonites Mainly, Anabaptists influenced General Baptists directly & Particular Baptists only indirectly

Anabaptist Influence or Dual Ancestry Advocates A.C. Underwood: 1947, A History of the English Baptists, said General Baptists represent sober Mennonite form of Anabaptism Ernest A. Payne (1902-80), former General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain William R. Estep (1920-80), SWBTS

Two Non-Succession Theories Critique These two theories are very similar, disagreeing only on the extent of Anabaptist influence on Baptist origins Barry White & William Estep agree that English Baptists descended from English Separatism They disagree on the extent of Anabaptists’ presence & influence in England after the 16th century