The Making of a Modern Denomination: John Howard Shakespeare and the English Baptists 1898-1924

by Peter Shepherd

John Howard Shakespeare was General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland from 1898 until 1924. The changes he brought about in the Baptist denomination during that period were little short of revolutionary. The Union became a strong centralized institution with substantial financial resources and an impressive London headquarters. Baptist ministers were brought under the control of the Union as a result of effective denominational schemes for their accreditation, settlement and support. The importance of the institutions Shakespeare created for English Baptists is undeniable. In the long run, however, the tensions of the reforms introduced into a traditionally congregational denomination did more harm than good.

244 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1969

Reviews

[Doug Adamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. In closing chapter, he suggests that the creation of the denominational structure contributed to the decline of the Baptists in Britain as resources and energy which had previously been focussed on growing churches at the local level began to be directed toward building and maintaining the superstructure.