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The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination, but instead is a description of the church's theological leaning. Not all churches that are reformed in doctrine identify themselves as such. There are two associations of Reformed Baptist churches in the United States: the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, which began in 1997, and the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals, organized in 2000. Additionally, Reformed Baptist churches in the Southern Baptist Convention are organized as Founders Ministries. In Italy there is a newly formed (April 2006) association of reformed baptist churches: the Chiese Evangeliche Riformate Battiste in Italia. There are also many associations and churches in other countries.
Beliefs
Reformed Baptist churches quite often adhere to either the First or Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1644 and 1689 respectively. These two statements are usually not considered exhaustive or completely infallible, but instead are convenient summaries of a church's belief. Reformed Baptists attempt to derive all of their doctrine directly from the Bible, which they see as the sole authority of faith and practice.
Reformed Baptist Churches are distinct in that they are both Reformed (adhering to and showing respect for much of the theology defined by John Calvin) as well as Baptists (believing in baptism for believers only, and that by immersion). Historically, the five points of Calvinism have been central tenets of the Reformed faith, which all Reformed Baptist churches agree with by definition. However, conservative Reformed theology is normally committed to Covenant theology, one application of which is to justify the practice of infant baptism. For this reason more traditional Reformed branches of Christianity (Presbyterian, etc) sometimes refuse to accept their Reformed Baptist brothers as truly Reformed. Nevertheless, Reformed Baptists are distinctly Covenantal in their theology, regarding the Covenant of Grace as made only with the elect. Baptism is seen as a sign of the New Covenant administration - made with those who have been regenerated by having the law written on their hearts, their sins forgiven and who savingly know the Lord (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Only those who can credibly profess this reality are to be baptized.
Modern Reformed Baptists usually consider themselves the spiritual heirs of English Baptists John Bunyan and Charles Spurgeon. The Calvinist theology of the Reformed Baptist is akin to if not descended directly from that of early English Particular Baptists.
Common traits
Some common traits of Reformed Baptists are:
- The centrality of the Word of God: the church takes no part on human schemes for church growth, nor searches for popularity, but sows the Word and trusts God will make it multiply.
- Creedalism: historical creeds are considered useful, but not authoritative.
- Regulative principle of worship: the belief that "the acceptable way of Worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself; and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be Worshipped according to the imaginations, and devices of Men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures," (from chapter 22, paragraph 1 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith). This is usually manifested in a relatively simple liturgy.
- Covenant Theology: most hold to the classic Reformed contrast between the Covenant of Works in Adam and the Covenant of Grace in Christ (the last Adam) - and the Elect in Him as His seed. This eternal Covenant of Grace is progressively revealed through the historic Biblical covenants.
- Independent: each congregation is a fully independent church, which considers itself accountable directly to Jesus Christ rather than intermediately through an earthly organization such as a Convention, Synod or Presbytery.
- Plurality in Leadership: each local church has multiple Elders as well as one or more Pastors (also known as plurality of elders); often the terms are interchangeable or denote only a difference in full or partial-time dedication to the ministry. Often all leaders are called elders, with the pastor being considered only a primus inter pares.
- The reservation of the Elder role for men, and usually also that of Deacon.
- Moderate cessationism: the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit in general, and revivals specifically, are considered exceptional measures sovereignly bestowed by God, not to be searched as a common policy. Thus a rejection of revivalism in general and Pentecostalism specifically. However, there are some Baptists who are self-confessedly Calvinist but who reject cessationism.
- The idea of the Sunday as the Christian Sabbath.
Related History
In the early 17th century, Baptists in England developed along two different theologies. The General Baptists were so-called because they held the General Atonement. The General view of the atonement is that Christ in His death undertook to make possible the salvation of all men who would believe. This position is identified with Arminianism. Early General Baptist leaders included John Smyth and Thomas Helwys. The Particular Baptists were so-called because they held the Particular Atonement. The Particular view of the atonement is that Christ in His death undertook to save particular individuals, usually referred to as the elect. This position is often identified with Calvinism. Some early Particular Baptist leaders included Benjamin Keach, Hanserd Knollys, William Kiffin, and Isaac Backus. Present day Strict Baptists of England are descendants of the Particular Baptists. Sometimes they are referred to as "Strict and Particular" Baptists. The terminology "strict" refers to the strict or closed position they held on membership and communion. The majority of early Particular Baptists rejected open membership and open communion. One notable exception was the author of Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan.
Over the 18th century, General Baptists lapsed into theological liberalism and practically disappeared from the scene in England. During this same period, the Particular Baptists moved toward extreme doctrinal conservatism, which some have described as Hyper-Calvinism and Antinomianism. In 1785, Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) published The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation. This helped turn many Particular Baptists toward a new evangelicalism that was dubbed "Fullerism," and would lead to eventual division among the Particular Baptists of England. The "Fullerites" are probably best represented by Fuller and William Carey (1761-1834), Baptist missionary to India. The leading spokesman for strict Calvinism was John Gill (1696-1771), perhaps best known for his Exposition of the Whole Bible, the only commentary to comment on every verse of the Bible. Among the "Fuller strain" of Particular Baptists, Calvinism declined and the practice of open communion grew. In 1891, most of the remaining General Baptists merged with the Particular Baptists in the Baptist Union of Great Britain (formed 1813). The Old Baptist Union represents General Baptists that did not participate.
Calvinistic Baptists
The term "Reformed" is generally seen to include two characteristics: (1) Confessional, that is holding to one of the Reformed Confessions, and for Baptists this is the 1689 London Confession. (2) Holding to Covenant Theology as described in these same Confessions. This is seen in the common traits above. The Reformed (as described above) see Baptists who are not confessional, especially those who eschew Covenant Theology, yet having a Calvinist soteriology, better described as Calvinistic Baptists. Holding to the five points of Calvinism does not make one "Reformed" in the fuller sense.
Famous Reformed Baptists
- John Bunyan
- Isaac Backus
- William Carey
- John Gill
- Albert Mohler
- Charles Spurgeon
- Albert N. Martin
- Mark J. Chanski
- Gene Cook, Jr.
- Erroll Hulse – editor of Reformation Today magazine and "roving ambassador" for Reformed Baptists
- Michael A. G. Haykin – the Principal of Toronto Baptist Seminary
- John Piper (disputed)
See also
References
These books are written from a Reformed Baptist perspective:
- History of the English Calvinistic Baptists 1791-1892, by Robert Oliver (2006), ISBN 0-85151-920-2
- Kiffin, Knollys and Keach - Rediscovering our English Baptist Heritage, by Michael A. G. Haykin (1996), ISBN 0-9527913-0-7
- An Introduction to the Baptists, by Erroll Hulse (1976), ISBN 0-85479-780-7
- Baptist Roots in America, by Sam Waldron (1991), ISBN 0-9622508-3-X
- Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, by Sam Waldron (1989), ISBN 0-85234-268-3
External links
- Founders Ministries — a site committed to preserving historic Reformed principles within the Southern Baptist Convention
- Reformed Baptist Academic Press — Specializing in Confessional Reformed Baptist Literature.
- Reformed Baptist Theological Review — Articulating the Theology of the Second London Confession of Faith.
- Reformed Baptist Fellowship — Reformed Baptist Fellowship is a global network of churches adhering to the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. RBF encourages mutual cooperation for missions, church planting, edification and fellowship.
- Grace and Truth Christian congregation in Israel — a Reformed Baptist congregation
- International Fellowship of Reformed Baptists — an international body to promote unity among Reformed Baptists
- Johnny Farese's Reformed Baptist Church Directory — an informal directory of "churches which either claim to hold to the 1689 Confession of Faith; correspond with and pray for other sister churches; and/or fellowship with other sister churches through family conferences, pastors' conferences, etc."
- New Zealand Reformed Baptist Churches — official site
- Reformed Baptist Association in South Africa Web Site — official site, in Afrikaans and English
- What is a Reformed Baptist — a Reformed Baptist explains his beliefs
- A Reformed Baptist Congregation in the North @ South Carolina border — A Reformed Baptist Congregation in the North @ South Carolina border
- Church of the Good Shepherd SBC — A Reformed Baptist congregation just north of Indianapolis, IN
- Exe Gia Publishing
- Reformed Baptist Network— Home of the first free web-based network of Reformed Baptist churches from around the world! We are dedicated in providing a free web page to any Reformed Baptist church from any international country in the world.