More Than Just a Name: Preserving Our Baptist Identity

by Stan Norman

This book critically analyzes writings on Baptist distinctives. It argues that these writings constitute a specific theological a confessional theology. Stan Norman shows that there is a continuous body of theological components common to all Baptists.

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2001

Reviews

[Marc Minter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well-written, wonderfully organized, and easy to understand. For those interested in taking a further step toward better understanding distinctive Baptist doctrines and how Baptists have articulated and argued for them, this book will certainly be a helpful resource. It does deal with some theoretical issues, but this is necessary in order to provide the category distinctions and structure that Norman does here. As a summary of Baptist distinctives from the early twentieth century forward, this book is one of a kind (as far as I know).

Click here for my full review: https://marcminter.com/2024/05/20/boo...

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author contrasts the reformation tradition and the enlightenment tradition within Baptist circles and along the way provides a nice summary of what makes Baptists distinctive.

[David Rathel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic work on the theological distinctives of Baptists (e.g., regenerate membership, congregational polity, believer's baptism, free church in free state, etc.).

In this book, Norman traces out the development of key Baptist distinctives within the two theological traditions he believes to be historically present in Baptist life. He entitles the first theological tradition the reformed tradition. This tradition emphasizes Scripture's authority and sufficiency. Norman entitles the second tradition the Enlightenment tradition. This tradition, emerging primarily from E.Y. Mullins, emphasizes Christian experience and is more existential in nature.

Norman demonstrates that the theological distinctives held by Baptists are clearly present in both theological traditions, though some diversity between the two camps obviously does exist. Good book!