Baptists are a study in contrasts. From Little Dove Old Regular
Baptist Church, up a hollow in the Appalachian Mountains, with its
25-member congregation, to the 18,000-strong Saddleback Valley
Church in Orange County, California, where hymns appear on
wide-screen projectors; from Jerry Falwell, Jesse Helms, and Tim
LaHaye to Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, and
Maya Angelou, Baptist churches and their members have encompassed a
range of theological interpretations and held a variety of social
and political viewpoints. At first glance, Baptist theology seems
classically Protestant in its emphasis on the Trinity, the
incarnation of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, salvation
by faith alone, and baptism by immersion. Yet the interpretation
and implementation of these beliefs have made Baptists one of the
most fragmented denominations in the United States. Not
surprisingly, they are often characterized as a people who
"multiply by dividing."
"Baptists in America" introduces readers to this fascinating and
diverse denomination, offering a historical and sociological
portrait of a group numbering some thirty million members. Bill J.
Leonard traces the history of Baptists, beginning with their
origins in seventeenth-century Holland and England. He examines the
development of Baptist beliefs and practices, offering an overview
of the various denominations and fellowships within Baptism.
Leonard also considers the disputes surrounding the question of
biblical authority, the ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper),
congregational forms of church governance, and religious
liberty.
The social and political divisions among Baptists are often as
dramatic, if not more so, than the theological divides. Leonard
examines the role of Baptists in the Fundamentalist and Social
Gospel movements of the early twentieth century. The Civil Rights
movement began in African American Baptist churches. More recently,
Baptists have been key figures in the growth of the Religious
Right, criticizing the depravity of American popular culture,
supporting school prayer, and championing other conservative social
causes. Leonard also explores the social and religious issues
currently dividing Baptists, including race, the ordination of
women, the separation of church and state, and sexuality. In the
final chapter Leonard discusses the future of Baptist identity in
America.
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