‘In 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 ... Read morestory. 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.' - Professor Paul S. Fiddes, Regent's Park College, Oxford, UK
Paul S. Fiddes ‘Do 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, USA
Curtis W. Freeman Show Less