Anthony R. Cross

The sad news was shared yesterday that Rev Dr Anthony R. Cross has died. Anthony, aged 59, was one of the most influential Baptists of the last twenty years, not only in his own contributions to Baptist history and thought, in particular the doctrines of baptism and ministry, but as one of the architects of what might be called Baptist studies in the UK. His creating and editing the series Studies in Baptist History and Thought with Paternoster (under the leadership of Jeremy Mudditt and Robin Parry) for over ten years saw a whole set of volumes produced that created a wealth of historical and theological resources. He went on to inaugurate a similar series for the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage, based at Regent's Park College and more recently he had begun a new relationship with Wipf & Stock, seen in Baptist Sacramentalism 3. 

Anthony's early work was on baptism, beginning with two books edited with Stanley Porter (who was then teaching at the University of Roehampton) and then his own comprehensive history of baptismal theology among English Baptists in the twentieth century, Baptism and the Baptists (2000). His work on baptism would culminate with a second volume, Recovering the Evangelical Sacrament (2013). On baptism he made the convincing case against what he called the myth of anti-sacramentalism amongst Baptists. His more recent focus has been on ministry, providing two volumes, the encyclopedic 'To communicate simply' (2016) and Useful Learning (2017), with a history of Bristol Baptist College planned.

He co-edited Baptist Sacramentalism (2003) and Baptist Sacramentalism 2 (2008) with Philip E. Thompson and third volume (with more planned) appear this year. Baptist Sacramentalism brought together Clark Pinnock, Stanley Grenz, Curtis Freeman, John Colwell, Steve Holmes, Brian Haymes, Timothy George and others, and is arguably one of the most important works of Baptist theology ever for what it seeks to explore. Both of these were in the SBHT series, which also saw over works, like Paul Fiddes' Tracks and Traces and Steven Harmon's Towards Baptist Catholicity, as well the publication of Ken Manley's work on John Rippon and Frank Rinaldi's on Dan Taylor. The series would also publish the work of European Baptists and several of the papers from the early conferences of the International Study on Baptist Studies.

Anthony's work also liked to highlight that of others. He edited festschrifts for R. E. O. White, Clark Pinnock, John Briggs, Brian Haymes, David Bebbington, Ian Randall and most recently (and his last publication) for Ruth Gouldbourne. This latter book, Re-Membering the Body, was only published this month.  

Anthony trained for ministry with Morris West (Bristol) and Neville Clark (South Wales), and was influenced by George Beasley-Murray, John Briggs (his supervisor at Keele) and his friends Brian Haymes and Ruth Gouldbourne. With Brian and Ruth, he would co-write On Being the Church (2008). He pastored two churches, Zion Baptist in Cambridge and then Calne Baptist in Wiltshire before he moved into academia. He worked at the University of Roehampton, Regent's Park College and more recently held a position at IBTS, where he was able to bring some influence to European Baptists (seen in the contributors to Baptist Sacramentalism 3).

I personally appreciated Anthony's supervision of my MTh thesis on the child in Baptist thought and remember a visit I made to his home near Bath, where he gave me various pieces he thought might be helpful to my work.

A list of his publications can be found here.

Anthony will be remember as a historian, an editor and someone who loved a footnote (he was famous for the meticulousness of his research, demonstrated in his footnotes). His legacy will be a long one. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Comments

[Philip E. Thompson]

Thank you, dear Andy. Anthony not only produced outstanding scholarship, but I don't know of anyone who did more to create "space" within which vigorous scholarship could take place, as you rightly note concerning the SBHT series, and the various festschriften and edited volumes. He also was a warm and caring person, one who extended hospitality freely, and who was unfailing in his encouragement of others in their work. It was a great honor to share in some of the work with him, and a greater honor still to have been his friend.

[Tim Parsons]

Sending lots of love.
My dad trained with Anthony in then 80s, now re united with my dad in glory.
Further information on my dad can be found at:
www.timparsons.co.uk

[Brian R Talbot]

Thank you Andy I appreciate you writing this post about Anthony. I am deeply grateful and thankful for his encouragement and friendship over the last two decades. He was a very gifted scholar whose output in terms of publications was very impressive, but equally he encouraged and supported others in giving them opportunities for publication of their own work or in helping locate primary sources from our Baptist heritage. However, I want also to add a reference to his gracious humble character as a Christian gentleman. He will be greatly missed.