Need recommendations: Best books on the Baptist tradition?
What are some good books that overview the Baptist tradition that aren't just limited to the Southern Baptist Convention? These could include books on theology, ecclesiology/polity, and history, or general overviews.
Comments
-
This is not my area, but I remember reading this book some years ago as a Logos Now free preview and enjoying it immensely:
https://www.logos.com/product/46162/baptist-theology
It's also available as part of bundle, if that interests you:
https://www.logos.com/product/33098/tt-clark-studies-in-theological-systems
0 -
I'm not sure on how they cover it but these are books (16 of 'em) that are coming over from the WordSearch purchase.
had one of them I had gotten free when I had WS. Here is a link to them. There are cheap enough (right now at least).
0 -
Sean said:
This is not my area, but I remember reading this book some years ago as a Logos Now free preview and enjoying it immensely:
https://www.logos.com/product/46162/baptist-theology
It's also available as part of bundle, if that interests you:
https://www.logos.com/product/33098/tt-clark-studies-in-theological-systems
Also in this bundle which is quite useful.
0 -
Bumping for a few more recommendations.
0 -
Kiyah said:
Bumping for a few more recommendations.
Being a bad girl, yet again, bumping a request for books on the Baptist tradition? Bob says Baptists are the predominant customer segment ... I'd have assumed a flood of enthused recommendations (or at least 'which version', like the COC). Instead, best I can see, some un-enthusists!
Ok, point me to the corner.
0 -
DMB said:
Bob says Baptists are the predominant customer segment
This is why I'm asking for recommendations. It's not that I don't have Baptist resources in my library or that there is a dearth of resources in the store. Quite the opposite so I was hoping some "enthused" Baptists would help me narrow the choices down a bit. Alas.
0 -
I think having some basic knowledge of Scofield is pretty critical to understanding SOME Baptists. Baptist churches can be VERY VERY different from each other. Some towns have multiple Baptist churches with some churches being only a street away from each other.
I have attended quite a few Baptist churches and was even re-baptised in one. They were all so different. Sometimes they were more different from each other, than another church that was another denomination.
I once attended a Baptist church that was right next to a Congregationalist church and those churches did more together than the Baptist church did with the other nearby Baptist churches. We kids used to hop over the fence and attend the back-to-back activities at both. Or mix and match. If we didn't like what one was offering, we just hopped over fence and did that same thing over there. To keep us from doing that as much, the churches started scheduling events at separate times so we would attend both. As long as they fed us, and let us all stay together, we stuck around as long as they wanted us.
0 -
Kathleen Marie said:
I have attended quite a few Baptist churches and was even re-baptised in one. They were all so different. Sometimes they were more different from each other, than another church that was another denomination.
This is a good point to remember! The original post mentioned "not specifically SBC". I have worshipped in IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist), SBC (Southern Baptist Convention), ABC (American Baptist), NAB (North American Baptist) all in the USA. I've also been exposed to "Baptist" congregations in Russia--I was told (haven't verified) that "Baptist" in Russia leans toward supernatural gifts, while "Baptist" in North America leans away from supernatural gifts.
Words have meaning. Baptist has various meanings geographically and socially. A month ago, I welcomed a guest to our (non-denominational) church. Her primary concern on the phone was if we were "Baptist" which SHE described as "skirts and long-sleeves". I doubt if any of the Baptist churches I have attended would think of "skirts and long-sleeves" as a defining characteristic of their congregation.
Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).
0 -
David Thomas said:Kathleen Marie said:
I have attended quite a few Baptist churches and was even re-baptised in one. They were all so different. Sometimes they were more different from each other, than another church that was another denomination.
This is a good point to remember! The original post mentioned "not specifically SBC". I have worshipped in IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist), SBC (Southern Baptist Convention), ABC (American Baptist), NAB (North American Baptist) all in the USA. I've also been exposed to "Baptist" congregations in Russia--I was told (haven't verified) that "Baptist" in Russia leans toward supernatural gifts, while "Baptist" in North America leans away from supernatural gifts.
Words have meaning. Baptist has various meanings geographically and socially. A month ago, I welcomed a guest to our (non-denominational) church. Her primary concern on the phone was if we were "Baptist" which SHE described as "skirts and long-sleeves". I doubt if any of the Baptist churches I have attended would think of "skirts and long-sleeves" as a defining characteristic of their congregation.
This is precisely why I was looking for recommendations. I wanted to narrow down the options to books that weren't written like "our way is THE Baptist way" (which I happened to be skimming a book in my library that seemed to be written in that tone). There were many assertions without citations. There are some more academic options in my library but I wanted something shorter than 800 pages lol. I wanted something in between booklet and tome. I may just have to bite the bullet on start in on the 800+ page one.
I have found some good options on Amazon, some of them are not in Logos or Logos doesn't have the latest edition.
I read a good book yesterday on the Black Baptist tradition (A History of the Black Baptist Church) which included an intro to broader Baptist history. It has a great bibliography so I've found a few items for my wishlist (my Amazon wishlist unfortunately since many of the books are not in Logos).
0 -
Kiyah said:
There were many assertions without citations. There are some more academic options in my library but I wanted something shorter than 800 pages lol. I wanted something in between booklet and tome. I may just have to bite the bullet on start in on the 800+ page one.
What is with the absence of citations in some books? The more I become used to citations in some works, I am more and more confused by books that make strong claims and seem to expect to be taken as an authority, but that have no citations at all. I don't mean this as an off-topic derailment, but only as an overlap with the lack of response to this thread. What am I missing? I have learned that there is more to learn in the silences than the things that are most discussed.
0 -
Now I am curious.
I might like to read this book.
https://www.logos.com/product/5715/theologians-of-the-baptist-tradition
Theologians of the Baptist Tradition
Overview
Theologians of the Baptist Tradition is an effort to preserve and discover the Baptists’ “underappreciated contribution to Christianity’s theological heritage.” Theologians Timothy George and David S. Dockery present a volume of essays to serve as a resource for pastors, students, and teachers and as an introduction to the life and thought of some of the most notable shapers of Baptist theology.
Baptist theologians profiled include John Gill, Andrew Fuller, John L. Dagg, James Petigru Boyce, John A. Broadus, A.T. Robertson, Charles Spurgeon, A.H. Strong, B.H. Carroll, E.Y. Mullins, W.T. Conner, Hershel Hobbs, W.A. Criswell, Frank Stagg, Carl F.H. Henry, James Leo Garrett, Jr., and Millar J. Erickson. Theologians of the Baptist Tradition also includes a comprehensive index to these and numerous other central figures in Baptist heritage.
0 -
Hmm. This book and the one above are in a legacy package, along with a few other books for $5.63. There is nothing like silence to send me on a hunt for information. LOL.
https://www.logos.com/product/5707/baptists-and-the-bible
Baptist Legacy Library 8 Starter
https://www.logos.com/product/205227/logos-8-baptist-starter-legacy-library
0 -
Kathleen Marie said:
I might like to read this book.
https://www.logos.com/product/5715/theologians-of-the-baptist-tradition
Theologians of the Baptist Tradition
Looks like I already own that one. I'll take a look at it.
Here's one I might suggest Logos get: Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Thirty Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Here's the follow-up to that one: More Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Twenty-Four More Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Faithlife needs to tap more Baptist publishers besides Broadman & Holman. There are some items in Logos' store from other publishers but the vast majority of Baptist resources Logos offers are from B&H. I understand why that is (they're probably the biggest by far and Logos got even more resources through the Wordsearch acquisition), but Logos still needs to make a concerted effort to branch out. The books I linked to are by Mercer University Press. I found a lot of books published by Judson Press (the publisher of the American Baptist Churches USA) yesterday. I have several Baptist base packages but have exactly one book by Judson Press in my library. I found only 5 more in the Store tab of the library.
0 -
Kiyah said:
I wanted something in between booklet and tome.
I have suggested to Faithlife to get Handbook of Denominations in the United States. I have the 9th in dead tree. the 14th is now available in dead tree or e-book.
Here is the cover of 9th
Here is Table of Contents to get an idea of breadth of groups (in 1990)
Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).
0 -
Kiyah said:
Here's one I might suggest Logos get: Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Thirty Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Here's the follow-up to that one: More Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Twenty-Four More Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Faithlife needs to tap more Baptist publishers besides Broadman & Holman.
My library does not have easy access to these, but I bet I can get them through ILL. These look good! Thanks.
I have never had a bookmark folder titled "Baptist". I have all sorts of subtopic folders that I can now slide into this one, but I never really looked at the whole like I am now. I bookmarked this thread as the first bookmark. Thanks for starting it!
0 -
David Thomas said:
I have suggested to Faithlife to get Handbook of Denominations in the United States. I have the 9th in dead tree. the 14th is now available in dead tree or e-book.
This would be great. Thanks
0 -
David Thomas said:
I have suggested to Faithlife to get Handbook of Denominations in the United States.
My library does have this one! I just put it on hold. Thanks!
0 -
Kathleen Marie said:Kiyah said:
Here's one I might suggest Logos get: Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Thirty Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Here's the follow-up to that one: More Witnesses to the Baptist Heritage: Twenty-Four More Baptists Every Christian Should Know
Faithlife needs to tap more Baptist publishers besides Broadman & Holman.
My library does not have easy access to these, but I bet I can get them through ILL. These look good! Thanks.
I have never had a bookmark folder titled "Baptist". I have all sorts of subtopic folders that I can now slide into this one, but I never really looked at the whole like I am now. I bookmarked this thread as the first bookmark. Thanks for starting it!
I may have to get re-aqcuainted with the local university libraries in my area. I no longer live near the seminary I attended, unfortunately.
0 -
Look what Logos does have!
The Complete Guide to Christian Denominations: Understanding the History, Beliefs, and Differences
by Ron Rhodes
Do you ever wonder what the difference is between one denomination and another? Why are there so many kinds of Baptist or Presbyterian or Lutheran churches? Where do those names come from, anyway?
You can find answers in this concise but comprehensive guide. Learn about the leaders, teachings, and history of most of the church families in America. In addition to membership statistics, you’ll find…
- a brief explanation of how the denomination began
- a short summary of its teaching on God, the Bible, the church, and other important topics
- a quick overview of some of its distinctive characteristics
Whether you’re looking for a new church or enriching your fellowship with believers from other traditions, you’ll be much better prepared with this revised and expanded edition of The Complete Guide to Christian Denominations.
0 -
Kiyah said:
Faithlife needs to tap more Baptist publishers besides Broadman & Holman.
What are (at least some of) the important Baptist English-language academic publishers that Faithlife doesn't carry?
“The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara
0 -
Took a look at this and saw that it leaves out Walter Rauschenbusch, surely a significant and influential Baptist theologian. Have to wonder how the decisions on who to include were made. Looks like the authors are both Southern Baptists.
0 -
Leigh Johnson said:
Took a look at this and saw that it leaves out Walter Rauschenbusch, surely a significant and influential Baptist theologian. Have to wonder how the decisions on who to include were made. Looks like the authors are both Southern Baptists.
Thanks! Interesting!
0 -
Kiyah:
I am trying to find a FL interview (in the blog) to an author that used the word Baptist as an acrostic to define the principal characteristics.
If not mistaken Biblical was the first one, but do not recall the others, I do not remember if they were advertising a book, but it all seemed interesting and helpful.
I did write down the acrostic but cannot find it.
0
