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A History of the Baptists, Volume I and II
This is the Kindle edition of a classic work on the history of the Baptists. Volume 1 (first published in 1922) covers the period from the New Testament churches to the origin of the American Baptist churches. Volume 2 (first published in 1926) addresses the history of American Baptists from the first settlement of the country to the year 1845.
- GenresHistory
596 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1922
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 2, 2008
A History of the Baptist Church from the time of Jesus starting the Church to Modern time in America. Very detailed, small print. An exciting read to see how the church has been preserved through out time.
December 31, 2019
I've had this book in my library for a number of years, but have never read it cover to cover until now.
Let me preface this review by saying that before I picked up this book, I believed that there were faithful congregations since the days of our Lord that believed in the baptism of mature believers and immersion as the proper mode. If anything, this book further substantiated that for me.
There were, however, a number of surprises in this book. I am quite shocked and distressed at how wide-reaching Christian is in defining some of these groups as Baptist. There is a wide, wide array of variances in some of the groups that he links together in this book. Now, he admits that openly - but I'm still bothered by it as a Baptist elder, nonetheless. There are variants from groups that embraced asceticism to a a denial of the dual nature of Christ to mixed congregations of credo-Baptists and paedo-Baptists to females in church leadership to naked baptisms. That's right, naked baptisms are mentioned numerous times in connections with groups that Christian embraces as Baptists. You read that right - naked Baptisms. I remain shocked and cannot help but believe that some wouldn't join these churches due to it - and would assume some joined them due to it. There are so many things that could be said about that point alone that seems obvious.
Christian seems to have only two requirements to label a group Baptist - the rejection of infant Baptist (usually) and the practice of immersion as the proper mode. That simply is too low of a standard for ANY group to be labeled orthodox.
Christian almost always equates Anabaptist with Baptist even while explaining that some of the Anabaptist groups even occasionally allowed for infant baptism. It should be admitted that some from among Anabaptists became what we know today as Baptist - but not all. The Amish and Mennonites also came from the Anabaptists.
I know the farther you go back in history the less history that is available - on any subject, not just church history. But there was far more that could have been said about the early problems and schisms of the Montanists, Novatians and Donatists, specifically. Christian left that out completely in this book, unfortunately. Yet, he was open about the above-mentioned problems. That said, history should be read widely and other Baptist history books do address problems in those three groups.
One thing I certainly walk away from this book wondering is how "Baptists" today split over things like singing modern hymns or singing off screens or head coverings or Bible versions, etc. There are obviously much more major (and serious) doctrinal variants in "Baptist" history than those things. And oddly enough, these groups are accepted as orthodox Baptists. Perhaps many have simply assumed this book (and others) say things that it doesn't - and haven't actually read the book for themselves.
I'm glad I read the book. It further emphasized that there were always groups that weren't part of Rome (again, something I believed was the case going in). Without question, not all of those groups were Baptistic (something else I believed going - and now believe even more). And more than ever, I ponder the question about why men are willing to label others that they agree 95% with doctrinally as heretics or apostates. This book proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that such was not the case in "Baptist" history.
Let me preface this review by saying that before I picked up this book, I believed that there were faithful congregations since the days of our Lord that believed in the baptism of mature believers and immersion as the proper mode. If anything, this book further substantiated that for me.
There were, however, a number of surprises in this book. I am quite shocked and distressed at how wide-reaching Christian is in defining some of these groups as Baptist. There is a wide, wide array of variances in some of the groups that he links together in this book. Now, he admits that openly - but I'm still bothered by it as a Baptist elder, nonetheless. There are variants from groups that embraced asceticism to a a denial of the dual nature of Christ to mixed congregations of credo-Baptists and paedo-Baptists to females in church leadership to naked baptisms. That's right, naked baptisms are mentioned numerous times in connections with groups that Christian embraces as Baptists. You read that right - naked Baptisms. I remain shocked and cannot help but believe that some wouldn't join these churches due to it - and would assume some joined them due to it. There are so many things that could be said about that point alone that seems obvious.
Christian seems to have only two requirements to label a group Baptist - the rejection of infant Baptist (usually) and the practice of immersion as the proper mode. That simply is too low of a standard for ANY group to be labeled orthodox.
Christian almost always equates Anabaptist with Baptist even while explaining that some of the Anabaptist groups even occasionally allowed for infant baptism. It should be admitted that some from among Anabaptists became what we know today as Baptist - but not all. The Amish and Mennonites also came from the Anabaptists.
I know the farther you go back in history the less history that is available - on any subject, not just church history. But there was far more that could have been said about the early problems and schisms of the Montanists, Novatians and Donatists, specifically. Christian left that out completely in this book, unfortunately. Yet, he was open about the above-mentioned problems. That said, history should be read widely and other Baptist history books do address problems in those three groups.
One thing I certainly walk away from this book wondering is how "Baptists" today split over things like singing modern hymns or singing off screens or head coverings or Bible versions, etc. There are obviously much more major (and serious) doctrinal variants in "Baptist" history than those things. And oddly enough, these groups are accepted as orthodox Baptists. Perhaps many have simply assumed this book (and others) say things that it doesn't - and haven't actually read the book for themselves.
I'm glad I read the book. It further emphasized that there were always groups that weren't part of Rome (again, something I believed was the case going in). Without question, not all of those groups were Baptistic (something else I believed going - and now believe even more). And more than ever, I ponder the question about why men are willing to label others that they agree 95% with doctrinally as heretics or apostates. This book proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that such was not the case in "Baptist" history.
February 23, 2022
Although it is an incredibly well-researched work of scholarship, this book reads like a fascinating story, perhaps because ultimately that is precisely what it is.
Dr. Christian ferrets out facts, stories, details, and quotes from many perspectives all over the world in all the ages since the time of Christ, and the result is a truly absorbing book that walks the reader through the history of the New Testament church from Palestine in the time of Christ to the Revolutionary era of American history.
Remarkably comprehensive in both its scope and depth, this is a riveting, inspiring read.
Dr. Christian ferrets out facts, stories, details, and quotes from many perspectives all over the world in all the ages since the time of Christ, and the result is a truly absorbing book that walks the reader through the history of the New Testament church from Palestine in the time of Christ to the Revolutionary era of American history.
Remarkably comprehensive in both its scope and depth, this is a riveting, inspiring read.
January 3, 2023
This is a very well-researched book. This book proves that Baptist scholarship is not far behind, if it does not even surpass that of the Presbyterians. If you ever wonder how God was working in the middle ages, do not turn to the Catholic Church; turn to the baptists. This book presents powerful evidence, if it does not decisively prove that the Donatists, Waldenses, Albigenses, Arnoldists, Lollards, and even possibly the Hussites baptized by immersion. Furthermore, it will make you doubt the magisterial reformation.
June 26, 2023
Too much detail and not as interesting to read. Good info but not pleasure reading for me at least
September 20, 2014
Wow! This book tied together the "missing pieces" of what is currently, at this time of history, the Baptist Church. To see from the Apostolic era, through the ages of the Montanists, Albigenesians, the Waldensians, to the Anabaptist, and now the "Baptists" a continuous stream of blood has flowed. This stream helped ensure the religious and soul liberty that we as Americans have enjoyed and prospered under for over two centuries. This read sheds great light on the birth of the First Amendment and its purpose and intent. Great historical read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews