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Clint Bass on the (General) Baptist theology of Thomas Grantham

The latest book in the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage Studies is Clint Bass' Thomas Grantham (1633-1692) and General Baptist Theology, which is a published version of his DPhil completed at Oxford under John Briggs. It can ordered via the Regent's Park College website).

The book tells the life of Thomas Grantham in its first chapter, followed by an account of Grantham’s ecclesiology in its second chapter. Chapter three deals with Thomas Grantham’s view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Chapter four explains the controversy over the laying of the hands, a divisive practice among Baptists of the period. Chapter five covers Grantham’s understanding of salvation. Lastly, chapter six focuses on Grantham’s role in opposition to the Christological deficiency adopted by a small party of his churchmen. In writing the book Dr. Bass addresses some of the misconceptions about the General Baptists, namely when and to what extent they became heterodox in their Christology. He also critiques what some recent authors have said about early Baptist views of the ordinances. “There is a trend to attribute to Grantham a higher sacramentalism than what he actually held in baptism and the Lord’s Supper,” Bass said. The book focuses on Thomas Grantham’s life and thought; however, by interacting with the wider context, Bass also explains how the General Baptists are to be understood in relation to the religious milieu of Restoration England.

This is a welcome contribution to Baptist theology and history. A number of monographs have appeared and appearing on key Baptist theologians from the 17th-19th centuries - Dan Taylor, Charles Spurgeon, John Rippon, Marianne Farningham, Anne Steele, Andrew Fuller, Benjamin Keach, Hanserd Knollys (thanks to Paternoster Studies in Baptist History and Thought series and Regent's Park College Centre for Baptist History and Heritage Studies). Jonathan Arnold's doctoral study on Benjamin Keach (completed at Oxford also under John Briggs) will also being published soon.

Where To Study Theology in the UK? A Suggested List

If I was looking to study theology at undergraduate or graduate level, based on staff line-ups.

1. St. Andrews - N. T. Wright, John Webster*, Alan Torrance, Stephen Holmes, Ivor Davidson, Grant Macaskill, John Perry*, James Davila, Trevor Hart, David Brown (Strengths - Doctrine and New Testament)

2. Durham - John Barclay, Lewis Ayres, Francis Watson, Karen Kilby*, Mike Higton*, Anna Rowlands*, Matthew Guest, Walter Moberly, Mark McIntosh, Paul Murray, Gerald Loughlin (Strengths - New Testament and Catholic Theology)

3. Aberdeen - Bernd Wannenwetsch, John Swinton, Brian Brock, Paul Nimmo*, Tom Greggs, Christopher Brittain, Philip Ziegler (Strengths - Practical Theology and Ethics)

4. Cambridge - David Ford, Sarah Coakley, Janet Martin Soskice, Simon Gathercole, Nathan MacDonald, Katherine Dell, Eamon Duffy, Anna Williams, Judith Lieu (Strengths - Doctrine and Philosophical Theology / InterFaith)

5. Edinburgh - David Fergusson, Paul Nimmo, Michael Northcott, Brian Stanley, David Grumett (In the Emeritus category they have Duncan Forrestor, Larry Hurtado, and now Oliver O'Donovan) (Strengths - Doctrine and Ethics)

6. Oxford - Nigel Biggar, Paul Fiddes, Graham Ward, Markus Bockmuhel, Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christopher Rowland, John Barton, Christopher Hays, Martyn Percy, George Pattison, Sarah Foot (Strengths Doctrine, Ethics and Old and New Testament)

7. King's College London - Ben Quash, Oliver Davies, Edward Adams, Alister McGrath, Pete Ward, Paul Janz, Dominic Erdozain, Susannah Ticciati, Paul Joyce (Strengths - Practical Theology and Doctrine)

8. Nottingham - John Milbank, Connor Cunningham, Simon Oliver, Richard Bell, Philip Goodchild (Strengths - Home of Radical Orthodoxy)

9. Exeter - Timothy Gorringe, David Horrell, Esther Reed, Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Morwenna Ludlow, Christopher Southgate

10. Chester - David Clough, Chris Baker, Ben Fulford, Elaine Graham, Willam Kay, Hannah Bacon, Wayne Morris, Steve Knowles (Strengths - Practical Theology)

* new appointment this summer

Where some theology and biblical studies departments have been under threat in recent years (Sheffield, Gloucester), both St. Andrews and Durham are currently expanding their departments. 

Dancing Scarecrow

In recent times I don't of many collections of prayers and liturgies from Baptists. The only book I know is the wonderful Prayers of the People (eds. Simon Woodman and Karen Smith), which is probably the bestseller in terms of the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage Studies (it's only £10!). So the website that is Dancing Scarecrow is a gift. A growing collection of earthy liturgies of all types for those planning and leading worship. It is run by Baptist ministers Tim Presswood and Clare McBeath (Clare is about to become Co-Principal of Northern Baptist College), based in East Manchester. They published a book Crumbs of Hope in 2006, but more recently are uploading their many many bits for free on their website Dancing Scarecrow. 

The latest bit of news is they are now beginning to take submissions from others and so you can now find a set of dramatic-style readings I've written (many with my friend Miriam).

British Baptist Theologians 20: Keith G. Jones

BA (Manchester) - Northern Baptist College
MA in Peace Studies - Bradford (1980)
PhD - (University of Wales) - IBTS (2007)

1980-1990 General Secretary, Yorkshire Baptist Association
1990-1998 Deputy General Secretary, Baptist Union
1998-2013 Rector, International Baptist Theological Seminary

Publications

‘Have Baptists got Faith in the City?’, Baptist Quarterly 33.1 (January 1989)

‘The Authority of a Trust Deed: A Yorkshire Perspective’, Baptist Quarterly 33.3 (July 1989), 103-18

A Believing Church: Learning from some Contemporary Anabaptist and Baptist Perspectives (Baptist Union, 1998)

A Shared Meal and a Common Table: Some reflections on the Lord’s Supper and Baptists (Whitley, 1999)

'The International Baptist Theology Seminary of the European Baptist Federation', American Baptist Quarterly 38.2 (1999)

‘Rethinking Baptist Ecclesiology’, Journal of European Baptist Studies 1.1 (September 2000)

‘Developing the concept of an eco-seminary’, Journal of European Baptist Studies 2.2 (January 2002)

‘The Labyrinth of the World and and the Paradise of the Heart: insights on European Baptist spirituality’ Baptist Quarterly 40.4 (October 2003)

‘Towards a Model of Mission for Gathering, Intentional, Convictional Koinoina’, Journal of European Baptist Studies 4.2 (2004)

'Abandoning Public Worship' in Keith Jones and Parush Parushev (eds.), Currents in Baptistic Theology of Worship Today (IBTS, 2007)

‘The Baptist World Alliance and Baptist Identity: a reflection on the Journey to the Centenary Congress Message, 2005’, Journal of European Baptist Studies 8.2 (January 2008)

‘Baptists and Creation Care’, Baptist Quarterly 42.7 (July 2008), pp.452-476

(ed.) with Ian Randall, Counter-Cultural Communities: Baptistic Life in Twentieth-Century Europe (Studies in Baptist History and Thought Vol. 32; Paternoster, 2008)

The European Baptist Federation: A Case Study in European Baptist Interdependency 1950-2006 (Studies in Baptist History and Thought Vol. 43; Paternoster, 2009)

'Baptists and Anabaptists Revisited' in Anthony R. Cross and Nicholas Wood (eds.), Exploring Baptist Origins (Centre for Baptist History and Heritage Studies Vol.1; Regent's Park College, 2010)

'Gathering Worship: Some Tentative Proposals for Reshaping Worship in our European Baptistic Churches Today', Journal of European Baptist Studies 13.1 (September 2012)

'Spirituality and Structures', Journal of European Baptist Studies 13.2 (January 2013)

Keith Jones receives Festschrift on Retirement

A generation of Baptist theologians and teachers have recently or soon to be retiring - Nigel Wright, Ian Randall, John Weaver, Roy Kearsley, Anne Phillips, Richard Kidd and Ernest Lucas. The latest is Keith Jones from his position of Rector of the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague (moving to Amsterdam soon). With retirements several have been honoured with collections of essays (or in John Weaver's case, a collection of prayers) in their honour.

Keith Jones has been honoured in this way in the last few days with a special edition of the Baptistic Theologies journal. A great collection of essays from colleagues and friends, including Ian Randall, Ruth Gouldbourne, Tony Peck, Parush Parushev and John Briggs. You can get a copy of the journal for £9 if you contact IBTS.

Chris Russell's Questions for Worship Leaders

Chris Russell's book Ten Letters (DLT, 2012) is a great read and a good book. I especially love his set of questions for worship leaders (with records deals):

Do you have to have your picture on so many things?

Why do you shoot a video of your song? And when you do are you acting or worshipping?

Could you stop doing album/DVD/book tie ins? Because isn't it just about making more money ...

Could you stop launching albums at big Christian festivals which up your sales (our keep teenagers keep falling for it)?

Could we re-think worship tours? Is it right to charge people to come to praise God? What of those who can't afford the entrance fee? Are they not welcome to come and worship God?

How do you decide what to do with the money you make from drawing people close to God?

How about giving your music away for free?

How about turning the big lights off on the stages, or at least the cameras?

Next time they want to include one of your songs in the best worship album ever, could you say no and point them towards the psalms?

You don't really think putting the word 'justice' in a song makes it holistic, do you?

How about some songs of lament?

If you met Jesus of Nazareth at one of the big music festivals what do you think he would think of the worship?

Could you listen to some of the aspirations of teenage Christians who want to be famous worship leaders?

How do you think this culture has arisen?

Baptists, Fresh Expressions and Mission

Following the announcement that the Salvation Army are becoming partners in Fresh Expressions, there was a discussion on facebook last week about why Baptists haven't also joined and should they do so. There is a lot of hope set in Fresh Expressions and it has certainly energised the Church of England and also blessed the wider church with things like Messy Church. However, I'm not overly concerned that the Baptists are not partners too. I still believe at least some of Fresh Expressions has been about the Church of England becoming more baptistic in their ecclesiology. I'm not, in saying this, suggesting that Baptists are more missional, better at mission, or doing more of it. I believe there is a lot we can learn from Fresh Expressions and the internal conversation taking place among Anglicans is one worth listening to. There are a growing number of publications, both postive and critical. (For example, on the positive side the Ancient Faith Future Mission series published by Canterbury Press, and on the more critical, the Martyn Percy and Louise Nelstrop (ed.) Evaluating Fresh Expressions and Andrew Davidson and Alison Milbank's For the Parish.)

Regardless of our involvement in Fresh Expressions, there are a number of Baptists doing imaginative and creative mission/church. For example, we could list stories of Church from Scratch (Southend), the Kahaila cafe (East End, London), the Ark-T centre (Cowley, Oxford), Revive (Leeds), the Stowe (Swindon), Hope (Newton Abbot, Devon), RE:NEW (Lode, Cambridgeshire), Jacob's Well (Yate, Bristol) and Chelmsley Wood (Birmingham). These are just a few I'm aware of.

On a wider scale Baptists have been involved in founding various more national-scale missional bodies - Urban Expression, Oasis Trust, the Light project, Northumbria Community, the Cafe Church Network, CVM, and the Incarnate Network.

There are many of us, who find themselves in churches with longer histories, with church buildings, but with a commitment to connect church and community, mission and discipleship, social action and Christian faith. 

(Side note :- Roger Standing (new Principal of Spurgeon's College post-summer) has written a new book As A Fire By Burning: Mission as the Life of the Local Congregation (SCM, 2013). I say written, half the book is a collection of stories from different authors describing mission in different contexts. What is great to see is that out of the sixteen, that eight are written by Baptists (including Juliet Kilpin, Simon Jones, Cid Latty, David Kerrigan). Perhaps this is not surprising as Roger is a Baptist, but in the plethora of books by Anglicans and Methodists on mission, it is good to see a Baptist contribution into the mix. The book is best described as a textbook or introduction to issues of mission in the local church. It doesn't do anything novel, but does draw together and summarize the conversation with regard to mission and worship, culture, disciple-making, evangelism, leadership, etc.)

Regent's Reviews, May 2013

The latest Regent's Reviews is now available.

Reviews inside include:

Out of Babylon by Walter Brueggemann

The Message of Women by Derek and Dianne Tidball

Ethics of Hope by Jurgen Moltmann

Faith in the Public Square by Rowan Williams

Perspectives on Eccleisology and Ethnography edited by Pete Ward

plus lots more, including books on Moltmann, Bonohoeffer, black theology, the doctrine of the Trinity, preaching, religion and the news, mission, ecclesiology, ministry and a review of my little book on the child in the Baptist thought.

Enjoy!

Past issues can be accessed here.

 

Towards a Baptist Sanctoral?

The latest edition of the Journal of European Baptist Studies 13.3 (May 2013) has a short article by me that explores the possibility of creating a Baptist list of saints (a sanctoral). The article arose out of a blog conversations (also here, here and here) back in August 2011. Here's the opening paragraph:

Baptists generally do not have much time for saints. Baptists have never produced a sanctoral cycle (a listing of feast days for the commemoration of saints), although some ecclesial traditions do acknowledge some Baptists within their sanctoral. We are not likely to find Baptist churches observing many feasts outside of Christmas and Easter and possibly Pentecost. Many Baptists would look on the practice of naming and remembering saints with suspicion - it's not part of our tradition. This is partly for the good and right reason that, following the New Testament, all Christians are 'saints'. Therefore, it may be considered strange that a number of recent Baptist theologians have begun to argue in positive ways for Baptists to give some attention to those in our story we might term saints, although with certain qualifications. This partly emerges from a wider interest in rooting Baptist life and thought in a more catholic direction. This short essay is a study of recent Baptist engagements with the communion of saints and an initial attempt to develop the basis of a Baptist approach to remembering and celebrating their saints.

It may be of interest to know that Paul Fiddes, Brian Haymes and Richard Kidd have written a book on Baptists and the communion of saints that should be available within the next twelve months from Baylor University Press. (I've not read it or seen it, just know of it from Paul Fiddes).

British Baptist Biblical Scholars (5) Simon Woodman

MLitt (Bristol), PhD (University of Cardiff)

Tutor in Biblical Studies, South Wales Baptist College (2004-2012)
Minister, Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London (2012-)

Publications

'A Biblical Basis for Affirming Women in Ministry', Baptist Minister's Journal 296 & 297 (2006-2007)

The Book of Revelation. SCM Core Text (SCM, 2007)

'The Plain and Literal Meaning of the Text: A Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist Perspective on Revelation 20.1-7' in William John Lyons and Jorunn Okland (eds.), The Way the World Ends? The Apocalypse of John in Culture and Ideology (Sheffield Phoenix, 2009)

'"An alien in the land": A summary of Singing the Ethos of God by Brian Brock', European Journal of Theology 18.2 (2009)

'Can the Book of Revelation be a Gospel for the Environment?' in Matthew J. M. Coomber (eds.) Bible and Justice: Ancient Texts, Modern Challenges (Equinox, 2011)

'Turn or Burn!: A Nonviolent Reading of Fire and Burning in the Book of Revelation' in Anthony R. Cross and Ruth Gouldbourne (eds.), Questions of Identity: Essays in Honour of Brian Haymes (Regent's Park College, 2011)  

'Stoned in the Pulpit: The Controversial Preaching of Hanserd Knollys' in William John Lyons and Isabella Sandwell (eds.), Delivering the Word: Preaching and Exegesis in the Western Christian Tradition (Equinox, 2011)

(ed.) with Karen E. Smith, Prayers of the People (Regent's Park College, 2011)

(ed.) with Helen Dare, 'The 'Plainly Revealed' Word of God? Baptist Hermeneutics in Theory and Practice (Mercer, 2011)

'The Dissenting Voice: Journeying together towards a Baptist hermeneutic' in S. Woodman and H. Dare (eds), 'The 'Plainly Revealed' Word of God? Baptist Hermeneutics in Theory and Practice (Mercer, 2011)

The Story of Women In Ministry in the Baptist Union of Great Britain (Baptist Union, 2011)

'The Evolving Agenda of Biblical Studies?' in Stephen Finamore and John Weaver (eds.), Wisdom, Science and the Scriptures: Essays in Honour of Ernest Lucas (Centre for Baptist History and Heritage and Bristol Baptist College, 2012)