Reformed Baptist

Reformed Baptist

Classification	Protestant
Theology	Reformed Evangelical
Governance	Congregational
Geographical areas	United States & Canada

Calvinism
John Calvin
Background Christianity St. Augustine The Reformation John Calvin Five Solas Synod of Dort
Theology Five Points (TULIP) Covenant Theology Regulative principle
Documents Calvin's Institutes Confessions of faith Geneva Bible
Influences Theodore Beza John Knox Huldrych Zwingli Jonathan Edwards Princeton theologians
Churches Reformed Presbyterian Congregationalist Reformed Baptist Low church Anglican
Peoples Afrikaners Huguenots Pilgrims Puritans Scots
Calvinism portal

The name Reformed Baptist refers both to a distinct Christian denomination, and to a description of theological emphasis. Not all churches or individuals that are Calvinistic in doctrine identify themselves as Reformed Baptist.

Reformed Baptists are Baptists that hold to a Calvinistic Soteriology, and often adhere to the 1644 or 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. They can trace their history through the early modern Particular Baptists of England.

Contents 1 Beliefs 1.1 Common traits 2 Related history 3 Calvinistic Baptists 4 Notable Reformed Baptists 5 References 6 Further reading

Beliefs

Reformed Baptist churches quite often adhere to either the First or Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1644 (modified in 1646 and again in 1651) and 1689 respectively. These two statements are usually not considered exhaustive or infallibly authoritative, but instead are convenient summaries of a church's belief using scriptural references. 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.

The term "reformed" comes from the period of church history called "The Reformation", when important Biblical truths were recovered and reemphasized. Groups who identify themselves as “reformed” do not adhere to a monolithic dogma however there are some fundamental doctrines that are universally agreed upon. The “Five Solas” of the reformation are the unifying pillars of this persuasion. The “Doctrines of Grace” as a natural subset of the “Five Solas” are also a key component to this ideology.

Some have argued that issues of Ecclesiology (Covenant Theology)^[1] and Eschatology (Ammillennialism) should also characterize this view. A few may also include views on the Lord’s Supper (symbolic, spiritual, or consubstantiation). However these issues were never agreed upon among the Reformers. In fact, the views on the Lord’s Supper were to some degree foundational to the denominational distinctions today. For example, Zwingli’s symbolic view adopted by Baptist, Calvin’s spiritual view adopted by Presbyterians, and Luther’s consubstantiation view adopted by Lutherans are from the reformers but are not essential to the term reformed. Likewise the reformers were also not unified as to church government and the understanding of the end times.

Many who hold to Reformed theology are committed to Covenant theology, which is sometimes connected to the practice of infant baptism. For this reason some Reformed branches of Christianity (Presbyterian, etc) question whether Reformed Baptists are truly Reformed. Nevertheless, Reformed Baptists claim to be distinctly and genuinely 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). Reformed Baptists believe that only those who can credibly profess this are to be baptized. Baptismal candidates are deemed credible after the congregation and elders carefully scrutinize their testimonies and life-styles.

Common traits

Some common traits of Reformed Baptists are:

• The centrality of the Bible: the traditional Christian Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments) are considered to be the "only rule of faith and practice". However, any interpretation of Scripture must always have an orthodox founding.

• Creedalism: the ancient Creeds (Apostle's, Nicaene, & Athanasian), historic Confessions (London Confessions of 1644 & 1689), as well as Catechisms (Orthodox Catechism of 1680 & Keach's Catechism of 1693) are all considered summaries of Church teaching but none are held in the same authoritative position as the Christian Scriptures.

• 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). Every element of the regular weekly liturgy must be expressly commanded from Scripture. Whatever is expressly commanded must be included; whatever is not expressly commanded must be excluded. However, the circumstances of worship may vary from one church to another (i.e. whether worshippers sit in chairs or stand, what time the service is held, etc.).

• Congregational & Associational: there is considered to be no earthly church authority above the local body of elders. However, traditionally congregations "associate" with other like-minded congregations. These "Associations," which can be considered denominations of a sort, are formed on the basis of a common doctrinal statement, usually the Second London Confession of 1689. Congregations which ardently teach contrary to what is considered orthodox are finally put out of "Association".

• Ecclesiastical Office: There are two church offices: the Elder and the Deacon. Each local church has multiple Elders (also known as plurality of elders). Amongst Reformed Baptist this local elder body is traditionally called the presbytery (not to be confused with the Presbyterian definition of 'presbytery'). The pastor is also considered one of the elders. The Presbytery usually is concerned with the spiritual up-keep of the church, while the Diaconate is concerned with the physical concerns of church members and the physical up-keep of church property.

• Cessationism: The revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit (Apostles, prophets, miracle-workers, tongues-speakers) are considered by most Reformed Baptists to have ceased. However, there are some Baptists who are self-confessedly Calvinist but who reject cessationism.

• Sunday as the Christian Sabbath. Sunday, usually called "Lord's Day", is considered the only Holy Day of Christianity. On Sundays, Reformed Baptists believe that they are to rest from all "earthly" work and business, attend public worship (called "Sabbath Meeting" or "Meeting" by traditionalists), and be about good works. Despite clear statements in their confessions, there is not full agreement among individual Reformed Baptists about whether or not recreation is allowable on the Sabbath, but this is rarely debated and either opinion is often allowed.

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 were 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 first 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

In an extreme minority view, the term "Reformed" is sometimes seen by Reformed confessionalists to only be accurate when it is describing a belief that is confessional and covenantalistic.

• Confessional, that is holding to one of the historic Reformed confessions, and for Baptists the Reformed confession in the Westminster family of confessions is the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (or Second London Baptist Confession). Other confessions held by Reformed Baptists include the First London Baptist Confession (1644/46), the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, and the Baptist Faith and Message.
• Holding to Covenant Theology, as described in these same confessions. This is seen in the common traits above.

Notable Reformed Baptists

• Benjamin Keach – 17th cent. English Particular Baptist Minister. Introduced 'hymns' to the previous Psalter-only Baptist tradition, compiled first Baptist hymn books.
• William Kiffin – 17th cent. Baptist leader
• Isaac Backus – American revolutionary, delegate to the First Continental Congress
• Alistair Begg – Scottish American pastor of Cleveland's Parkside Church and teacher of radio ministry "Truth for Life"
• James Petigru Boyce – 19th century Southern Baptist pastor, theologian, author, seminary professor and founder and first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• John Bunyan – 17th century Puritan author of The Pilgrim's Progress
• William Carey – missionary to India and co-founder of the Baptist Missionary Society.
• Mark Dever – Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and executive director of 9Marks Ministries.
• John Gill – 18th century theologian.
• John Gano – Baptist Chaplin. Administered baptism by immersion to George Washington during the American Revolution.
• Charles Haddon Spurgeon – 19th century preacher.
• Mark Kielar – Pastor of First Baptist Church of Boynton Beach, Florida and president of CrossTV.
• Gen. Robert Overton – personal friend of Oliver Cromwell.
• James White – Christian Apologist, director of Alpha and Omega Ministries.
• A. W. Pink - 20th century theologian.
• R. Albert Mohler, Jr. – ninth president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Roger Williams, Founding pastor of the First Baptist Church in America (1638), founder of Rhode Island

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

References

Further reading

• 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
• A Reformed Baptist Manifesto, by Sam Waldron and Richard Barcellos (2004), ISBN 978-0-9760039-0-8