Postliberal Protestants: Baptists Between Obergefell and Christian Nationalism

by Hunter Baker

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, one social scientist sagely declared we had reached "the end of history." What he meant was that the big arguments were over and that liberal democracy would prevail henceforth. The rest would be tinkering with policy. The classical separation of church and state (not secularism), religious liberty, and freedom of speech all seemed to be unquestioned values that would stand for centuries to come. With failure in the Middle East, the rise of China, and the emergence of postliberal politics on the left and right in the U.S. and around the globe, our values seem far less settled than we might have thought. How should Baptists see themselves as they stand somewhere between the human sexuality revolution on the left and Christian nationalism on the right? Hunter Baker encourages the church to strongly embrace religious liberty, the regenerate church, and the sanctity of life as it seeks to be faithful in the 21st century and beyond.

132 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2025

About the author

Hunter Baker, J.D., Ph.D. is the author of three books on politics and religion and many chapters, articles, and essays. He teaches political science at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

Reviews

[Jake Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going to write out a more thorough review of the book for substack.

However, the only reason I am giving this four stars is because the book is a little choppy due to some chapters being articles previously written. The book though does a great job of arguing for the Baptist vision and position in our current moment. Hunter Baker helpfully explains why the allure of Christendom 2.0 will not solve the issues of the day. There is a real Baptist heritage that needs to be recovered that is not some form of libertarianism.

Baker presents a balanced Baptist vision that we need to recover. I hope this book starts more conversations!

[Tim Kowach · Rating 5 out of 5]

hope for the future

Are you discouraged by the degrading cultural norms and the increasing secular humanism of our homeland? Baker offers hope and a way forward in this brief yet powerful essay. He interweaves an excellent summary of where we have come from and where we are today with helpful insights on the most important elements to focus our efforts in impacting our culture. Postliberal Protestants is a quick read that can spark deeper discussion on these essential issues.

[Peter Redington · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was interesting, but it felt more like an assessment of the 'state of play' rather than properly going into the ideas at hand, but maybe I should have known that as it was a relatively short book. While I probably mostly agree with the writer, this book didn't feel that convincing