A Contoversial Spirit offers a new perspective on the origins and nature of southern evangelicalism. Most recent historians have focused on the differences between evangelicals and non-evangelicals, leading to the perception that during the "Era of Awakenings" American evangelicals constituted a united front. Philip N. Mulder dispels this illusion by examining the internal dynamics of evangelicalism. Although the denominations shared the goal of saving souls, he finds they disagreed over the correct definition of true religion and conversion. Examining conversion narratives, worship, polity and rituals, as well as more formal doctrinal statements in creeds and sermons, Mulder is able to provide a far more nuanced portrait of southern evangelicals than previously available, revealing the deep differences between denominations that the homogenization of religious history has until now obscured.

Law and Gospel in the Theology of Andrew Fuller traces the history of the modern free offer / duty faith debate to Baptist Andrew Fuller's speculative theology. George Ella provides an indepth analysis of Fuller's theology and its shortcomings as well as bringing the issues raised right up to date by reference to current Fullerite teachers and publishing. An excellent introduction to this important topic within modern evangelicalism.

Andrew Fuller (1754-1815), perhaps the most prominent Particular Baptist of the eighteenth century, has been the subject of much scholarly interest in recent years. No comparative study, however, has been done on the two biographies that give us much of our knowledge of Fuller's life. John Ryland Jr. (1753-1826), Fuller's closest friend and ministry partner, not only supervised the publication of Fuller's works, but sought to give a careful accounting of his friend's piety. But Ryland's volume stood in contrast with the less-flattering portrait painted by publisher and pastor, J.W. Morris (1763-1836). This critical edition of Ryland's 1816 biography provides contextual background and comparative analysis of the two volumes, and shows how Ryland amended his text for its 1818 republication in light of Morris' work. It also demonstrates the profound influence of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) on Ryland's biographical approach. While Edwards's influence on Ryland and Fuller is widely known, this volume shows how Edwards's biographical work, especially that of David Brainerd, influenced Ryland's aim to promote "pure and undefiled religion" through recounting the life of his friend.

The Stone-Campbell Movement, also known as the Restoration Movement, arose on the frontiers of early nineteenth-century America. Like-minded Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians abandoned denominational labels in order to be "Christians only." They called followers to join in Christian unity and restore the ideals of the New Testament church, holding authoritative no book but the Bible and believing no creed but Christ. Modern-day inheritors of this movement, including the Churches of Christ (a cappella) and the Christian Churches (independent), find much in common with wider evangelical Christianity as a whole. Both groups are committed to the authority of Scripture and the importance of personal conversion. Yet Restorationists and evangelicals, separated by sociological history as well as points of doctrinal emphasis, have been wary of each other. Evangelicals have often misunderstood Restorationists as exclusivist separatists and baptismal regenerationists. On the other hand, Stone-Campbell adherents have been suspicious of mainstream denominational evangelicals as having compromised key aspects of the Christian faith. In recent years Restoration Movement leaders and churches have moved more freely within evangelical circles. As a result, Stone-Campbell scholars have reconsidered their relationship to evangelicalism, pondering to what extent Restorationists can identify themselves as evangelicals. Gathered here are essays by leading Stone-Campbell thinkers, drawing from their Restoration heritage and offering significant contributions to evangelical discussions of the theology of conversion and ecclesiology. Also included are responses from noted evangelicals, who assess how Stone-Campbell thought both corresponds with and diverges from evangelical perspectives. Along with William R. Baker (editor) and Mark Noll (who wrote the Foreword), contributors include Tom Alexander, Jim Baird, Craig L. Blomberg, Jack Cottrell, Everett Ferguson, Stanley J. Grenz, John Mark Hicks, Gary Holloway, H. Wayne House, Robert C. Kurka, Robert Lowery, Edward P. Myers and Jon A. Weatherly. For all concerned with Christian unity and the restoration of the church, Evangelicalism & the Stone-Campbell Movement offers a substantive starting point for dialogue and discussion.

"The historian", Henry James said, "essentially wants more documents than he can really use". Indeed, the documents provide context and content, without which meaningful recounting of history may be impossible. Where documents are lacking, history becomes the telling of educated guesses and informed theories based on the mute testimony of whatever artifacts, if any, are available. There is, however, no lack of documentation for the ongoing "Fundamentalist-Moderate Controversy" in the Southern Baptist Convention. In fact, disciplined selection is necessary to keep this collection within manageable limits. The present selection is excellent: all sides are represented and the events of the ongoing SBC "holy war" are replayed by the news releases, sermons and addresses, motions and resolutions through which those events originally were played out. The documents have been changed only to fit these pages. This is not all the story, but it is a good part of the story of a people called Southern Baptists. It is a story we all need to know and remember. We cannot undo or redo what has been done. We can learn from what has happened. What is history for? Not just for the historian, but for all of us, these primary and key "documents of the controversy" tell the story. Walter Shurden's overview and introductions along with his annotated chronology set the stage, reminding us where we were when. Then the reporters and preachers, the movers and shakers, the principals and sometimes even pawns go to "Action!" and tell the story in their own words, which, after all, is the way it happened.

Although much has been written on the Afro-Catholic syncretic religions of Vodou, Candomble, and Santeria, the Spiritual Baptists--an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Protestant Christianity--have received little attention. This work offers the first detailed examination of the Spiritual Baptists or "Converted". Based on 18 months of fieldwork on the Island of St. Vincent (where the religion arose) and among Vincentian immigrants in Brooklyn, Zane's analysis makes a contribution to the literature on African-American and African Diaspora religion and the anthropology of religion more generally.

How do Filipino Baptists who sing in English, quote from James Dobson, and download sermon illustrations from Alabama understand themselves, and their faith, as "local?" Comparing four congregations of Southern Baptists in the Philippines, Howell argues that Christianity "becomes" a local context as aspects of daily life are brought together with the obviously borrowed elements of the faith. This book moves away from the split of "global" and "local" to find out how Southern Baptists are able to create a "transcendent locality." Told in rich ethnographic detail, "Christianity in the Local Context" argues that Filipino Baptists are actively constructing themselves in terms of a global faith that they have made their own.