Baptists in America: A History

by Thomas S. Kidd, Barry Hankins

The Puritans called Baptists "the troublers of churches in all places" and hounded them out of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Four hundred years later, Baptists are the second-largest religious group in America, and their influence matches their numbers. They have built strong institutions, from megachurches to publishing houses to charities to mission organizations, and have firmly established themselves in the mainstream of American culture. Yet the historical legacy of outsider status lingers, and the inherently fractured nature of their faith makes Baptists ever wary of threats from within as well as without.
In Baptists in America, Thomas S. Kidd and Barry Hankins explore the long-running tensions between church, state, and culture that Baptists have shaped and navigated. Despite the moment of unity that their early persecution provided, their history has been marked by internal battles and schisms that were microcosms of national events, from the conflict over slavery that divided North from South to the conservative revolution of the 1970s and 80s. Baptists have made an indelible impact on American religious and cultural history, from their early insistence that America should have no established church to their place in the modern-day culture wars, where they frequently advocate greater religious involvement in politics. Yet the more mainstream they have become, the more they have been pressured to conform to the mainstream, a paradox that defines--and is essential to understanding--the Baptist experience in America.
Kidd and Hankins, both practicing Baptists, weave the threads of Baptist history alongside those of American history. Baptists in America is a remarkable story of how one religious denomination was transformed from persecuted minority into a leading actor on the national stage, with profound implications for American society and culture.

Genres: History, Church History, Religion, American History, Christian, Nonfiction, Theology

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Thomas S. Kidd teaches history at Baylor University, and is Senior Fellow at Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion. Dr. Kidd has appeared on the Glenn Beck tv program, the Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager radio shows, and written columns for USA Today and the Washington Post. He is a columnist for Patheos.com. His latest book is Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots. Other books include God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution. His next book projects are a biography of George Whitefield, and a history of Baptists in America.

Reviews

[Tim Michiemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Thomas Kidd's Baptists in America is a phenomenal book. This is primarily because of the content and secondarily because I am an American Baptist. For those who are not American Baptists, they may find this book uninteresting or unnecessary; and I'm not sure if I could convince you to read it. But if you are an American and a Baptist, I would say that this is a required read and a read you will enjoy.

Kidd and Hankins set out to "tell the story of Baptist growth and battles through the centuries from the founding of England’s colonies to contemporary America" (pg. 1), and they are successful in this endeavor. Kidd and Hankins explore the history of American Baptists beginning with the early colonial dissenters and ending with the great “Conservative Resurgence” in the Southern Baptist Convention. This book's strongest parts are its explanation of the history of minority Baptists in America, primarily the Black Baptists. These are the most valuable sections for American Baptists (particularly white Baptists) to read and understand the alternate stories of brothers and sisters in Christ of different ethnicities. Kidd and Hankins are generous to white Baptists who both opposed and supported slavery and segregation and skillfully show that there were many differences in opinion even among Black Baptists when it came to slavery and segregation.

Overall, I found this book to be extremely helpful. Its strong point is Kidd and Hankins' ability to show the continuity of Baptist thinking throughout American History, but also show how incredibly diverse Baptist thinking is. In the conclusion, Kidd and Hankins try to place their finger on what distinctively makes a Baptist, since there are so many diverse viewpoints and "sub" denominations within the Baptist denominations. They boil it down to three issues; Baptists believe in believers’ baptism, they promote the autonomy of the local church, and they have a willingness to call themselves Baptist. Kidd and Hankins hit it right on the nail when describing what unifies Baptists and presents us with many compelling stories that the American Church can learn from.

Read a more in depth review at: https://loveaboundinginknowledge.word...

[Drew Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Kidd does an excellent job of weaving through baptist history in America. I was more attentive when he covered the Southern Baptist Convention and its successes and failures just because thats the only denomination I have ever known. My favorite chapter was on the conservative resurgence in the SBC, only because the affects its had on me personally. It's fascinating to see Kidd explain how baptist started off as outsiders (going against the Puritans and the practice of infant baptism) only to later conform to the culture as insiders (the silence on slavery and civil rights) and then be forced to outsiders once again due the culture around us secularizing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this book!

[Grant Kemink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kidd does an excellent job of tracing baptist history in America with thorough enough detail that a large breadth of information is covered, but with enough pace that you don’t get bogged down. This would be a good book to reread slowly and trace the details while looking into each figure mentioned.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Highly recommended!

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a professional religionist, the Protestant group I'm asked about the most is the Baptists. Who are they? Where do they come from? What do they believe? This book will answer all those questions, but focuses mainly on America, as the title indicates.

One of the things immediately obvious is that the Baptists are the ultimate grassroots denomination. Congregational in polity, they don't have a head figure. The stories here reflect that—small churches that add up to huge numbers. The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in the United States.

The book walks the reader through the early stages of US history when the Baptists were persecuted, through the Revolutionary War, and the period of the "Great Awakenings." This revival period led to many denominations growing rapidly, but the Baptists and Methodists benefited most. This gave Baptists political strength, although it remained latent for some time.

The debates over slavery brought the Baptist church into conflict. This is not a pretty picture. Most Christian denominations were also guilty of supporting slavery, not just many Baptists. Kidd and Hankins pull no punches here. Prejudice was firmly entrenched. Quite a lot of the book dwells on this issue. Ironically, Baptists had always supported liberty of conscience. This didn't equate to liberty of persons, however. The black church also gets quite a bit of attention since many African-Americans belong to the denomination.

The rise of Evangelical Christianity muted denominational boundaries. Baptists tended toward the conservative end of thing, especially in the south. The issue of women's roles in the church receives considerable discussion as well. Inner-denominational disagreements meant that Baptists easily split into splinter groups. The largest to emerge were the Southern Baptists. The book traces the Fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention, a bloc that continues to plague US politics.

This book may tell you more than you want to know about the Baptists. It is thorough, but not comprehensive. It traces quite well the dynamics that led to a group that everybody's heard of, but few really know.

I commented further about this book on my blog: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.

[Nathan Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Baptist in America myself, I found this book explained the radical diversity of Baptist churches in America. I was particularly surprised to see how certain idiosyncrasies In Baptist culture today were present throughout American Baptist History (individualism, division, “us-and-them” mentality within the Baptist ranks, etc.). A must-read for every Baptist in America today.

[Adam Kareus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great history of the baptist tradition. The authors walk through the history of the baptist tradition from the colonies all the way to the mordern era. For anyone interested in where the baptist movement came from and how it has grown and changedin America, this book is of great value and offers insight.

[Andrew Krom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Pig Rieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

History is best learned via regular trips in the Magic Treehouse. Kidd and Hankins’ work is an excellent guide to one such adventure.

The authors manage to keep their narrative of history moving while providing enough details and case studies to support their conclusions. As with most historians, they take of stance of disinterest in their subject rather than naming their “good guys” and “bad guys.” This said, Kidd and Hankins’ presentation provides sufficient detail and clarity that those acquainted with the Scriptures can quickly judge for themselves whether the people, beliefs, and institutions described are worthy of emulation or avoidance.

[Lyndie Blevins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book because…As a lifelong Baptist, I am interested in the development of Baptist life in America to understand more about the institution that has shaped my life. i


This book was about the unique journey of a persecuted denomination becomes the second largest religious group in America. Kidd and Hankins intertwine Baptist history with the development of the American story. Both histories have greatly influence the other. While Baptists have traditionally insisted on the separation of Church and state, current times find many Baptist leaders advocating for greater involvement in politics. The book also outlines the roles Baptists participation in many national events in America history, including the conflict created by slavery.

Things I liked about this book The thoughtful, organized and engaging presentation of the information. I have a great sense of Baptist history, but also of my own.

Why you should read this book If you have ever wondered why there was a Baptist church on every other corner or about the people who choose to worship there, this is the read for you.

This book lived up to the back cover copy The four short reviews on the back cover create a formative backdrop for the what you will find between the covers.

[SarahO · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to think I'm fairly good at history but this was completely new stuff for me. As I've attended an SBC church for most of my life I thought it would be a good idea to know some of Baptist history; and there is a lot of it.
I found this book a bit confusing with all of the organizations, conventions, societies, etc. that had similar names but different focus'. I thought the ending really summed it up nicely when they concluded that Baptist's are only really distinct on three things: believers baptism, independent congregations, and being willing to call themselves Baptist. It made perfect sense as I've never been able to pin down what Baptist theology is.
Something else that I noticed is that from the beginning of the American Revolution the Baptist movement was very nationalistic. Sometimes I think that certain movements like Christian Nationalism are more recent events and then I read a history book and find out that it was around for a long time. It is a great reminder of the importance of history and remembering where we came from and how we may better proceed.
All in all I really enjoyed this book despite being confused multiple time. This was the first book I read in a search of a deeper understanding of the history of American Protestant denominations.

[S H A R O N · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating study on the history of the Baptist denomination in America. Written by two Baptists, the authors do a solid job of presenting a complex and sometimes scattered history of a denomination that prizes local church autonomy. True to its word, the book covers the history of the Baptists from the moment they stepped foot on the shores of the New World to the early 21st century culture wars and battles between moderate and conservative worldviews.

While I read this book for a class, I am glad I did so and would recommend it to all Baptists (one needs to know their denominational roots, yes?) and fans of church history. That said, while this book was published in 2015, it already would be well-served for an updated conclusion with a nod to how the Baptists (across the board - not just SBC) handled the continued cultural changes with Obergefell, #metoo and the recent ousting of a prominent conservative seminary president. Guess it just goes to show that history is always being written.

[Jonah Twiddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a full-blown Baptist, but my theology has been largely shaped by the denomination, and as a student at a Southern Baptist seminary I found this book to be remarkably helpful in shaping my understanding of Baptist history. Two takeaways stand out. First, there are a lot more skeletons in the Baptist closet than I think most Baptists want to admit. The shaping of what is now the largest Protestant denomination was not always pretty, and often was very ugly. Secondly, God worked despite of those evils to do great things for His kingdom. Baptists may not have always had it right (and that still rings true today), but through their perseverance and the work of the Spirit they have become bold fighters for the truth and a powerful force for world evangelism.

[Trent Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very good, both readable and informative. I read this because I wanted to learn more about my own church’s tradition. Baptists, from my experience, are often caricatured. In Baptists in America, Kidd and Hankins present a portrait of the Baptist tradition that is complex, contrary to the simplistic caricatures that are often tossed around.

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exellent.

[Clark McGehee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to my review of “The Baptist Story”, I’m not a historian nor do I like history. But this book provides meaningful insight into history on the Baptists, and I’ll say I did like it more than “The Baptist Story”! I found it to be more engaging.

[C L · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Baptists in America" is a chronological book about the history of the Baptist religion in America. I read this book in the summer of 2023, and rated it four out of five stars. I found the book very easy to follow and quite detailed in its account of the history of the largest Protestant denomination in America.

The authors do an excellent job beginning with the evolution of the Baptist faith in Europe before its arrival in America to the 21st century. The three main takeaways from this book are: the concept of cultural insiders versus cultural outsiders; the substantial diversity among Baptist churches and denominations; and the ongoing debate over the inerrancy of scripture, as well as the liberal versus conservative struggles within the Southern Baptist Convention.

The book effectively documents the evolution of Baptists from outsiders to political and cultural insiders within many American communities and regions. This is a fluid evolution, as Baptists have often oscillated between being cultural and political outsiders and insiders, depending on the era. Readers might be surprised to learn that Baptists and Congregationalists did not get along during colonial times. Baptists were among the leading advocates for the disestablishment of state churches in the colonies, freedom of religion, and public education. This changed dramatically in the latter half of the 20th century, with figures such as Billy Graham becoming close to presidents and other leaders and Baptists such as Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Karmala Harris, Trend Lott and Newt Gingrich serving prominent positions in the political arena. The 21st century has seen a return to some of the outsider status that Baptists have held for much of their history.

Another noteworthy aspect that emerges from the book is the vast diversity of Baptist churches, given their desire for independence and belief in being different from organized religion. These churches often excel at engaging the heart, whereas organized churches, such as the Congregationalist and Episcopalian, tend to focus on edifying the mind through their services and sermons. This heartfelt engagement gave Baptist churches more resilience, enabling them to adapt more easily and grow their numbers during the Second Great Awakening. This freedom has persisted well into the 20th and 21st centuries, with Baptist churches from the same denomination often adopting very different stances on cultural issues, such as abortion, civil rights, and school vouchers.

The final chapters concentrate on the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, and the ongoing liberal versus conservative disputes that have been taking place for nearly half a century. Here, the authors document a struggle that saw the mostly liberal seminaries being brought under the influence of the more conservative rank-and-file. The authors claim that the Southern Baptist Conventions had over 300 women pastors in the 1970s, and many of the people at the seminaries did not believe in the inerrancy of the scripture. This back-and-forth appears to have swung towards the conservative side in the 1980s and 1990s, with many conservative, leaders preferring to be seen as cultural outsiders fighting against a corrupt world.

The book concludes on a positive note, suggesting that the Baptists' love of local churches, freedom, focus on scripture, and diversity of congregations provide for a resilient movement that can adapt to varying cultures and continue to thrive, whether as insiders or outsiders.




Timeline
**Chapter 1: Colonial Outlaws**

The main character in this chapter is Roger Williams, a radical English Separatist who founded the first Baptist church in America. Williams was persecuted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his views on religious liberty, and he was eventually banished from the colony. He founded the colony of Rhode Island, which became a haven for religious freedom.

**Chapter 2: The Great Awakening**

The main character in this chapter is George Whitefield, an English preacher who was one of the leaders of the Great Awakening. Whitefield was a charismatic and eloquent preacher, and he attracted large crowds of people to his revival meetings. He helped to spread the Baptist message throughout the colonies, and he played a significant role in the growth of the denomination.

**Chapter 3: Baptists and the American Revolution**

The main characters in this chapter are John Leland and Isaac Backus, two Baptist ministers who were active in the American Revolution. Leland was a staunch supporter of disestablishment, and he helped to draft the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which guaranteed religious freedom. Backus was a leading figure in the fight for religious liberty in Massachusetts, and he helped to secure the passage of the Toleration Act of 1780, which granted religious freedom to all citizens of the state.

**Chapter 4: Baptists and Disestablishment**

The main character in this chapter is James Manning, the first president of Brown University. Manning was a strong supporter of disestablishment, and he helped to lead the campaign to disestablish the Congregational Church in Rhode Island. He also helped to found Brown University, which became one of the leading Baptist universities in the United States.

**Chapter 5: Baptists and the Great Revival**

The main character in this chapter is Charles Grandison Finney, a pastor and evangelist who was one of the leaders of the Second Great Awakening. Finney was a charismatic and persuasive preacher, and he helped to spread the Baptist message throughout the country. He also helped to found Oberlin College, which became one of the leading Baptist colleges in the United States.
:

**Chapter 6: Baptists and Slavery**

The main characters in this chapter are Lott Cary, a former slave who became a Baptist minister, and Henry Ward Beecher, a prominent abolitionist minister. Cary was a leading figure in the movement to abolish slavery among Baptists, and he helped to found the American Baptist Free Mission Society, which was dedicated to sending missionaries to Africa to preach against slavery. Beecher was a vocal opponent of slavery, and he used his pulpit to denounce the institution.

**Chapter 7: Slavery, Schism, and War**

The main characters in this chapter are James R. Graves, a Southern Baptist minister who supported slavery, and John A. Broadus, a Southern Baptist minister who opposed slavery. Graves was a leading figure in the pro-slavery movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he helped to lead the charge to secede from the convention in 1845. Broadus was a leading figure in the anti-slavery movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he helped to keep the convention together during the Civil War.

**Chapter 8: Black Baptists in Babylon**

The main characters in this chapter are Richard Allen, a former slave who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Nat Turner, a slave who led a slave rebellion in Virginia. Allen was a leading figure in the African American community, and he helped to found the AME Church, which became one of the largest African American denominations in the United States. Turner was a slave who led a slave rebellion in Virginia, which was brutally suppressed by the white authorities.

**Chapter 9: White Baptists and the American Mainstream**

The main characters in this chapter are William Carey, a Baptist missionary who was one of the founders of the modern missionary movement, and Billy Graham, a prominent evangelist who led the Southern Baptist Convention to national prominence in the 20th century. Carey was a leading figure in the Baptist missionary movement, and he helped to establish the Baptist Missionary Society, which sent missionaries to India and other parts of the world. Graham was a prominent evangelist who led the Southern Baptist Convention to national prominence in the 20th century. He held large-scale revival meetings around the world, and he helped to spread the Baptist message to millions of people.

**Chapter 10: Baptist Schism in the Early Twentieth Century**

The main characters in this chapter are J. Frank Norris, a fundamentalist Baptist minister who led a schism in the Southern Baptist Convention, and E. Y. Mullins, a moderate Baptist theologian who tried to keep the convention together. Norris was a leading figure in the fundamentalist movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he helped to lead the charge to create the Fundamentalist Baptist Convention in 1932. Mullins was a leading figure in the moderate movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he tried to keep the convention together during the fundamentalist-modernist controversy.

**Chapter 11: Insiders and Outsiders at Mid-Twentieth Century**

The main characters in this chapter are Carl F. H. Henry, a leading evangelical theologian, and W. A. Criswell, a prominent Southern Baptist pastor. Henry was a leading figure in the evangelical movement, and he helped to found Christianity Today magazine. Criswell was a prominent Southern Baptist pastor who was known for his fiery sermons and his conservative views.

Chapter 12: Baptists and the Civil Rights Movement

The main characters in this chapter are Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister who was a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and W. A. Criswell, a prominent Southern Baptist pastor who opposed the Civil Rights Movement. King was a Baptist minister who was a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He used his pulpit to preach about the need for racial equality, and he helped to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and other major protests. Criswell was a prominent Southern Baptist pastor who opposed the Civil Rights Movement. He preached against integration, and he called for the segregation of the races.

Chapter 13: Schism in Zion: The Southern Baptist Controversy

The main characters in this chapter are Paige Patterson, a conservative Southern Baptist leader, and Russell Moore, a moderate Southern Baptist leader. Patterson was a leading figure in the conservative movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he helped to lead the charge to pass the "Resolution on Biblical Inerrancy" in 2000. Moore was a leading figure in the moderate movement within the Southern Baptist Convention, and he helped to found the ERLC, which is a moderate think tank within the SBC.

Chapter 14: Conclusion

This chapter summarizes the main themes of the book, and it discusses the future of Baptists in America. The authors argue that Baptists have been a dynamic and diverse denomination, and they predict that they will continue to play an important role in American religious and cultural life.

Interesting concepts

Edify the mind v engage the heart
Baptist identity insiders versus outsiders
Sbc grand compromise
Inerrancy of scriptures
Moral majority v prophetic minority


Colonial Outlaws
2. The Great Awakening
3. Baptists and the American Revolution
4. Baptists and
Disestablishment
5. Baptists and the
Great Revival
6. Baptists and Slavery
7. Slavery, Schism, and War
8. Black Baptists in Babylon
9. White Baptists and the American Mainstream
10. Baptist Schism in the Early
Twentieth Century
11. Insiders and Outsiders at
Mid-Twentieth Century
12. Baptists and the Civil Rights Movement
13.Schism in Zion: The Southern Baptist Controversy
14. Conclusion

[Rick Shrader]

This is a 2015 book by two Baylor University history professors. It contains 13 chapters plus Preface and Conclusion, about 250 pages in all. The authors take you from the colonial days when the Baptists were basically “outlaws” to the culture and state laws, to the 21st century. Though I have read Baptist history many times, I learned a lot from this new book. The chapter on “Baptists and Disestablishment” was the best thing I have read on the Baptist struggle to eliminate the possibility of established (or “state”) churches and the public tax to support them. The Baptist influence on both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to separate the church and state in these matters was crucial. The authors did a thorough job of detailing the first Baptists in England and America and especially highlighting Roger Williams and John Clarke, as well as the critical role played by Rhode Island and Virginia. The book is especially weighted toward the history of Black Baptists and the Baptist attitude toward slavery and emancipation. This largely includes the Southern Baptist Convention and its attitudes during the Civil War era, and also the American Baptist Churches, USA which is the current form of the black National Baptist Convention USA Inc. There is a lot of water that has gone under the bridge, both good and bad, over the last 150 years in Baptist racial relations.
Kidd and Hankins conclude by trying to describe what being a Baptist means. They confess that Baptists have been all over the landscape in doctrine and practice and even on cultural issues. They conclude that being a Baptist has at least three features: 1) Immersion of adult converts; 2) independence of local churches; and 3) a willingness to call oneself a Baptist. Not that this is all, by any means, that Baptists have stood for, but the authors feel this separates them from other groups who hold many things in common with them. As a Baptist myself, I would like a little stronger conclusion, but the book is worth the time and money to read.

read more reviews on my website

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really easy read about the History of the Baptists in America. Most Baptists don’t know their own history, which is probably explained from reading this book. Fiercely independent, quick to split, sensitive to any sort of change, and other aspects of the Baptists really makes sense in Appalachia where it seems everyone is or was a Baptist at one point. Kidd and Hankins add their spin to things too, so watch for that, but by and large this one was very good.

[Nathan Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Love the writing of Thomas Kidd. Fascinating to read about the individuals who contributed, much through suffering, to the belief that baptism is for those who publicly profess Christ. Though the history of baptist thought and life is not without error, it's encouraging to be a part of the longstanding tradition of people who believe the gospel must be advanced.

[Jim Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, balanced, accessible. Very readable and fascinating history of Baptists in America, from marginalized and persecuted to a dominant cultural force and trending back again. Highly recommended reading!

[Landon Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't a deep dive into anything particular in Baptist history, but it is a great overview of Baptist history in the United States. The book does a nice job of balancing the big picture of certain time periods while also giving specific stories about specific people in specific places.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good play-by-play of American Baptists. Some interesting nooks and crannies of American Baptist history included like their early tendency toward prophecy:

"One rarely gets glimpses of the individual spirituality of these early American Baptists, but we do have an account of a remarkable experience by Philip James that may suggest that evangelical mysticism— including dreams, trances, and visions— was common among the Regular Baptists. Early Baptist historian Morgan Edwards noted that when one of James’s children died in 1753, the despondent pastor fell into a kind of coma. When he awoke, he told his family that during the trance my soul quitted my body [and] the resemblance of a man in black made towards me, and (frowning and chiding for wishing to die) took me up towards the sun, which filled me with fear. As I was ascending, a bright figure interposed and my black conductor was pushed off. The bright man took me by the hand and said, “we go this way,” pointing to the north. And as we ascended, I saw a company of angels and my child among them, (clothed in white and in the full stature of a man) sing with them as the company passed by us, whereupon my bright conductor said, “I am one of that company and must join them.” And as he quitted me I found myself sinking fast till I came to my body. Edwards’s admiring account of James’s experience hints that this kind of spirit journey was acceptable among many early American Baptists, just as it was among American evangelicals more broadly." (27-28).

Pretty interesting eh?

[Jeremy Cartwright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I currently attend a Baptist Church, althought I was not raised Baptist, and I am a graduate of Baylor University, where Thomas Kidd is a professor, and I have heard him speak on a few podcasts over the last few years. Because I love reading about history and because of my involvement with the Baptist Church, I was excited to read this book.

Overall this is a decent overview of the history of Baptists in America, but I think too much time was given to slavery and the civil rights movement. These are definately important and relevant to this topic, but the time alloted took up about half the book.

I think the authors attempted to remain neutral, but failed to do so in the topics they chose to discuss and the topics they chose to not discuss. I would have liked to have read a more neutral stance and for there to have been more content on Baptist history from 1980 to present day.

In conclusion, this is a good overview of Baptist history, but an off-balance history that is lacking.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kidd and Hankins bring their readers through a well-written and brief history of Baptists in America from the colonial era through modern times. This includes highlighting important individuals and the evolving beliefs and debates that have brouht Baptists together and caused no shortage of schisms. This is most clearly evident as the book moves to more moderns times when the sect seems to have representatives that have what can be considered either conservative or liberal views on a number of major social issues.

I really thought this book helped me have a better understanding of why Baptists really are both one people with shared believes and a variety of different sub-sects with very different believes. I found the narrative to be interesting reading.

[Barksdale Penick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this history of the Baptists in America, and learned much. I didn't realize, for example, that the Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists grew together in the American westward expansion, with the Baptists outpacing the others in terms of growth. Phenomenal growth in several periods.

Seemingly minor doctrinal points have caused endless controvery, for example the Landmarkist movement of the end of the 19th century (I think) that pitted a debate between those who believed that the Baptist church traced its roots to the earliest days of the Christian church, with more "liberal" points noting that infant baptism was widely practiced throughout the church and that it is difficult to trace a clear path back to a doctrine that only those who are reborn can truly be baptized. And then there is "utter depravity" a phrase tossed casually into a discussion of theological beliefs. I had no idea what it meant, but apparently it refers to a Protestant term for original sin. Some folks I have talked to know the term!

The book contains summaries of the civil rights movement from within the Baptist church, and a broader view race relations in America. A good overall summary of the history of this church that defies precise definition, but is uniquely American.

[Mark Bunch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fact filled book on a subject I should have studied long ago. This book gives the reader the history of the Baptist region in America. I enjoyed it and would refer this text to anyone interested in learning more. See how Rhode Island had the first Baptist church in the USA. How the schools of Brown University, Furman, Wake Forest and Baylor all played a role. Well worth the time and effort. Like the Bible is it filled with info - so read once or twice if needed. So much data it would be hard to remember all the facts. Written by Baylor University staff for the curriculum I assume.

[Michael Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by two historians committed both to fact and the Baptist faith, this book is as thorough and balanced a history as one could wish. I did skim a bit, because the book does go into great detail, but it is readable and never too dry. The sections on the Revolution, Civil Rights, and Fundamentalism were especially interesting. My main takeaway is the remarkable diversity of the Baptist Congregation, which makes the plausible claim that they are the most diverse sect in America. I learned a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject.

[Cody Straley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book presented a fairly objective, non-whitewashed history of Baptists. It doesn’t shy away from the historical associations with slavery and segregation, or the conservative takeover of the SBC in the late twentieth century. At times it does go a bit too in-depth into the various organizational splits over the years. So many associations/organizations are named that it is very difficult to keep track.

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised at the neutrality of this book and the attention it gave to Black Baptist history. Since Baptists are so numerous in the United States and are also so enmeshed with the political machine, this book is good reading for anyone wanting to learn more about how we Baptists got where we are.

- signed, a theologically moderate ordained white lady Baptist who studied under people who studied under people mentioned in this book