10 Books By Baptists Every Baptist Minister Should Read

For the Baptists out there, (or if you're an Anglican or Roman Catholic or something else, write your own list) if you had to choose ten books written by Baptists every Baptist minister (ordained or in training) should read. What would they be? Here's my ten. I've tried to give ten books that cover different topics/issues.

1. Tracks and Traces by Paul Fiddes (important articles on ministry, baptism, the Lord’s supper, mission by the most important living Baptist theologian)

2. Promise and Presence by John Colwell (argues for a sacramental theology that God is always meditated to us through the sacraments – baptism, Lord’s supper, healing, marriage, ministry)

3. Challenge to Change by Nigel Wright (published back in 1991, but still a provocative challenge to Baptists)

4. English Baptists in the 20th Century by Ian Randall (a very readable history of the major events and debates among Baptists over the last 100 years - how we got to where we've got to)

5. More Light and Truth? Biblical Interpretation in Covenantal Perspective By Sean Winter (until the book arrives, which will develop this 2007 Whitley Lecture [buy it here]. Most of the problems and disagreement in churches happen over how we interpret scripture; Sean argues for a Baptist way of reading scripture that can handle disagreement)

6. Living the Christian Story by John Colwell (this is one of the best books on ethics I know; argues that Christian ethics means being faithful to the Christian story)

7. Participating in God by Paul Fiddes (the difference the doctrine of the Trinity makes to life)

8. Care in a Confused Climate by Paul Goodliff (unfortunately out-of-print, but most of our college libraries should have multiply copies; the tasks of pastoral care in a postmodern world)

9. Church After Christendom by Stuart Murray (a very helpful guide to what is happening and some suggestions to ways forward)

10. Flickering Images edited by Anthony Clarke and Paul Fiddes (I include this because it engages directly with culture, in this case, film)

Missing from this list is a book on leading worship, this might be found in Chris Ellis' new book out this December: Approaching God; there are also Ruth Gouldbourne's Whitley Lecture on women in ministry and Anne Dunkley's Whitley on children and Baptists - two other issues it would be good to see all Baptists ministers have some grasp of. I'm aware that the list above contains all male authors, but currently and sadly that is it how it seems to be (tell me if I'm wrong).

Comments

[Pete Lev]

Thanks Andy. Interesting list...

[simon jones]

interesting list but no James McClendon. I appreciate that he has a lower profile among British baptists than he does on the continent or in the States. But he is a towering figure which every minister interested in exploring and establishing a broad baptist identity in her/his church ought to grapple with. Start with Ethics, the first volume in his three-part Systematic Theology. Great stuff.

[andy goodliff]

I do know McClendon, but I guess I've not caught the thing that everyone loves about him. I loved bits of 'Ethics' - especially where he is doing theology through biography.

[Simon Woodman]

Hi, if you're looking for a 'must read' book by a Baptist woman, you could do a lot worse than the book on 'Christian Spirituality' by my colleague Karen Smith. I also note your list is very English - what about the rich tradition of Baptists writing from Wales, Scotland, Europe, America...

[andy goodliff]

It was only ten books. Obviously there are lots more I could include. I'll try and get a look at Christian Spirituality. South Wales are doing well with the SCM readers.