When Christians Disagree: Lessons from the Fractured Relationship of John Owen and Richard Baxter

by Tim Cooper, Michael A.G. Haykin (foreword)

Two Oppositional Figures in Church History Shed Light on Division in the Church Today

Our current culture seems to be increasingly divided on countless issues, including those affecting the church. But for centuries, theological disagreements, political differences, and issues relating to church leadership have made it challenging for Christians to foster unity and love for one another.

In this book, author Tim Cooper explores this polarization through the lives of two oppositional figures in church history: John Owen and Richard Baxter. Cooper highlights their individual stories while showing how their contrasting life experiences, personalities, and temperaments led to their inability to work together. After exploring these lessons from the past, readers will gain insights into their own relationships, ultimately learning how to love and live in harmony with their fellow believers despite their disagreements.

Timely: In today’s deeply divided culture, this book offers past examples to help spur unity among believers today
Historical: Biographical examination of two Puritan writers from the 17th century: John Owen and Richard Baxter
Accessible: Short format and crisp writing style offer an engaging story with no background knowledge required

Genres: Christian Living, Biography, Theology, Church History, Christian, Christian Non Fiction, Discipleship

184 pages, Paperback

Published July 30, 2024

Reviews

[Ben Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a very well-researched and well-written book. I am thankful to have read it, and I find the thought-provoking reflection questions and “lessons” quite helpful as I prepare to preach Acts 15:36-41 this coming Lord’s Day.

However, I must register one quibble. I fear the substantive theological disputes suffered a lesser treatment due to the other factors the author considers (e.g., experience, personality, motives and agendas, memory, etc.). At times, the theology was not only relativized to the same level as these lesser matters, but was itself made out to be less important. For example, “some of the particular theological issues that were so important to Baxter and Owen might now seem foreign, trivial, and pedantic to us. Is it possible that the issues that animate controversy today can be equally the product of our own time in place and, taking a long view, are not important enough to divide over? Are the issues that so exercise us in fact peripheral?” (84–5). Moreover, in the conclusion, he summarizes, “This was more a clash of personalities than it was a clash of ideas” (124). Though I’m no scholar of the 17th century, I don’t think that’s quite fair to either Baxter’s or Owen’s self-understanding.

[Brother Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came at the right time. Our disunity and disagreements are more than merely theological. We bring our own personal histories, experiences, personalities and geography into conflicts and need to have the humility to acknowledge that, be self-reflective and slow to reactivity.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I think of recent feuds, musicians like Drake and Kendrick Lamar or athletes like Kobe and Shaq come to mind. I’m surprised by how hot the emotions get when observers choose sides. The substance of these trivial beefs rarely leaves the circles of pop culture, yet their effects seep into our lives. We get so accustomed to the silliness of these debates that we sometimes underestimate substantive divisions in our circles and fail to navigate them well…

Full review at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/re...

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an introduction this was a great book. I had never heard of their disagreements before. It was a good easy biographical read with profound implications for conflicts we might have today. The author did a good job using this story to show how we as Christians can be charitable in conflicts.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast-paced and good read. I would characterize it as homiletical history. I was not aware of the conflict between Owen and Baxter, and Cooper presents it clearly and compellingly, if a bit heavy on the psychological analysis (especially in the first half). I think that the best chapter is the one entitled Memory. While a more scholarly treatment (such as the one upon which this book is based) would have to be more careful and tentative in its conclusions about factors of personality and sociology, Cooper does a fine job marshaling evidence for his practical points. More emphasis could have been given to matters of trust (and how it is established between public figures), suspicion, and indifference. For example, I suspect that Owen might not have esteemed Baxter as particularly important or worth his attention/concern. May God use this book to promote civility, unity, and even healthy realignment among conservative (and Calvinistic/Reformed) evangelicals in our day.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing historical case study of two Christian men who didn’t get along (to put it mildly).

[Gailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It is really quite remarkable that mature believers who are, in so many respects, magnificent examples of what it means to follow Jesus with faithfulness and sincerity can also be Christians with pronounced blind spots who demonstrate brittleness, selfishness, and ego in their relationships with others and who damage those around them. We are all human; we are each a mixed bag."

[Billy Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“They are a lived example of how even the most godly Christians disagree and do a pretty poor job of it and how relationships break down even between the most sincere believers.”

I enjoyed this book. I appreciate how her both gives a lesson in church history but also gives practical and pastoral implications about the different factors that go beneath our everyday disagreements we face with other believers.
4 and a half stars.

[Mark Loughridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salutary and worth the read. Many lessons to learn.

[Garrett Mullet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Cooper’s When Christians Disagree presents the conflict between John Owen and Richard Baxter as fundamentally relatable, stemming from personal, contextual, and doctrinal differences.

The first area of difference, leading to deep hostility and distrust, lies in their contrasting temperaments and approaches to scholarship. Baxter, largely self-taught, clashed with Owen, who had a formal education at Queen's College, Oxford. Their temperaments also differed: Owen was melancholic, while Baxter was choleric.

Their regional upbringings further influenced their perspectives. The different ways their respective regions experienced the broader national conflict, including civil war and revolution, shaped their views on the relationship between civil and ecclesial authorities and the individual Christian conscience.

Cooper argues that these differences also contributed to their divergent concerns regarding threats to the Church. Baxter, who as a military chaplain witnessed the horrors of lawlessness firsthand, viewed antinomianism—opposing the law—as the greatest danger, seeing it as incompatible with Christ's command to keep His commandments and James' warning that "faith without works is dead." Owen, on the other hand, was more concerned with Arminianism, fearing that it allowed man to claim credit for his salvation, which should be attributed solely to God's grace.

This led Owen to suspect Baxter of subtly promoting salvation by works, while Baxter viewed Owen's emphasis on grace as contributing to rampant wickedness hiding from accountability behind a faulty view of justification.

I found Cooper’s account of their conflict fascinating and well-told. However, I was wary of Cooper's suggestion that the two men should have prioritized unity and niceness over proclaiming and defending truth. While it's essential to recognize that Owen and Baxter were products of their time, it’s equally important to acknowledge that we, too, are influenced by our cultural context. Today, there’s a tendency to downplay theological convictions in favor of preserving unity, risking compromise of the Great Commission’s call to teach obedience to Christ's commands for the sake of at least appearing to all be together and getting along.

At the same time, it’s true that selfish ambition and cultural pressures have always caused unnecessary conflict, and always will - they did in the 1st century and the 17th, and they certainly still do today. We must strive to avoid such motivations in our actions. Yet we must appreciate that such motivations are not necessarily absent faux claims of preferring or pursuing unity over fidelity to the Word of God.

Ultimately, put another way, I hope we learn the right lessons from Owen and Baxter’s conflict. While we should avoid unnecessary strife, we must not downplay the importance of sound doctrine, as emphasized, for instance, by the Apostle Paul, who didn’t shy away from confronting error in the early Church. God can work through conflicts to bring about good, even in seemingly unnecessary debates and disagreements which today's Christian too easily dismisses as trivial, tedious, and arcane. And for what it's worth, who is to say whether both Baxter and Owen would have found something to agree ardently about in being appalled by our propensity to such?

[Eric Durso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at two church history heavyweights. Wished he shared more of his own opinions.

[Josh Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

In his introduction, the author poignantly states the following regarding the fractured relationship of Baxter & Owen:

"The point of their story is not so much that Christians disagree but how they go about their disagreement. It is really quite remarkable that mature believers who are, in so many respects, magnificent examples of what it means to follow Jesus with faithfulness and sincerity can also be Christians with pronounced blind spots who demonstrate brittleness, selfishness, and ego in their relationships with others and who damage those around them. We are all human; we are each a mixed bag. As Martin Luther once observed, we are sinners and saints all at the same time."

I love how Cooper begins chapter 1:

"...Only God is good; none of us are good. We have many fine qualities, to be sure, and we retain the image of God, but we are flawed, deeply flawed. Even the best of us is shot through with human sinfulness and frailty. We are all vulnerable to blind spots and besetting sins. Our best efforts are colored by imperfection. There are no exceptions. Only God is good." p. 9

I learned much about these two men that I did not know both from a historical and theological perspective. I also learned that mankind has not changed, regardless of the century that we live in. Christians fought over principles they believed in (or didn't) way back in the day just like Christians do today. Some things change; some things remain the same.

The best takeaway that I have from the book was found in the conclusion where the author submits five possibilities...five truths that could have kept these two giants of the faith from feuding to the degree that they did. They were helpful truths and ones to ponder.

As Baxter is quoted in this book, "It is the interest of Satan to divide the servants of Christ." I hereby agree wholeheartedly.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scripture proclaims, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, ESV). Yet, too often Christians are at each other’s throats and not only disobey their Lord; they miss out on the rich blessing of walking in unity. Tim Cooper’s book, When Christians Disagree explores how two titans of the faith were at odds with one another and draws out some practical lessons for us over four hundred years later.

Cooper introduces the two titans of the Christian faith, John Owen and Richard Baxter. Both Puritans, born at the beginning of the seventeenth century, these men fought vigorously about their understanding of Scripture. Even when they met face to face, their animosity was not quelled but maximized.

While the controversy that ensued between these two men is complex, the author is quick to sum up the point of contention:

Owen worried about the Arminians: they would be aided by anyone who emphasized, as Baxter did, human response and responsibility. Baxter worried about the antinomians: they would be aided by anyone who emphasized, as Owen did, God’s eternal decrees and the exact price for sin paid by Christ on the cross. These underlying fears made it extremely difficult for each man to see in the other the many points they held in common. Rather, each one saw the other as aiding and abetting the enemy. (p. 69)

While the historical debate between Owen and Baxter proves interesting, the larger lesson for contemporary readers is how we benefit from this tragic clash of personalities in our lives and ministries. Cooper shares a bit of advice that is timely: “I was once told that there is no problem in the world that cannot be solved by humility - humility from all those involved.” This rich counsel combined with other biblical wisdom makes this book incredibly important.

Instead of casting blame on Owen and Baxter, we should learn from their sinful responses to one another and strive to be united in our interactions with others. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, ESV)

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, well-researched, and well-written, this book explores the diverse experiences, personalities, and theological perspectives of two leading seventeenth century leaders in Puritan England, with a practical focus on gleaning lessons to apply to the controversies of our own day. While I think this is a helpful book, it did seem to me that the author downplayed the innovative element in Baxter’s doctrine of justification and the legitimate threat it posed to Reformed evangelical orthodoxy - a threat Owen very clearly perceived. The author also has to read between the lines quite a bit for his psychological analysis of Owen - a man who rarely referred to himself in his writings. It’s also notable (and the author brings this out quite clearly) that Baxter was an exasperating man and a biblicist with little tolerance for confessions of faith — this in a day when men like Owen were fighting hard to guard the faith from dangerous heretical movements like Socinianism. While Baxter wasn’t a Socinian, his biblicism certainly played into their hands. All this to say, I think it’s a bit unfair to lay the blame for this fractured relationship equally on Owen and Baxter (though Owen certainly had his faults) and wish the author did not minimize their theological differences — although I did appreciate how he demonstrated the different concerns driving the theological convictions of the two men. But whatever the psychological reasons for their respective theologies, and regardless of how poorly Owen may have handled the controversy at some points, Owen was right and Baxter was wrong on the issues themselves.

[Jason Mccool · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book that is so relevant for our fractured times. I may have an infinite backlog of books to read, but this is one I plan to read again more intensively next year. I heard an interview with the author, Tim Cooper, on the Crossway podcast that first caught my attention. From start to finish, the book gripped me with this intriguing story of how 2 respected, towering figures of the Puritan age, who had so much they agreed on doctrinally and so many goals in common, could be at such odds with each other and not exhibit any of the brotherly love Christians should have for each other (or even the love of enemies we should also have). Of course, the author uses this distant, now calm battle to help readers see our current conflicts in a clearer light, and it certainly convicted me of so many failings in that regard, but in a very edifying way.

For better or worse, I can relate very well to Baxter's attitude of "Though I offend, I must say that which cannot be hid," but Cooper really showed the unintended consequences of that well-intended motive. He also really made these two godly but flawed men very real, and their clashing personalities very recognizable in our own interactions. As he noted, Owen could be easily offended and Baxter could easily offend, so conflict regardless of actual differences in beliefs could be readily anticipated just because of their different personalities that would tend to rub the other the wrong way. But Cooper was also insightful in highlighting their remarkably different experience of the English Civil War as another contributing factor. He also drew some even more insightful parallels between the newly unleashed technology of their time - the spread of the printing press and the lifting of publishing constraints that allowed these two to criticize each other from a distance, in public, and in writing permanent enough that we can still read their invectives over 350 years later - with the faster and equally unsocial media of our age. It was a sad story because it was really only looking at the darker side of two men that that were such bright lights, and he developed the story like one seeing the events leading up to an inevitable train wreck and not being able to stop it. You just find yourself wincing at each new development and thinking, "that's not going to end well...." But it's good to learn from their mistakes as we often tread the same dark path, only with communication technology that lets us too quickly run the bitter path they could only walk.

The last thing Cooper did that I benefited from was the provision of thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter to apply the lessons calmly observed from their long-cold fight to our current fights that still burn hot and cloud our judgement. I think this would make an excellent book for a book club, church discipleship group, or just a group of friends to read and talk about together.

[Paul Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book that revealed aspects of these two men that I was totally unaware of. I was saddened by much of the book, as I value these men and their writing (Owen more so than Baxter). It just goes to show that no matter how much the Spirit works within a person to produce good, in this life the flesh is ever present.

I greatly appreciated the questions that were asked at the end of each chapter and need to spend some time thinking through how I would answer those questions. I appreciated how each chapter dealt with a specific theme which gave a good overview of who these men were and why they struggled so much to agree with one another, and even get along. I can't help but wonder what good may have come if there was someone who was able to bring both of them together through mediation, but given their personalities, I imagine that would have been incredibly difficult.

Even though this book was a quick read because of how interesting it was, there were times when it was hard to tell who the author was speaking about at any given moment, but that may have just been due to listening to this book rather than reading it.

Highly recommended for anyone who has read anything by these men. It doesn't change my admiration for their works, but it does open my eyes more to see the men behind the words.

[Flynn Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two reasons I am grateful for this book. One is that it presents to Christians the excruciating reality of how two otherwise faithful believers can almost inextricably have a falling out on account of their own humanity. The second is that Cooper’s exploration of such humanity in both Baxter and Owen does much to humanize our grasp of English Puritanism and helpfully undermines the otherwise hagiographic cherry-picking that can occur in popular studies of these figures. Cooper’s commitment to historiographical integrity helps us appreciate just how much these men were real people trying to imperfectly keep the faith like the rest of us. May his tribe increase.

[Garrett Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a history of the lives of these two men I very much enjoyed it, however the practical application squeezed out of the historical retelling was, in my opinion, lacking. There was some helpful reminders, however very little groundbreaking additions to the the life of a Christian in the midst of disagreements within the church.

[Tanner Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Misleading title, which was frustrating at first, but the book was good.

Baxter was arrogant, Owen was stuck-up. This book was like a “Never meet your heroes” moment. If you like history, then read it!

[Jacob London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good summary of historical events and reflections for our own personal conflicts.

[Conor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful and painfully relevant to the particular tribe I belong to. Heart knowing questions after each chapter are very helpful.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I thought this book was good and had a lot of good things to say, I wouldn't say it was amazing. I think this book really is meant more to start a discussion than to be read on its own.

[Becca Lemmon]

Really enjoyed this one! Great application questions to think about too.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful look at the conflict between John Owen and Richard Baxter. Cooper tells the story of how these two influential men ended up clashing and why it became so intractable. He also provides helpful observations, lessons, and questions that can be applied today. Overall I found this book useful in trying to discern what causes conflicts among Christians and potential warning flags to keep in mind.

[Doug Van Meter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a helpful book! An excellent book that provides much helpful insight into why Christans often disagree and practically, how to avoid unnecessary division and pain when disagreeing.

[Cole Feix · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully enjoyable book full of lessons on how we can strive for unity as Christians. I loved having Dr Cooper on the podcast, December 2025. He’s both a brilliant scholar and a wise pastor.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride needs to be attacked from many different angles, and this book provides an assault from the domain of historical observation. Well worthy of reading.

[Connor Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a toe-dip into the controversy. It left me wanting more details. Cooper raises more questions than he answers in a helpful way that provokes self-reflection. Would recommend. Makes me want to read his longer monograph, “John Owen, Richard Baxter, and the Formation of English Nonconformity”.

[Carlos Montijo · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there was good discussion and insight on the lives of Owen and Baxter and on dealing with conflict, including their thorny personalities and challenging historical context, I was very concerned with Cooper’s insistence that Baxter was a Christian even though he taught a false view of justification and retained that view throughout his life.

Reading this book gave me the impression that Baxter, who was mainly self-taught, should have sat under sound teaching prior to becoming a pastor and teaching not only a false justification but also shallow, biblicist convictions that reveal his ignorance of church history and her conflicts, and the need for extra biblical language, ironically, to defend the Bible itself against the wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing who will redefine and subvert biblical language.

[Hopson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves history and making truth clear and practical, I absolutely LOVED this book. Cooper tells the story of a big disagreement between two big names in church history. Yet he doesn't tell the story in a dry academic way, but with an eye to how Christians can learn from their disagreement and learn how to disagree better with one another today. This book is unique in its approach and its execution was near flawless. May be the best book I’ve read this year. Very well done!