Article Archive

Baptist History Speaks to Contemporary Issues
By Charles W. Deweese

Baptists today face major identity crises. Pressures on historic Baptist convictions and practices come from many directions– cultural temptations, denominational flux, demands for conformity, failures to link Baptists to their biblical roots, inattention to the freedom thrusts of Baptist history, and others.

Therefore, challenging questions face Baptists today:

  • Where did Baptists begin?
  • Are Baptists confessional or creedal?
  • Why do Baptists do things so many different ways?
  • How do freedom and control relate?
  • May women be ministers?
  • Who has influenced Baptists the most?
  • What does ordination mean?
  • What about women deacons?
  • Where is theological education headed?
  • Why has denominationalism changed so much?
  • What are Baptists’ contributions to Protestantism?
  • What are the biggest issues facing Baptists today?

Answers to these 12 questions are on the way to at least five different outlets. They include Mainstream, journal of the Mainstream Baptist Network; the Biblical Recorder, North Carolina’s Baptist state newspaper; Word & Way, newspaper of the Baptist General Convention of Missouri; and websites of both The Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University and the Baptist History and Heritage Society.

Beginning in January, editors of those outlets may choose from or use all of the following series, produced by the Baptist History & Heritage Society.

The topics include: Baptist Origins, Baptist Confessions of Faith, Trends in Baptist Polity, Baptist World Alliance Freedom Themes, Baptist Women in Ministry; The Ten Most Influential Baptists; The Meaning of Ordination; Baptist Women Deacons; Directions in Theological Education; Patterns of Baptist Denominationalism; Baptist Contributions to Protestantism; Big Issues Facing Baptists Today.

The eight writers for this series all have extensive experience in interpreting the Baptist story. They will not receive payment for their work; they write because they care. This series is a gift to the Baptist public. The writers will include: Loyd Allen, professor of church history and spiritual formation, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University; William H. Brackney, professor of religion and director of the Program for Baptist Studies, Baylor University; John Briggs, senior research fellow in church history at Regent’s Park College, Oxford, England, and editor of the British Baptist Quarterly; Carol C. Holcomb, assistant professor of religion, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor; Lydia Hoyle, assistant professor of church history and Baptist heritage, Campbell University Divinity School; William M. Pinson, Jr., director, Texas Baptist Distinctives Committee/Texas Baptist Heritage Center; Pamela R. Durso, associate director, Baptist History and Heritage Society; Charles W. Deweese, executive director, Baptist History and Heritage Society.

The Baptist History and Heritage Society was formed in 1938 as the Southern Baptist Historical Society®. It changed its name to BH&HS in 2001. Its offices are located in Brentwood, Tennessee. As an independent Baptist history program, it derives more than 50 percent of its income from voluntary gifts from individuals, churches, associations, conventions, fellowships, colleges and universities, and other organizations.

The Fellowship of Baptist Historians was founded in 2000 as an auxiliary to the BH&HS. It meets in conjunction with BH&HS annual meetings. (This year: June 2–4, 2005, Birmingham, Ala.; Host: Samford University; Theme: Women in Baptist History.)

The BH&HS has about 900 members nationwide and in several other countries. Membership in the society is open to individuals, churches, associations, conventions, fellowships, libraries, institutions, and other organizations. Members receive Baptist History and Heritage, a journal; Baptist Heritage Update, a newsletter; and reduced fees for attending the society’s annual meeting.

Other BH&HS publications include The Baptist Heritage Library, a series of six booklets; Foundations of Baptist Heritage, a series of nine pamphlets; The Baptist Style for a New Century, a series of nine pamphlets; Baptist Myths, a series of 11 pamphlets; A How-to Kit for Your Church’s History, including a 120-page Manual for Your Church’s History; and a number of books, such as Duke McCall: An Oral History. (McCall, now retired, served as president and chancellor of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and as president of the Baptist World Alliance.)

The BH&HS is freedom-driven, quality-oriented, and attentive to historic Baptist values. Its goal is to treat Baptist history with integrity, to contribute to its forward progress, and to raise its level of respectability.

The society’s mission statement reads: “Helping Baptists discover, conserve, assess, and share their history.” That mission expresses itself in ministries and services to Baptists through annual meetings, publications, awards, church anniversary certificates and a book-publishing program.

Jointly with Fields Publishing, the BH&HS coordinates a Baptist History Book Publishing Program. The primary purpose is to help churches publish their histories. The program includes layout/ design of cover, dust jacket, and text; editing; index preparation; and other services. The society tailors books to meet the financial and other requirements of individual churches.

BH&HS annual meetings include programs relating to important topics in Baptist life. Baptist hosts around the country sponsor these meetings. Meeting dates and sites, through 2008, may be found on the society’s website at www.baptisthistory.org

To join the Baptist History and Heritage Society, purchase our resources, secure information about our annual meetings, order a church anniversary certificate, or arrange to have your church’s history published, you may contact us in one of the following ways: website: www.baptisthistory.org; phone: 800- 966-2278; fax 615-371-7939; postal mail: PO Box 728, Brentwood, TN 37024-0728.

I served as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1978 to 1994. It was not only the largest seminary in the world, but one of the best. In 1990, Christianity Today released a poll of its readers ranking the effectiveness of American seminaries. Southwestern Seminary was ranked “number 1 among the top 33 graduate theological schools in the nation.” To imagine this great institution, built and supported by the sacrifices of faithful Baptists over ninety years, threatened by a fundamentalist assault was unthinkable.

That’s why I and others are so bothered. That’s why I and others vigorously opposed what the leaders of the takeover euphemistically call a “conservative resurgence.” In the effort to defend Southwestern Seminary, I encountered firsthand the attitude, the politics, the disregard for Baptist principles, the exaggerations, the misinterpretation of the Bible, and other evils of Baptist fundamentalism.

Charles W. Deweese is executive director-treasurer, Baptist History and Heritage Society, Brentwood, Tennessee.