AMERICAN BAPTIST HISTORY, THEOLOGY AND POLITY
Online Manual Table of Contents
A candidate for ordination by an American Baptist congregation or seeking to have an ordination recognized by an American Baptist region is required to know American Baptist history, theology and polity. A resource list is provided to facilitate a candidate’s study and/or to assist a mentor in preparing to tutor a candidate.
I. REQUIRED READING:
Freeman, Curtis W.; McClendon, James W. Jr.; da Silva, C. Rosalee Velloso. Baptist Roots: A Reader in the Theology of a Christian People. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1999.
Goodwin, Everett C. Down by the Riverside: A Brief History of Baptist Faith. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 2002.
Grenz, Stanley. The Baptist Congregation: A Guide to Baptist Belief and Practice. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1985.
Harrison, Paul. Authority and Power in the Free Church Tradition. Carbondale IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1959.
Leonard, Bill J. Baptist Ways: A History. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 2003.
Lumpkin, William. Baptist Confessions of Faith. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1981.
McBeth, H. Leon. The Baptist Heritage/Four Centuries of Baptist Witness. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1987.
Shurden, Walter B. Baptist Identity: The Four Fragile Freedoms. Georgia: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 1993.
II. OTHER RECOMMENDED READING:
Anderson, Courtney. To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1987.
Brackney, William. Baptist Life and Thought: A Source Book Revised Edition. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1983.
Dahlberg, Keith. Edwin T. Dahlberg: Pastor, Peacemaker, Prophet. Valley Forge PA Judson Press, 1998.
Gaustad, Edwin S. Liberty of Conscience: Roger Williams in America. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1999.
Goodwin, Everett, ed. Baptists in the Balance. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1997.
Maring, Norman H., and Winthrop S. Hudson. Baptist Manual of Polity and Practice. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 1961.
McKinney, Lora-Ellen. Total Praise: An Orientation to Black Baptist Belief and Worship. Valley Forge PA: Judson Press, 2003.
Stewart, Howard R. American Baptists and the Church. Lanham MD: University Press of America, 1997.
III. BAPTIST HISTORY AND POLITY ONLINE LEARING COURSE:
http://www.abc-grr.org/onlinelearn/bhistpol/learningresources.htm
IV. AMERICAN BAPTISTS: A UNIFYING VISION
Study Document and Commentary. American Baptist Churches USA Commission on Denominational Identity, 1987.
V. BAPTIST "MUST READS" RECOMMENDED BY WALTER B. SHURDEN
Primary Sources:
ILL NEWES FROM NEW ENGLAND by John Clarke.
BAPTIST PIETY: THE LAST WILL AND TESTIMONY OF OBADIAH HOLMES by Edwin
Gaustad. Published recently by the University of Alabama Press.
CHURCH HISTORY OF NEW ENGLAND FROM 1620-1804 By Isaac Backus; published
under a new title, YOUR BAPTIST HERITAGE, 1620-1804, By The Challenge
Press, P.O. Box 5567, Little Rock, AR 72205.
Secondary Sources:
DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST FAITH by Everett
C. Goodwin. Judson Press.
BAPTISTS IN THE BALANCE: THE TENSION BETWEEN FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY by Everett C. Goodwin. Judson Press.
THE BAPTISTS by John Skoglund. Judson Press.
A BAPTIST MANUAL OF POLITY AND PRACTICE by Norman H. Maring and Winthrop S. Hudson.
BAPTIST WAYS: A HISTORY by Bill J. Leonard. Judson Press
WE ARE BAPTISTS BY Jeffrey D. Jones and Debra L. Sutton. Judson Press. This is an excellent series of brief books, one is for younger elementary children. one for older elementary children. one for youth, and one for adults.
-- Walter B. Shurden
Executive Director
The Center for Baptist Studies
Mercer University, Macon, GA
We of course would add his works:
THE BAPTIST IDENTITY: FOUR FRAGILE FREEDOMS, Walter B. Shurden (Smyth and Helwys)
PROCLAIMING THE BAPTIST VISION, Walter B. Shurden, Editor (Smyth and Helwys)
AFFIRMING THE BAPTIST HERITAGE: Founded on July 1, 2001, The Center for Baptist Studies is an academic arm of Mercer University. Sponsoring the scholarly study of Baptists, the Center also publishes THE BAPTIST STUDIES BULLETIN, a free, monthly ejournal, and, through its staff, interprets issues and trends in contemporary Baptist life and American culture. Visit our web site at www.centerforbaptiststudies.org.