"Christ would have been more honoured by us": a word to Ontario Baptists about theological education

The history of theological education by and for Baptists in this province of Ontario makes for a fascinating story. By the grace of God an overview of this history will form a chapter of a forthcoming book I am planning on seven vital reasons why Baptists need to be deeply acquainted with their history.

 

In essence, I am convinced that in addition to the much good that has been achieved through Baptist schools in the past 180 years (the first school was actually in Montreal, Canada Baptist College, from 1838 to 1849), some major mistakes have been made that have hurt the Baptist cause here tremendously.

 

One of the most significant mistakes—and it is still a major problem—goes all the way back to that first school in Montreal: the failure of Baptists to provide financial support for their theological institutions. One of the major reasons why the school in Montreal closed was the lack of support from Baptists in Canada West (the name of Ontario before Confederation). As one Baptist leader said in 1853 about the negative impact that rugged individualism had had upon early Baptist life in Ontario:

 

“Had the Baptist of Canada laid aside their mutual jealousies at an earlier day, and concentrated their strength in aggressive movements upon the domains of sin and error, not only would our denominational statistics have reached a higher figure, but what is of infinitely more importance, Christ would have been more honoured by us…”[1]

 

Then there was the Canadian Literary Institute in Woodstock. The school grew to a peak of 253 students by 1874 and was enormously influential in giving shape and cohesion to the Baptist cause in Ontario—some of its key leaders like E.W. Dadson (1845-1900) and its first overseas missionaries, John McLaurin (d.1912) and Americus Vespucius Timpany (1840-1885) came from the school. But it took a heavy toll on the Principal, R.A. Fyfe (1816–1878)—that remarkable Scottish-Canadian Baptist leader, who might well be called Mr. Baptist.

 

Every school year between 1861 and his death in 1878 from diabetic complications Fyfe regularly taught six hours a day, five days a week. On Sundays he never declined an opportunity to preach and conduct Sunday School classes. And in the summers he would travel the length of the province raising funds for the school. In the entire seventeen years that he was principal he only took two vacations and all but worked himself to death.

 

And why? Far too many of the churches failed to see the vital necessity of theological education for their existence. It was all too easy to let others support the school or go to the United States for men. Not much has changed in the past 140 years! Baptist causes and churches here in Ontario still have the same mind-set.

 

What I am about to write may not be well received by some Ontario Baptist pastors and leaders who will read this, but let the chips fall where they may! If you are a Baptist leader in this province and have any interest in the larger cause of Christ and the health of Baptist churches in this province, you need to be ashamed of yourself if you are not making sure your church is behind the financial support of solid conservative Baptist seminaries in this province. And I am, of course, very biased with regard to such seminaries; for me, Toronto Baptist Seminary heads the list.

 

It amazes me that Baptist churches in this province who are deeply concerned about the advance of the Kingdom of Christ are so utterly blind to this vital issue. To be sure, they want Christian leaders, but they are not willing to put their money where their desires are. It is all too easy to let others do the hard work of financial support. And the reality is that theological education cannot be all that it aspires to be.

 

And don’t retreat—in Hyper-Calvinistic fashion—to saying that keeping theological schools needy keeps them near the Lord! The words of Andrew Fuller (1754–1815) when confronted by the refusal of Baptists to engage in missions are my words to you: God will do this work of theological education but he will do it by means of others who are more faithful in this than you!

 

Brother, you need to repent, and do the works befitting a leader of a local Baptist church! Remember 2 Timothy 2:2!

[1] “Regular Baptist Missionary Society”, The Christian Observer, 3, No.11 (November 1853), 168.

Responses to Conference on Baptist Spirituality

We have received overwhelmingly positive responses to last week's conference on Baptist Spirituality.  These responses have come from personal conversations, emails, and some have posted their reflections on the conference on the web.  I think Ian Clary was the first to post his thoughts on the conference here.  He especially enjoyed Kevin Smith's lecture on the distracted piety of African American Baptists and Greg Thornbury's paper on Baptist "Personal Las Vegas Moments".  Another highlight for Ian was SBTS convocation which he eloquently describes as follows:

Southern is celebrating their sesquicentennial this year, marking 150 years of their existence. Therefore convocation was especially poignant. I can’t tell you the feeling that surged through me when the massive congregation arose to sing “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and the whole faculty processed through the chapel. Looking over to see top evangelical theologians like Tom Schreiner, Stephen Wellum, Michael Haykin, Denny Burk, Bruce Ware, Tom Nettles, Brian Vickers, etc., being led by Albert Mohler and Russell Moore to their seats at the front gave me goosebumps. Being there really made you feel like you were a part of something big. When Dr. Mohler announced the signing of the Abstract of Principles – Southern’s faith statement – the gravitas and solemnity was everywhere in the air. Chip Stam and Brian Vickers signed the statement as new full-time faculty. With quill in hand, they signed the 150 year old document with pride.

By the way, Ian also presented at this conference in a well-attended and well-received breakout session on “Alexander Carson (1776-1844): Jonathan Edwards of the Nineteenth Century”.

Jeff Straub also provided his thoughts upon what he called "A Great Conference!" at Central Baptist Theological Seminary's Theology Central blog.  He writes about the Andrew Fuller Center the following kind words:

In recent times, much of the material by and about Baptists has come from writers inclined toward theological progressivism rather than confessional orthodoxy. I am happy to report that the AFCBS is trying to fill the void for a more confessional approach to Baptist identity.

The Andrew Fuller Center does seek to provide an alternative to moderate approaches to Baptist identity and we appreciate Jeff for recognizing these efforts.  Jeff also presented a well-received paper on the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Crawford Gribben is celebrating the conference by giving away one of the free books that we gave him.  He doesn't say much about the conference, but I know he enjoyed it.  :)  Meeting Crawford was one of the highlights of the conference for me and so many others that I've spoken to since then. His paper on “Irish Baptist Piety in the 17th Century” led off the conference. Several people have commented on both his friendliness and brilliance.  If you don't know Crawford, you can see the numerous books he has written or contributed to here.

Finally, Aaron Menikoff has posted his reflections on the conference on "Church Matters", the 9 Marks blog.  He highlights a number of the presentations, but especially Greg Thornbury's and Greg Wills'.  Of Dr. Wills paper, Aaron writes:

There were many other presentations, but the last one I want to mention comes from my former supervisor at Southern, Greg Wills. He lectured on what he called the "piety of humiliation." This, he said, should be a distinguishing mark of every pastor. Instead of trying to be relevant at all costs, we ought to aspire to be holy. And here's the rub: holiness doesn't win friends and influence people--if anything it tends to alienate. He put it this way, "The gospel seems to lose relevance in proportion to our contrivances to gain it [relevance]." Nice.

Dr. Wills' presentation on “Relevance, Severity, and Spiritual Power in Baptist Piety”was indeed a highlight of the conference for many, including me.  I listened to it again last night, along with my wife.  It is a powerful and challenging call to be willing to suffer reproach for the cause of Christ.  I highly recommend that you listen to it.

There were many other excellent presentations.  In fact, I did not hear one which I did not truly enjoy.   Most of the audio has been posted here.  There have been some technical difficulties with a few of the presentations which we're trying to work out.  If those are fixed we will post the missing sessions later.  A special event that ended the conference was the late night discussion by Drs. Haykin and Yarnell: “Reformed and Anabaptist: Strengths and Shortcomings of Two Traditions”.  Unfortunately, the first few minutes of Dr. Yarnell's first presentation is missing. It is hoped that this will be fixed as well, but until then the audio as we have it has been posted.  There is still over an hour of discussion for your listening pleasure.  You can access all the available audio of the conference here.

It's not too early to make plans to come to next year's conference.  The theme is "Baptists and the Cross:  Contemporary and Historical Perspectives" and will occur on August 30-31, 2009.  A tentative schedule is posted below:

Baptists and the Cross: Contemporary and Historical Perspectives August 30-31, 2010
Monday, August 30

  • 9:00 am Plenary session 1: Tom Schreiner (SBTS): “Atonement in the Pastoral Epistles, the Petrine Epistles, and Hebrews”
  • 10:25 am Plenary Session 2: Stephen Wellum (SBTS), “Baptism and Crucicentrism”
  • 11:45 am Plenary Session 3: D.W. Bebbington (University of Stirling and Baylor Univeristy), “English Baptist Crucicentrism from the 18th Century Onwards”
1:00-2:30 pm Lunch break
2:30-4:00 pm Parallel Sessions
6:00 pm Dinner
  • 8:00 pm Plenary Session 4: Glendon Thompson (Toronto Baptist Seminary),
  • “Preaching the Cross”

Tuesday, August 31

  • 8:30 am Plenary Session 5: Maurice Dowling (Irish Baptist College), “Spurgeon and the Cross”

10:00 am Chapel

  • 11:30 am Plenary Session 6: James Fuller (University of Indianapolis), “19th Century Southern Baptists and the Atoning Work of Christ”
12:45-2:30 pm Lunch
  • 2:30-3:40 pm Plenary Session 7: Danny Akin (SEBTS), “The Cross and Pastoral Ministry”

Make plans now to attend!

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Listening: a vital spiritual discipline

One of the most vital spiritual disciplines we can cultivate is listening—listening first to God; then listening to others. This is especially vital for pastors and other Christian leaders. But it is here so many pastors fail. They clearly fail to find people interesting, otherwise they would be asking them all kinds of questions. I am honestly fed up with pastors who are only interested in using me—and presumably others—simply as sounding boards.

Is it because they are so used to the sermon as the major form of their communication, that this is the only way they know how to communicate?

New Book on Abraham Booth

A new book by Dr. Ray Coppenger, A Messenger of Grace: A Study of the Life and Thought of Abraham Booth, is soon to be released by Joshua Press. In his day, and for many years after his death, Abraham Booth was regarded as one of the leading Baptist theologians and thinkers of the eighteenth century.  Relatively little, though, has been done, to explore his theological contribution to Baptist life and thought. This work by Dr. Ray Coppenger provides what amounts to a primer on Booth’s ministry and theology.

“Booth’s theological perspectives, particularly with regard to ecclesiology and soteriology, need to be studied afresh at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and I can think of no better place to begin the study of this mentor than this book by Dr. Coppenger.” Michael A.G. Haykin—Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Raymond Arthur Coppenger was born in 1909 near the small town of Tellico Plains in the mountains of East Tennessee. Sensing a call to ministry in his twenties, he went to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, from which he graduated with a Th.M. in 1936. After seminary, he served as associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Newport, Tennessee, and then as pastor of churches in Butler, Tennessee, and Pennington Gap, Virginia. After World War II, he went to Edinburgh, Scotland, for doctoral studies. He received his Ph.D. from Edinburgh University for his work on Abraham Booth in 1953. Subsequently, he taught philosophy and religion at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Belmont College in Nashville, Tennessee, and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. An emeritus professor since 1974, Coppenger continues to supply-preach and join in the ministry of his local church—and he does his best to keep up with his five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren!

Ordering details will be posted soon.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Register this Weekend for Baptist Spirituality Conference

Time is running out to register for next Monday and Tuesday's conference on Baptist Spirituality.  You will be able to register in person on Monday morning, but there is no guarantee that you will get the free resources generously donated to the conference registrants. Download Conference Program

Register

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Tenth Free Book for Baptist Spirituality Conference

The tenth and final free book to be given away to registrants of next week's conference on Baptist Spirituality is Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin's A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards.  This volume has been generously donated by the kind folks at Reformation Heritage Books. There's still time to register for the conference and receive the three journals from SWBTS and the ten free books.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Eusebeia 10 Now Available for Order

"A Heart Uncommonly Devoted to God": Theology and Piety in Jonathan Edward's Funeral Sermon for His Daughter Jerusha

A monograph by Joseph C. Harrod

Contents

5   From the editor

7   Preface

11  Chapter 1:  Jonathan Edward's Funeral Sermons

35  Chapter 2:  "A Heart Uncommonly Devoted to God":  The Life of Jerusha Edwards

49  Chapter 3:  An Analysis of Youth is Like a Flower That is Cut Down

63  Appendix:  A Letter of Jerusha Edwards

Available journal articles are in PDF format and viewable online using the free Adobe Acrobat Viewer.

Only limited articles are available online. For the complete journal, please order the print copy from the office of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies.  Ordering details are available here.

Doctoral thesis on Abraham Booth by Ray Coppenger to be published by Joshua Press

I have been working on a new book on Abraham Booth—helping edit the doctoral thesis of Ray Coppenger for publication by Joshua Press. What a privilege! I met Dr Coppenger through his son, Dr Mark Coppenger, a colleague at Southern—and to whom I feel deeply indebted in a number of ways, not the least certain kindnesses he showed me over ten years ago when I applied to teach at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The title of the new book—to be shortly released—is “A messenger of grace”: A study of the life and thought of Abraham Booth (1734–1806). Inspiration for the title—so apt for Booth—comes from these lines of William Cowper’s The Task, Book II, lines 395–407:

“Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul, Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and own, Paul should himself direct me. I would trace His master strokes, and draw from his design. I would express him simple, grave, sincere; In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain, And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste And natural in gesture; much impressed Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds May feel it too; affectionate in look, And tender in address, as well becomes A messenger of grace to guilty men.”

"Dortian" Calvinism and "regular" Calvinism

Recently I was asked by hereiblog: Can you explain the difference between “Dortian” Calvinism and “regular” Calvinism? Historically, the first term has no history. Those using Dortian Calvinism seem to mean 5-point Calvinism and have coined the term after the Synod of Dort that made the 5 points important. If you read Calvinists prior to the last decade you can find nobody talking about Dortian Calvinism. But, from its usage it appears to be a bad term—and it appears that by it one should read “unevangelistic Calvinism.”

But many 5-pointers have been solid evangelists. For example: Bunyan and Eliot, Whitefield and Brainerd, the Bonars and Spurgeon. If by “Dortian” Calvinism we mean Hyper-Calvinism—what Andrew Fuller called “False Calvinism”—then that should be said.

Regular Calvinism: is this 4-point Calvinism or “evangelistic Calvinism.” Or is it Baxterianism? Or Amyraldianism? These are the terms that are used. Or is Regular Calvinism that of Andrew Fuller? Or that of Calvin himself? Historically, in Baptist circles, the term “regular” denotes closed communion. So it was used by British Calvinistic Baptists and Canadian Baptists in the 19th and 20th centuries.

It would be helpful for the terms to be defined. Here we can learn from that most careful of theologians, Jonathan Edwards, who always defined his terms.

A tremendous sermon by Kirk Wellum

Tonight my wife and I had the privilege to hear Kirk Wellum preach on Daniel 6 at our home church. It has to have been one of the finest sermons I ever heard. There was a clear outline of the passage: the nefarious attempt by the Persian satraps due to jealousy to make Daniel’s “faith and spirituality a political liability”; the passing of the law restricting worship to the King; Daniel’s disobedience to the law out of reverence for God; the miraculous deliverance of the servant of the Lord; the judgment of the wicked; the praise by Darius of the Lordship of Daniel’s God.

Near the end of the sermon, Kirk made a link between Daniel emerging from the lion’s den with our Lord emerging from the tomb. Honestly, the link was something I had never seen before. I saw where he was going just before he got there. Wow! I inwardly exclaimed, this is tremendous.

How important to preach not only within the context, but also canonically! Daniel 6 speaks of the reign of Messiah and God's sovereignty in history.

What a privilege to sit under such Spirit-anointed preaching.

More Freebies for the Conference

The Southwestern Journal of Theology is donating free copies of their recent issues on 'British Baptists,' 'The Bible,' and 'Baptists & Unity' to all conference registrants.  Thanks to Dr. Malcolm Yarnell and his assistant, Madison Grace for this generous contribution. You can still register for the conference and receive these three journals and nine free books.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Free Books at "Baptist Spirituality" Conference

UPDATED The following books have been donated by kind publishers and will be available for free to all registered attendees of the Baptist Spirituality conference on August 24th - 25th. There are ten books that have been donated. The value of these books is well worth the price of registration! Register soon to ensure your spot at this year's conference! God's Rules for Holiness:  Unlocking the Ten Commandments by Peter Masters (Wakeman Trust)

Soldiers of Christ: Selections from the Writings of Basil Manly Sr. & Basil Manly Jr. by Michael A.G. Haykin, Roger D. Duke, and A. James Fuller (Founders Press)

Free Church - Free State:  The Positive Baptist Vision by Nigel Wright (Paternoster)

The Fear of God:  The Soul of Godliness by John Murray (Solid Ground Christian Books)

Southern Baptist Identity:  An Evangelical Identity Faces the Future, edited by David S. Dockery (Crossway)

An Introduction to the Baptists by Erroll Hulse (Audubon Press)

In God We Trust?  What is God Saying in the Midst of this Financial Crisis? by Michael A.G. Haykin (Audubon Press)

C H Spurgeon on Creation and Evolution: An Interview Conducted by David Harding (DayOne)

The Advent of Evangelicalism: Exploring Historical Continuities (B&H Academic)

A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards (Reformation Heritage Books)

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

“Amsterdam 400”: A Quatercentennial Celebration of Baptist Witness

In celebration of the four-hundredth anniversary of the modern Baptist movement, the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies is capping off its annual conference with an action-packed evening that will be opened up to the entire seminary community and the general public. 6:45 pm “Spirituality of Historic Baptist Hymnody:  A Hymn Sing” (BROADUS CHAPEL)

The evening will begin with a hymn sing highlighting the contributions of early Baptist hymn-writers to the historic repertory of congregational song.  Hymns by seminal Baptist figures such as John Bunyan, Benjamin Keach, Joseph and Sammuel Stennett will be featured as will the contributions of later Baptist leaders including Adoniram Judson and Basily Manly, Jr.  Manly's pioneering role in the preservation of historic Baptist hymnody will receive particular emphasis.  The hymn sing will be led by Dr. Nathan H. Platt, Asst. Professor of Worship, and will be open to the general public as well as those attending the Fuller conference.

7:45 pm “ ‘We Believe with the Heart and with the Mouth Confess’: The Engaging Piety of John Smyth and the Early General Baptists”  (BROADUS CHAPEL)

The evening continues with a special lecture by Dr. Malcolm Yarnell (PhD, Oxford), Professor of Systematic Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, on the piety of John Smyth and the early General Baptists.  This lecture is to commemorate the commonly understood origins of Baptists in 1609.  This final plenary session of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies is open to the seminary community for free.

9:00 pm “Reformed and Anabaptist:  Strengths and Shortcomings of Two Traditions”: A Late Night Discussion between Drs. Yarnell and Haykin (NORTON 195)

The evening concludes with a late night discussion originally inspired by a Twitter exchange between Drs. Haykin and Yarnell!  This promises to be an interesting evening as these two humble scholars discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Reformed and Anabaptist traditions, while at the same time demonstrating how such interactions should be conducted.  Both SBTS's Towers and SWBTS's The Hill have featured news stories on the dialogue between Drs. Haykin and Yarnell.  Don't miss this!

While these Tuesday evening events are free, registration for the entire conference is still open. There is a student rate and at least seven books will be given away to all registered attendees.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Drinking deep at the fountain of joy: the perspective of Andrew Fuller and the experience of Samuel Pearce

My, reading Andrew Fuller is such a tonic! Here he is on spiritual enjoyments and how these were realized in his dear friend Samuel Pearce: "A little religion, it has been justly said, will make us miserable; but a great deal will make us happy. The one will do little more than keep the conscience alive, while our numerous defects and inconsistencies are perpetually furnishing it with materials to scourge us: the other keeps the heart alive, and leads us to drink deep at the fountain of joy. Hence it is, in a great degree, that so much of the spirit of bondage, and so little of the Spirit of adoption, prevails among Christians. Religious enjoyments with us are rather occasional, than habitual; or if in some instances it be otherwise, we are ready to suspect that it is supported in part by the strange fire of enthusiasm, and not by the pure flame of Scriptural devotion. But in Mr. Pearce, we saw a devotion ardent, steady, pure, and persevering: kindled, as we may say, at the altar of God, like the fire of the temple, it went not out by night nor by day. He seemed to have learnt that heavenly art, so conspicuous among the primitive Christians, of converting everything he met with into materials for love, and joy, and praise. "

Andrew Fuller on the true religion of Christianity

Here is Andrew Fuller comparing true Christianity with other religious systems: "The various kinds of religion that still prevail, the pagan, Mahometan, Jewish, papal, or Protestant, may form the exteriors of man according to their respective models; but where is the man amongst them, save the true believer in Jesus, that overcometh the world? Men may cease from particular evils, and assume a very different character; may lay aside their drunkenness, blasphemies, or debaucheries, and take up with a kind of monkish austerity, and yet all may amount to nothing more than an exchange of vices. The lusts of the flesh will on many occasions give place to those of the mind; but to overcome the world is another thing. By embracing the doctrine of the cross, to feel not merely a dread of the consequences of sin, but a holy abhorrence of its nature—and, by conversing with invisible realities, to become regardless of the best, and fearless of the worst, that this world has to dispense—this is the effect of genuine Christianity, and this is a standing proof of its Divine original. ...this is true religion."

The solution to the human dilemma according to Samuel Pearce

"If the gospel of Christ be true, it should be heartily embraced. We should yield ourselves to its influence without reserve. We must come to a point, and resolve to be either infidels or Christians. To know the power of the sun we should expose ourselves to his rays: to know the sweetness of honey we must bring it to our palates. Speculations will not do in either of these cases, much less will it in matters of religion. 'My son,' saith God, 'give me thine heart!' "

Samuel Pearce on the human state

Samuel Pearce on the human state: "I consider man as a depraved creature, so depraved, that his judgment is as dark as his appetites are sensual; wholly dependent on God, therefore, for religious light as well as true devotion: yet such a dupe to pride as to reject every thing which the narrow limits of his comprehension cannot embrace; and such a slave to his passions as to admit no law but self- interest for his government. With these views of human nature, I am persuaded we ought to suspect our own decisions, whenever they oppose truths too sublime for our understandings, or too pure for our lusts."