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Baptists and the Christian Tradition: Toward an Evangelical Baptist Catholicity
In Baptists and the Christian Tradition, editors Matthew Emerson, Christopher Morgan and Lucas Stamps compile a series of essays advocating "Baptist catholicity." This approach presupposes a critical, but charitable, engagement with the whole church, both past and present, along with the desire to move beyond the false polarities of an Enlightenment-based individualism on the one hand and a pastiche of postmodern relativism on the other.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2020
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221 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Y. Emerson
10 books20 followersMatthew Y. Emerson (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of religion at Oklahoma Baptist University. He is the author of The Story of Scripture: An Introduction to Biblical Theology, Between the Cross and the Throne: The Book of Revelation, and Christ and the New Creation: A Canonical Approach to the Theology of the New Testament.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 21, 2025
Finally got around to reading this. Seemed like a good time do revisit it. There are some outstanding chapters in here.
July 5, 2020
This volume will be a resource pastors should consult often especially if one is a Baptist minister. Emerson, Morgan, and Stamps do a fine job of pulling together different contributors to tackle various subjects from a Baptist perspective within the Christian Tradition.
The chapters dealing with Sola Scriptura, the Trinity, Christology, Interpretation, the Sacraments, and Baptist contributions to the Christian Tradition were the strongest and enough of a reason to purchase the book. I’m really grateful for those chapters because of the way they drew from Baptist tradition via individuals and documents. This book introduces a lot of Baptist treasures that many are not aware of.
The reason I gave a 4 star review is because several chapters seem to diverge away from the aim in exploring Baptist heritage and how it relates to the Christian tradition. While I do understand the aim of the book being more bent towards the SBC, I think it would have been made stronger had contributions been provided from more confessional Particular Baptists in the 2LBCF stream and General Baptists in the Reformed Arminian stream.
Overall, I highly recommend you pick this up and read it carefully!
The chapters dealing with Sola Scriptura, the Trinity, Christology, Interpretation, the Sacraments, and Baptist contributions to the Christian Tradition were the strongest and enough of a reason to purchase the book. I’m really grateful for those chapters because of the way they drew from Baptist tradition via individuals and documents. This book introduces a lot of Baptist treasures that many are not aware of.
The reason I gave a 4 star review is because several chapters seem to diverge away from the aim in exploring Baptist heritage and how it relates to the Christian tradition. While I do understand the aim of the book being more bent towards the SBC, I think it would have been made stronger had contributions been provided from more confessional Particular Baptists in the 2LBCF stream and General Baptists in the Reformed Arminian stream.
Overall, I highly recommend you pick this up and read it carefully!
January 7, 2024
An excellent collection of essays that can help a committed Baptist see why the entirety of the Christian tradition is needed, and how early Baptists saw themselves as a part of it rather than entirely separate from it.
This is the kind of thinking we need more of in the Baptist movement. I think being “Great commission” minded will have to involve thinking along the lines of Baptist Catholicity. Being Great Commission baptists means it will take more than Baptists to get the gospel to the nations. It will take the “whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world,” as John Stott said.
This is the kind of thinking we need more of in the Baptist movement. I think being “Great commission” minded will have to involve thinking along the lines of Baptist Catholicity. Being Great Commission baptists means it will take more than Baptists to get the gospel to the nations. It will take the “whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world,” as John Stott said.
July 11, 2020
Too often baptists are not taken seriously by other ecclesial traditions and are looked down on for their “low church” distinctive. This book offers essays which help one see the Baptist tradition as equally valid and aimed at the continuing renewal of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic church. Along the way, it offers helpful correctives and addresses needs of renewal within the movement today.
October 15, 2025
A really solid entry in the conversation around catholicity and various protestant denominations.
I enjoyed getting a variety of perspectives making the argument that Baptist tradition (in it's variety) stands well within the Great Tradition.
This book was beneficial in that it acted like a primer on Baptist Church history, historical theology, and made me much more aware of Baptist tradition. These were my favorite elements of the book.
One issue in the book is that it became, at times, a bit repetitive in approach and feel. The same formula was adopted with slight variety in particular focus. This might be a necessary element in this kind of book. So, not a huge fault but one that made it less engaging to read.
Overall, I am thankful I read it. It was a great primer on Baptist history and theology -- as well as a clear defense as to why Baptist should understand themselves within the Great Tradition of the Church. The implication then being -- Baptists should engage the Great Tradition for the sake of further reform and growth.
I enjoyed getting a variety of perspectives making the argument that Baptist tradition (in it's variety) stands well within the Great Tradition.
This book was beneficial in that it acted like a primer on Baptist Church history, historical theology, and made me much more aware of Baptist tradition. These were my favorite elements of the book.
One issue in the book is that it became, at times, a bit repetitive in approach and feel. The same formula was adopted with slight variety in particular focus. This might be a necessary element in this kind of book. So, not a huge fault but one that made it less engaging to read.
Overall, I am thankful I read it. It was a great primer on Baptist history and theology -- as well as a clear defense as to why Baptist should understand themselves within the Great Tradition of the Church. The implication then being -- Baptists should engage the Great Tradition for the sake of further reform and growth.
August 2, 2020
Excellent from beginning to end. This multi-authored volume builds a house upon the stable foundation layed at The Center for Baptist Renewal (http://www.centerforbaptistrenewal.com/). Rather than a isolationist Baptist vision these contributors "affirm the distinctive contributions of the Baptist tradition as a renewal movement within the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church."
Each contribution is well worth your time and money. The chapters by Putman, Stamps, Bruce, Whitfield, and Dockery were especially helpful to me.
Each contribution is well worth your time and money. The chapters by Putman, Stamps, Bruce, Whitfield, and Dockery were especially helpful to me.
March 18, 2025
Great book going into the details of Baptists beliefs and rootedness in the Christian tradition. One of the primary themes throughout the book is unity, unity not in a particular Baptist distinctive but unity in Christ. This is the opening article and the rest build upon this theme of unity.
This book serves both as a challenge and encourage to Baptists. It highlights the weaknesses inherit within the Baptist movement when taken to extremes as well as highlighting strengths. The approach throughout of this is balanced.
A particular Baptist weakness pulled out is the tendency for elitism/isolation which is a continual struggle throughout each topic stemming from tradition, to Christology, to racism within the SBC. Baptists are not immune from sin or error nor do they have a monopoly on the right doctrine and interpretation of the scriptures. However looking to the church at large, both now and for all of time past is a helpful counter to this tendency, a counter many of the authors share in this book. Ultimately the solution to this weakness is a prioritization of the first order tenets of the Christian faith, and thus unity is possible because all believers are united in Christ.
This unity in Christ and around first order beliefs is one of the driving messages and strengths of this book. It helps to shed light onto the fact that God is at work in His people in a variety of ways and in different denominations. Baptists can be at their best when they take this posture of humility while also staying rooted to first order beliefs. This doesn’t mean abandoning key Baptists tenets, it means realizing that these tenets are not what unites believers as a people. That source of unity is Christ.
This book is a helpful resource for Baptists seeking to learn more about their heritage. It is also a great resource for those outside the Baptists tradition who desire to know more. It is a resource for all believers in that it stresses unity all throughout, a doctrine that brings much hope in our culture full of divisions.
This book serves both as a challenge and encourage to Baptists. It highlights the weaknesses inherit within the Baptist movement when taken to extremes as well as highlighting strengths. The approach throughout of this is balanced.
A particular Baptist weakness pulled out is the tendency for elitism/isolation which is a continual struggle throughout each topic stemming from tradition, to Christology, to racism within the SBC. Baptists are not immune from sin or error nor do they have a monopoly on the right doctrine and interpretation of the scriptures. However looking to the church at large, both now and for all of time past is a helpful counter to this tendency, a counter many of the authors share in this book. Ultimately the solution to this weakness is a prioritization of the first order tenets of the Christian faith, and thus unity is possible because all believers are united in Christ.
This unity in Christ and around first order beliefs is one of the driving messages and strengths of this book. It helps to shed light onto the fact that God is at work in His people in a variety of ways and in different denominations. Baptists can be at their best when they take this posture of humility while also staying rooted to first order beliefs. This doesn’t mean abandoning key Baptists tenets, it means realizing that these tenets are not what unites believers as a people. That source of unity is Christ.
This book is a helpful resource for Baptists seeking to learn more about their heritage. It is also a great resource for those outside the Baptists tradition who desire to know more. It is a resource for all believers in that it stresses unity all throughout, a doctrine that brings much hope in our culture full of divisions.
August 28, 2023
This book is an interesting collection of essays on what it might mean for Baptists to work toward a more catholic understanding of faith and practice. Because it is a compilation that uses multiple authors, there is some diversity in opinions on how that goal might be accomplished. Some of the chapters do feel somewhat redundant and overstated as they use the same limited proofs multiple times to insist that Baptists have "always" had more of a catholic identity than is often acknowledged. Though it was encouraging to read about a previously understated catholic identity, some of the middle chapters could have used more breadth in evidential support for the claims they were making. That said, the authors also acknowledge a historic failing of Baptists to engage with the Christian traditions, thus seeking an even-handed assessment.
This is still a well-made resource, with a nice variety of contributors as well. The essays that focused on the sacraments, the history of SBC, and racial reconciliation I thought were particularly well-done. Much credit ought to be given to these authors for positively engaging with the broader Christian tradition and Baptist heritage.
This is still a well-made resource, with a nice variety of contributors as well. The essays that focused on the sacraments, the history of SBC, and racial reconciliation I thought were particularly well-done. Much credit ought to be given to these authors for positively engaging with the broader Christian tradition and Baptist heritage.
July 13, 2025
This book has a lot of great insight of how Baptists like myself engage with the greater Christian tradition.
My favorite chapter would be Baptists, The Christian Tradition, and The Lords Supper. Further emphasizing how communion is more than just a symbol.
It IS a symbol, but not just a symbol. Michael Haykin does a great job at explaining how the Supper is an ordinance but also a sacrament with sacramental efficacy (They do something!) that as food nourishes a hungry stomach, the gospel presented in the bread and the cup, is nourishing to our souls and that Christ is present in the Supper to the believer by Faith. Truly bringing out the historic Baptist position that even Charles Spurgeon believed about the Supper.
Baptists do all the core things right but man in baptism and The Lords Supper, we need to reform our thinking on the sacraments and retrieve our own Baptist Heritage and greater heritage within all of Christendom from which much of modern evangelicalism has fallen away from.
My favorite chapter would be Baptists, The Christian Tradition, and The Lords Supper. Further emphasizing how communion is more than just a symbol.
It IS a symbol, but not just a symbol. Michael Haykin does a great job at explaining how the Supper is an ordinance but also a sacrament with sacramental efficacy (They do something!) that as food nourishes a hungry stomach, the gospel presented in the bread and the cup, is nourishing to our souls and that Christ is present in the Supper to the believer by Faith. Truly bringing out the historic Baptist position that even Charles Spurgeon believed about the Supper.
Baptists do all the core things right but man in baptism and The Lords Supper, we need to reform our thinking on the sacraments and retrieve our own Baptist Heritage and greater heritage within all of Christendom from which much of modern evangelicalism has fallen away from.
December 28, 2021
A great book written by great authors of the great Baptist tradition today. Although, written indvidually by authors, each chapter seems building from the previous ones. The editors were able to weave all the chapters into a single thesis—Bapto-catholicity.
A must read for every Baptist pastor. You can observe the unique style of each author. Like, Haykin’s historian-ic style.
All the best to the contributors. Others have reservation from minor doctrinal differences, very honest, and open. Such amazing scholars.
A must read for every Baptist pastor. You can observe the unique style of each author. Like, Haykin’s historian-ic style.
All the best to the contributors. Others have reservation from minor doctrinal differences, very honest, and open. Such amazing scholars.
September 6, 2023
This collection of essays serves as a starting point to give direction to Baptist pastors and scholars as they journey toward embracing the influence of the Christian tradition while maintaining their commitment to Baptist and evangelical commitments.
Some of the essays were stronger than others. In my view the most important and helpful essays were the essays on Unity, Sola Scriptura, Trinitarianism, Christology, Hermeneutics, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, and Baptist Contributions to the Christian Tradition.
Some of the essays were stronger than others. In my view the most important and helpful essays were the essays on Unity, Sola Scriptura, Trinitarianism, Christology, Hermeneutics, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, and Baptist Contributions to the Christian Tradition.
July 11, 2020
A word of encouragement for Christian catholicity in an often divided age. Baptist’s find themselves with a rich, but difficult history. To deal with the institutional, theological, and personal biases which hurt baptist conviction and identity, we must devote ourselves again to be unified in Christ! Chapter on racial tensions in baptist history was extremely helpful in moving forward in addressing and pursuing racial reconciliation.
October 11, 2022
If you hold to any Baptist distinctive you should read this book. If you don’t know what Baptist distinctives are then you would also enjoy this book. Very informative and easy to follow since each chapter is basically a standalone essay.
April 25, 2025
There a many good chapters in this book that will be helpful to the reader. I would definitely recommend the book, and particularly the essays of Luke Stamps, Patrick Schreiner, and Matthew Emerson. Over this is an important book, in an important discussion.
February 12, 2024
Legal a ideia de se buscar na tradição uma identidade e a análise da prática atual. Muito importante. Mas, acredito que essa análise vai acabar levando invariavelmente a uma conclusão contrário à teologia dos autores.
Por exemplo, no capítulo sobre batismo, o autor consegue provar que as confissões batistas são ortodoxas e católicas em tudo (foi bem interessante conhecer a visão sacramental batista, tanto em relação ao batismo quanto a Ceia), exceto no que mais importa para o batista (o credobatismo). Não há nenhuma análise histórica de evidências (que não existem) do credobatismo antes do século 4. De fato, o autor parece concordar que o pedobatismo foi a regra.
Dessa forma, mesmo querendo se distanciar do biblicismo, os autores acabam sendo bibiclistas, pois vão contra a tradição universal da igreja. O capítulo sobre "batistas e a tradição" (não lembro se é exatamente esse o nome) é meio confuso, por que provar que o biblicismo está arraigado a identidade batista (o próprio autor concorda com um tipo de biblicismo - não o ingênuo -, mas que em última consequências não tem diferença nenhuma ao biblicismo ingênuo)
Por exemplo, no capítulo sobre batismo, o autor consegue provar que as confissões batistas são ortodoxas e católicas em tudo (foi bem interessante conhecer a visão sacramental batista, tanto em relação ao batismo quanto a Ceia), exceto no que mais importa para o batista (o credobatismo). Não há nenhuma análise histórica de evidências (que não existem) do credobatismo antes do século 4. De fato, o autor parece concordar que o pedobatismo foi a regra.
Dessa forma, mesmo querendo se distanciar do biblicismo, os autores acabam sendo bibiclistas, pois vão contra a tradição universal da igreja. O capítulo sobre "batistas e a tradição" (não lembro se é exatamente esse o nome) é meio confuso, por que provar que o biblicismo está arraigado a identidade batista (o próprio autor concorda com um tipo de biblicismo - não o ingênuo -, mas que em última consequências não tem diferença nenhuma ao biblicismo ingênuo)
August 1, 2023
Very nice
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews