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Sandy Creek Baptists viewed Reformed doctrine of election "troubling"

Emir Caner, President of Truett-McConnell College, writes an informative piece on the Sandy Creek tradition in the latest volume of the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry published by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Contra the view of many Southern Baptist Calvinists who dismiss virtually all theological distinctions between the Sandy Creek Baptist tradition and the so-called Charleston Baptist tradition, Dr. Caner suggests that "The Reformed definition of election was particularly troubling to those birthed out of a Sandy Creek (Separatist) heritage." He then quotes from famed Baptist historian, George... Read more →

Is every issue a gospel issue?

Below is a sampling from a young but obviously erudite theologian from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Blake Newsom. In pursuing the question, What is the Gospel?, Newsom cuts through the literary wasteland in evangelical circles that tends to see all issues as "gospel issues" by flatly concluding "If everything is the gospel, then nothing is the gospel." Here's the entire contextual snippet: Of concern to this writer is that the gospel has become a buzzword in Evangelicalism. As is often the case with buzzwords, they lose their core... Read more →

A final but hopeful plea for the healing of the Ergun Caner family by Bucky Kennedy

I would like to offer a final address toward the current circumstances regarding Ergun Caner specifically and then another issue generally. Ergun Caner had spoken with me several times after Braxton's death about lacking the energy or the will to get beyond the grief of Braxton's suicide. In early November, Ergun spent several days in ICU suffering from congestive heart failure and since then has been diagnosed with a heart condition that would have prevented him from continuing as the president of Brewton Parker C ollege. I was in the... Read more →

Ergun Caner steps aside as president: a man of God runs for his life

Undoubtedly among the most colorful characters of the exclusively oral prophets is Elijah from Tishbe of Gilead (1Ki 17:1).1 His name means "my God is Yah."2 Though a man of desert descent, Elijah became counselor to Kings. Perhaps Elijah remains most known for his public contest with the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel (1Ki 18:19-40). There the man of God posed a public challenge to over 800 false prophets as to who really was the true and living God. Samuel's enticing account captures the reader by every... Read more →

'Southern seminary founded to combat the great Arminian heresy'

"The founder of this seminary, whose portrait sits behind you, identified Arminianism as one of the three great heresies this institution was established to combat.” --President Al Mohler to Barry Hankins in interview-- "Oral Memoirs of R. Albert Mohler, Jr." Read more →

Spurgeon's ecumenism?

Certain brethren restrict their communion in the outward ordinance, and they think they have good reasons for doing so; but I am unable to see the force of their reasoning, because I joyfully observe that these brethren commune with other believers in prayer, and praise, and hearing of the Word, and other ways; the fact being that the matter of real communion is very largely beyond human control, and is to the spiritual body what the circulation of the blood is to the natural body,—a necessary process not dependent upon... Read more →

Does overseas missions strategy need reform? At least one SBC professor says it does

A piece by Will Hall in the Christian Examiner rehearses a journal article published in The Southwestern Journal of Theology by Midwestern professor of missions, Robin Dale Hadaway. Hall's article entitled "Prof calls for SBC overseas missions reform: Does drastic drop in IMB baptisms merit major remake?" lists among the changes Hadaway proposes: 1. Drop the two percent "reachedness" threshold and return to the original 20 percent or at least adopt a 10 percent baseline. "Exiting a people group that is more than two-percent evangelical," he said, "is the historical... Read more →

Lewis Duncan, Missouri Baptists, and General Atonement

1Lewis Duncan (1806-1852) was a native of Virginia, and born in Culpepper County, March 1st, 1806. Duncan grew up in moderate circumstances but nonetheless only received a partial common-school education. However, he managed to acquire a sufficient knowledge of the English branches to teach school. He professed conversion and was baptized in the spring of 1828. After his ordination to the ministry, Duncan quit teaching school. On October 16th, 1828, Duncan's family started for Missouri arriving about the middle of the following December and settling in Lincoln County where Lewis... Read more →

Evangelical surprise: Billy Graham just may be a Calvinist!

On October 28, Dr. Rick Patrick, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Sylacauga, Alabama posted a piece entitled "25 Traditional SBC Heroes" at SBC Today. Patrick named as the top contender for the number one hero amongst traditional Southern Baptists the Rev. Billy Graham. While one might quibble whether Graham deserves the no.1 hero seed, few would question whether Graham should make the hero lineup for traditional Southern Baptists. Within the comment thread, however, some extreme Calvinists (and perhaps others not so extreme) actually raised the question as to whether Billy... Read more →

F.H. Kerfoot on the Limited Atonement teaching of James P. Boyce: 'constant tendency of strong Calvinists is laying too much emphasis on the limitations’

The most obvious dissent F.H. Kerfoot recorded in his editorial work of James P. Boyce's Abstract of Systematic Theology seems to be his explicit rejection of strict Calvinism's insistence upon the doctrine of Limited Atonement. Whatever other theological qualms Kerfoot possessed concerning what Boyce had absorbed and embraced while at Princeton, all of them appear to take second place to Kerfoot's understanding of the atonement. So far as the future of Southern seminary and the seminary's student body were concerned, Kerfoot seemed convictionally fixed on teaching what he deemed the... Read more →

Our one peculiarity: "Baptists are individualistic"--W. W. Landrum

If Baptists have one peculiarity more pronounced than any other, it is the stress they lay upon the worth of a single soul. Baptists are individualistic. The church exists for the individual, and not the individual for the church. Presbyterians are rather familistic; the family they are disposed to regard as a religious unit. Methodists are tribalistic; the Conference is the religious unit. Episcopalians are nationalistic; they have a State Church in England and once had it here. Baptists are individualistic. They go forth to preach to every individual soul... Read more →

Redux: Southern Baptists Move Away from Rigid Calvinism: The Influence of F.H. Kerfoot

Below is a biographical piece on F. H. Kerfoot I forgot I originally posted almost eight years ago. I think it's vital info about Kerfoot relevant to the series of footnotes I'm presently posting from Kerfoot's editorial work on Boyce's Abstract of Systematic Theology republished in 1899. Note in the body of the piece my obvious unawareness that Kerfoot both challenged Boyce's position at several junctures and changed his wording at other key junctures to soften the strong Calvinism Boyce embraced in his textbook for future students at Southern seminary.... Read more →

Looking Back:Southern Baptist seminaries desegregated before desegregation

Not until the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education (1969) was racial segregation put to a complete end "now and hereafter."1 Below, however, is a short headline piece in The Christian Centtury concerning Southern Baptists' progressive action favoring racial desegration in 1950. Our seminaries apparently were the first institutions of higher theological education to tear down the racial divide. Southern Baptists Open Seminaries to Negroes* The boards of three Southern Baptist theological seminaries have opened the way for the admission of Negro students next... Read more →

F.H. Kerfoot's rejection of James P. Boyce's Federal Theology: "The reviser has always felt constrained to differ with the author"

In my last piece, I recorded the dissent F.H. Kerfoot noted concerning James Boyce's "regeneration precedes faith" doctrine almost universally proclaimed now by Southern Baptist Calvinists. Whether it's the young, restless, and reformed community or traditional "Founders" Calvinists, they routinely and almost invariably proclaim what R.C. Sproul famously calls the "cardinal point of Reformed theology." "When speaking of the order of salvation (ordo salutis), Reformed theology always and everywhere insists that regeneration precedes faith."1 In itself, this particular doctrine oozing from the neo-Calvinism resurgence accounts for a large part of... Read more →

F.H. Kerfoot says James P. Boyce "mistaken" concerning regeneration preceding faith

I recently ran across an essay Beeson Divinity School dean and professor, Timothy George, wrote in 1985 entitled "Systematic Theology at Southern Seminary." In the essay, George mentioned that perhaps the greatest accomplishment of James P. Boyce's chair of theology successor, F.H. Kerfoot, would be his editorial work on Boyce's magnum opus republished in 1899, Abstract of Systematic Theology. George also indicated some of the editorial comments Kerfoot included distanced himself from Boyce's strict Calvinism. I found George's claim facinating.3 Not having Kerfoot's edition nor any fortune in finding a... Read more →

Slip, slidin away: The Greasy Doctrine of Limited Atonement

Nineteenth century Baptist historian, David Benedict (1779-1874), details the forming of what is likely the very first Baptist church on American soil in Providence, RI by Roger Williams.1 Below are a few highlights one of which enlightens us concerning the theological shift that took place in the church while Williams was pastor. When they were out of the Massachusetts jurisdiction, they pitched in a place now called Rehoboth; but the men of Plymouth hearing thereof, sent to inform them that they were settled on lands within their territories. Now they... Read more →

F. H. Kerfoot softened James P. Boyce's strict Calvinism in first major edit

James P. Boyce is considered by many to be the "father" of historic Baptist Calvinism in America, especially Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. Boyce's name is never far from those who speak of the theological "founders" of Southern Baptists. The president of Beeson Divinity School, Timothy George, wrote an essay in 1985 entitled "Systematic Theology at Southern Seminary" and published in Southern seminary's elder brother journal, Review and Expositor. In the section where he mentions the accomplishments of F.H. Kerfoot, Dr. George writes: Upon his death in 1888 Boyce... Read more →

Spurgeon on Limited Atonement

We've recently mentioned Dr. David Allen's series of reviews on chapters from From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, the most recent defense of Limited Atonement published by Crossway. Below are some quotes about Limited Atonement from one of the greatest and most popular Baptist preachers of all time, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The first quotes are taken from a sermon in 1858 at Royal Surrey Gardens on Isaiah 53:10 entitled "The Death of Christ." Two lengthy paragraphs from his sermon make... Read more →

B.H. Carroll's commentary on James P. Boyce's systematic theology

When I graduated from Boyce in 1981, I received my brand new Abstract of Theology by James Petigru Boyce (1827-1888) compliments of Founders Ministries. And, while I've since moved on from the printed edition Founders gave me as a gift (and, as most know, I've also moved on from Founders), I nonetheless often consult Boyce digitally either through Kindle or Logos. The historic significance of Boyce's theological-intellectual contribution to early Southern Baptists cannot be overestimated. A slightly lesser light among towering figures of early Southern Baptists stands the magnificent Texan,... Read more →

David Allen on John Piper and Definite Atonement

I've had many opportunities over the last several years to log the stunning lack of biblical, theological, and historical evidences weighing in favor of Calvinism's most vulnerable petal on its well-nigh universal symbol--the tulip--an acronym representing the five core doctrines Calvinists insist accurately summarizes the gospel teaching on salvation. The petal most at risk in T.U.L.I.P. is the centerpiece, the L as in Limited Atonement. Unfortunately for Calvinists, among the greatest critics historically, and perhaps it's not too much to suggest among the most effective critics of Limited Atonement (i.e.... Read more →

From Mark Driscoll to Heath Mooneyham

When I first wrote about former young, restless, and reformed icon, Mark Driscoll, in 2009, I received no small kickback from prominent Southern Baptists informing others I was spreading gossip (I wrote several pieces on Driscoll since the first one; note my pieces on Driscoll speaking at Liberty Universtiy as well; an exhaustive list on Driscoll at SBC Tomorrow may be helpful). The kickback in the comment threads on the posts represent much of what I'm referring to in the private realm. Now that Driscoll is no longer being touted... Read more →

Oliver Crisp stands as a vindication of David Allen's work on limited atonement

Just finished scanning my copy of Deviant Calvinism: Broadening Reformed Theology by Fuller Theological Seminary Professor of Systematic Theology, Oliver Crisp. The short work (192 pages) promises to be an excellent resource for what's theologically happening in Reformed circles today. In passing, Crisp vindicates the tireless research on Christ's atonement by Dr. David Allen at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Allen's resourceful work has effectively challenged Southern Baptist Calvinists who insist on embracing Limited Atonement arguing in many respects Limited Atonement is detrimental to Calvinism per se, consequently insisting on Limited... Read more →

Alcohol Today, Alcohol Tomorrow: Are Southern Baptists any closer to agreement?

Six weeks ago, Nicole Kalil wrote an article for the Florida Baptist Witness entitled "Tallahassee pastor tolerant when it comes to alcohol." Kalil profiled Tallahassee's City Church lead pastor, Dean Inserra, concerning his views on alcohol consumption. Kalil framed Inserra's view as him deciding to not make "moderate consumption of alcohol a big deal" leading him to reportedly affirm the Convention's position as unnecessary. "We lose credibility when we force culture issues as absolutes," Inserra reportedly concluded. Since moderately imbibing intoxicating beverages constitutes a "gray area of Scripture," Inserra desires... Read more →

Does God Desire All to Be Saved? Adam Harwood reviews John Piper's proposal

Among many interesting articles in the latest edition of the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry (JBTM, available free of charge at http://www.baptistcenter.net), Dr. Adam Harwood, Associate Professor of Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, reviews John Piper's little volume, Does God Desire All to Be Saved? (John Piper. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013. 56 pages. Paperback, $9.99). After rehearsing the flow of Piper's volume, Professor Harwood concludes: The strength of this book is that it seeks to address an Achilles heel in Reformed theology, namely the charge that affirming unconditional... Read more →

Are Southern Baptist Traditionalists losing appreciation for viable historical options dealing with God’s sovereignty and human free will?

Does there exist a logically-driven, undeniable answer to the age-old question concerning God's sovereignty and human free will? Some appear to think so. Calvinism's Typical Response to Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom Calvinists often suggest a logical answer by redefining what we normally mean when we think of free will. When I think of free will (and I suspect most people would affirm my thoughts), I think of the actual ability to choose otherwise than I chose. For instance, if I'm driving through a small city in the Southwest and... Read more →

Spurgeon indicts slavery, Baptists in the south abandon support

"The North and the South were in antagonism and slavery was a burning question, although the great Civil War was not to come for some years yet. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in the course of his sermons, felt bound to pass strictures [moral criticism] upon the whole system of slavery, and at once the sale of his sermons in the Southern States fell almost to nothing, while scores of insulting and threatening letters were sent to the preacher." Charles Ray in A Marvelous Ministry: The Story of C.H. Spurgeon's Sermons: 1855-1905.... Read more →

'God helped me save myself essentially because I worked so hard'--Chuck Quarles on his pre-Calvinistic relationship with God

What does a typical non-Calvinist affirm or deny so far as the foundation of his or her relationship with God is concerned? Is the relationship based solely upon grace through faith as Paul reveals in Ephesians 2:8-9? Or does a typical non-Calvinist believe the basis of his or her salvation is essentially because he or she works so hard to be saved? Below is a hefty slice of what Dr. Charles Quarles testified to a congregation in Denham Springs, Louisiana during a sermon on 2 Thessalonians 2:13. He said: And... Read more →

Chuck Quarles on election--'Southern Baptists are in a really awkward position today'

Dr. Charles "Chuck" Quarles presently is Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theology Seminary. In a sermon based upon 2 Thessalonians 2:13 he preached at the Riverside Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana in October, 2009, the professor said concerning election and Southern Baptists: Southern Baptists are in a really awkward position today in a lot of our churches because many want to deny the doctrine of election and yet they want to insist on "Once saved always saved." You can't do that. Those two doctrines rise... Read more →

Paige Patterson’s peculiar passion for practicing what Jesus preached

In 1991, "First Things" published a brief book note by Phillip E. Johnson on a documentary volume written by Mike Bryan entitled Chapter and Verse: A Skeptic Revisits Christianity. I picked this volume up at a used bookstore a few years back and after finishing it concluded what a revealing but fascinating read it was. I subsequently sold it for a few cents. I wish now I had my copy back. Why? Given the latest uprising(s) against Paige Patterson, the last of the first-generation Conservative Resurgence relics running out the... Read more →

Do Southern Baptist theologians confess simplistic theology or does James White offer simplistic criticism?

Bel0w is a recent video extreme Calvinist, James White, posted critiquing New Orleans professor, Adam Harwood, in a message Dr. Harwood preached entitled "The Gospel: a Message for Every Person." As the listener will note, White gets stuck on the term "simplistic" and just won't let go (by the way, if somebody will count the times White uses the term "simplistic" and log it below, I'll gladly send them a Starbucks gift card!). Thus, apparently suggesting as Harwood does that since God loves every person and wants every person to... Read more →

What Were the Early SBC Leaders’ View of Salvation? by Emir Caner, President, Truett-McConnell College Cleveland, Ga.

Below is an extended excerpt from an excellent essay written by Truett-McConnell president, Dr. Emir Caner, posted on SBC Today. In the essay, Caner shows how Baptists in the south, both preceding and following the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention, were hardly as strongly Calvinistic--not to mention virtually singularly Calvinistic as many Founders-type Calvinists insist today--as one might imagine given the theological sympathies gleaned from the Calvinistic influence swelling across the present evangelical landscape. Says Dr. Caner: The Sandy Creek movement began nearly forty years before Finney’s birth. Its... Read more →

Spurgeon on preachers becoming obstacles for sinners coming to Christ

Methinks I see several ministers standing in the way. They are of such high doctrine that they dare not invite a sinner, and they therefore clog the gospel with so many conditions. They will have it that the sinner must feel a certain quantity of experience before he is invited to come, and so they put their sermons up and say, "You are not invited, you are a dead sinner, you must not come; you are not invited; you are a hardened rebel." "Stand back," says Christ, "every one of... Read more →

Pre-Convention Bible Conference Reisterstown, Maryland June 6-8

Join us at The Whosoever Will Bible Conference in Reisterstown, Maryland preceding the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention to be held in Baltimore. Hosted by Northwest Baptist Church, speakers include popular preachers in the SBC like Paige Patterson and Fred Wolfe. Included also will be a special guest session by Dr. Norman Geisler and a debate on Calvinism between Paul Cooper and Braxton Hunter. We hope to fellowship with you there. Read more →

Ergun Caner's first interview as president of Brewton-Parker College

DULUTH — The Christian Index recently interviewed Ergun Caner in order to give Georgia Baptists an up close and personal look at Brewton- Parker College’s new president. Just three months ago the BPC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elect Caner as the 16th president of the 110-year-old institution of higher learning. Retiring BPC President Mike Simoneaux endorsed Caner’s presidency by stating, “Dr. Caner brings a wealth of experience to the presidency with more than three decades in Christian higher education, leadership, Biblical teaching, preaching, and apologetics. This appointment will... Read more →

James White and Historical Hooey (Part 2)

Below I've embedded the video entitled "Calvin and Servetus: Dan Barker Twists History" uploaded and posted by Alpha & Omega Ministries. Calvinist apologist, James White, makes a series of historical assertions concerning the circumstances surrounding John Calvin and Michael Servetus in response to atheist, Dan Barker, implicating Barker in twisting history. About 4 minutes and 10 seconds into the video, White begins his criticism mainly as a series of rhetorical questions raised against Barker's commentary on the legendary trial of Servetus at Geneva in 1553, commentary played from an audio... Read more →

James White and Historical Hooey: Interlude

In the first part of "James White and Historical Hooey," I showed two visible flaws in James White's argumentation methods. First, I demonstrated White's egregious habit of making his arguments into scornful contempt for his opponent rather than serious critique of the ideas under consideration. I put it this way: "I've never, in my sixty years on this earth, encountered another human being so coldly, consistently, and belligerently set on verbally and morally assaulting other people as liars, deceivers, frauds, imbeciles, idiots, and overall nincompoops as James White." White routinely... Read more →

John Calvin: a Real Evangelical Cover-up

James White is the director of Alpha & Omega Ministries, a small and apparently struggling1 apologetics ministry located in Phoenix, Arizona. I listened fairly regularly to White several years ago but grew tired of what I perceived to be a narcistic infatuation with his personal accomplishments not to mention his patently unique apologetical method of making those with whom he disagreed out to be liars.2 Going back several years, James White has persistently harassed and morally denigrated Ergun Caner and anyone--including reputable scholars, local church pastors, capable apologists, Southern Baptist... Read more →

‘We’re the Lord’s elected few, let all the rest be damned’

On November 12, 1986, Beeson Divinity School Dean and Professor of Divinity, History and Doctrine, Dr. Timothy George, addressed the faculty at Southern Baptist Theology Seminary in a presentation entitled "Dogma Beyond Anathema: Historical Theology in the Service of the Church."1 A printed version of the address appeared in the Fall 1987 edition of Review and Expositor.2 In the address, George criticizes the pretense of exploiting biblical doctrine as a pretext to propagate "all kinds of evil and intolerance in Christianity." As an entertaining illustration in how Old English Particular... Read more →

Spurgeon On Faith...Again...

I recently posted some golden nugget quotes from Charles Haddon Spurgeon on faith. Here's another. Spurgeon, once answered the question, “What is faith?” this way: “Now what is faith? In one word, it is trust—the trusting of the soul in God’s promise made in Christ Jesus. My faith is that which enables me to believe that God is true, to believe that he sent his Son in the flesh to suffer for my sins; to believe that, through the merit of his blood and the virtue of his holy life,... Read more →

New Calvinism gets reviewed by young British Baptist Calvinist

Jeremy Walker, co-pastor of the Maidenbower Baptist Church in the United Kingdom has penned a well-balanced critique of the young, restless, and reformed movement in the evangelical church. Entitled The New Calvinism Considered: A Personal and Pastoral Assessment , the volume is available in the United States in both paperback and digital versions.1 Walker himself theologically identifies with Calvinism as a confessional, Particular Baptist assuring his readers his intentions are not to "mindlessly ignore, attack, or defend any particular group, but to deal fairly with the new Calvinism."2 In fact,... Read more →

From Heaven He Came And Sought Her: A Review by David Allen

I recently made note of a new book release by Crossway entitled From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective. The 700+ page volume is purported to be the definitive volume on T.U.L.I.P. Calvinism's most vulnerable petal, Limited Atonement. Some of neo-Calvinism's brightest theological lights are among the contributors, theological lights including Henri A. G. Blocher, Michael A.G. Haykin, Paul Helm, Robert Letham, Thomas R. Schreiner, Sinclair Ferguson, and Carl Trueman. Dr. David Allen, Dean of the School of Theology, Professor of... Read more →

Spurgeon on faith’s necessity

Some golden nuggets on faith's necessity from Charles H. Spurgeon: "Faith is the foot of the soul by which it can march along the road of the commandments. Love can make the feet move more swiftly; but faith is the foot which carries the soul." "Faith is the oil enabling the wheels of holy devotion and of earnest piety to move well; but without faith the wheels are taken from the chariot and we drag along heavily." "With faith I can do all things; without faith I shall neither have... Read more →

An All-round Baptist View by E.Y. Mullins

The brief editorial below entitled “An All-round Baptist View” by E. Y. Mullins was first published in The Baptist Chronicle in 1903. It was later gathered in a compilation volume published by The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention entitled The Baptist Message: All the Gospel for All the World (1911). The introduction and Mullins’ editorial are reproduced below: AN ALL-ROUND BAPTIST VIEW. Editorial in Baptist Chronicle. All of the utterances that we have read from Dr. E. Y. Mullins prove him to be not only one of... Read more →

The Baptist General Tract Society (1835)-- 'infants dying in infancy saved by the blood of Jesus’

In 1835, the Baptist General Tract Society compiled various pamphlets it had published into a single volume entitled The Baptist Manual: A selection from the Series of Publications of the Baptist General Tract Society.1 In tract number 45, “The Scripture Guide to Baptism,” a series of questions are posed concerning infant baptism to which the tract gives its Baptist answer. Question number 8 asks, “But if you refuse to bring children to baptism, do you not keep them away from Christ, and in case of their dying in infancy, endanger... Read more →

Former Swedish Lutheran Divine turned American Baptist- 'all infants dying in infancy covered by the blood'

Swedish Baptists can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century in America. According to Baptist historian C. Douglas Weaver, the first Swedish Baptist church started in the United States was in 1852 at Rock Island, Illinois organized by a Swedish immigrant named Gustaf Palmquist.1 Palmquist came to America presumably a Lutheran but after attending a Baptist revival, became a Baptist. Afterwards, he organized the first Swedish Baptist Church, an organization of which, according to Weaver, marks the founding date of the Swedish Baptist General Convention in America—at least until 1945... Read more →

Popular 19th Century Baptist scholar George Clark on infant salvation

According to William Cathcart, George Whitefield Clark was born at South Orange, N.J., in 1831. He was converted and baptized at twelve years of age, joining the Northfield Baptist church. Graduating from Amherst College in 1853, Clark completed his theological course at Rochester in 1855 and was ordained pastor of the Baptist church at New Market in 1855. Four years later, Clark became pastor of the First Baptist church in Elizabeth until 1868 and then went to the Baptist church at Ballston, N.Y. In 1872 Rochester University conferred upon him... Read more →

English Baptist Charles Spurgeon on Wine at the Lord's Table--'We use unfermented wine at the Tabernacle'

I was looking for something else and stumbled across the little gem below I first posted in 2008. At that time, a lot of guys were ridiculing my moral reluctance toward imbibing intoxicating beverages for either recreation or worship, a reluctance based on moral principles derived from my understanding of biblical teaching and sound moral reasoning. After I posted several pieces on wine and the Bible amongst Southern Baptists I was pointed to a piece written by Trevin Wax on Spurgeon's practice as well as others who claimed Spurgeon loved... Read more →

19th century Baptist scholars Albert Arnold and David Ford on infants dying in infancy--'grace in Christ secures salvation of all with no personal sins to answer for'

In their commentary on Romans 5:18, 19th century Baptist New Testament scholars Albert Arnold and D.B. Ford write: “A few words in regard to the future condition of those dying in infancy. We scarcely need an apostle to tell us that a condemnation and death has been visited upon them on account of sin not their own; hence on account of Adam's transgression. A part of this penalty they, in common with us all, must suffer. The great trouble respecting their case has reference to the evil that is in... Read more →

Southern Baptist theologian E. C. Dargan on John 3:16 as 'simple illustration of man's free choice'

“For God's love is as great as his ways are wonderful. With that same authoritative tone unchanged, and even a higher claim asserted, with that mysterious doctrine of a new birth unrepealed, and presenting a simple illustration of man's free choice, the Heavenly Teacher comes to the grand culmination. He states the most glorious and important truth ever proposed to man's acceptance: "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." O ruler among the... Read more →

Baptist theologian Alvah Hovey -- 'all infants dying in infancy regenerated'

“At this point it may be proper to notice the relation of the propitiatory death of Christ to children who die in infancy. So far as now appears, such children are put in no practical relation to the atonement, unless it be by the secret and renewing work of the Spirit. Assuming, as we must, that this life is the only period of grace for mankind as sinners, and that the death of Christ was in some way for all our race, it follows that dying infants are regenerated by... Read more →