Is Religious Toleration Accidental to Early Baptist Theology?
There has been much discussion recently on Baptist views regarding religious toleration. The discussion has covered issues such as: whether religious toleration was widely held among early Baptists, whether religious toleration is essential to Baptist identity, whether arguments for religious toleration were merely a response to the persecution that early Baptists faced rather than something more essential to Baptist theology, and...
HSF Conversations: Secularism and the American Republic
In this episode of HSF Conversations, Phillip Morgan interviews Matthew Steven Bracey about the most recent publication from F. Leroy Forlines, Secularism and the American Republic: Revisiting Thomas Jefferson on Church and State. Matthew worked closely with Mr. Forlines in the publication of this project, as well as edited the book. People interested in questions of church and state, religious liberty, and the American founding will...
Back to the Basics of Theological Youth Ministry
As I have stated in a variety of places, youth ministry has experienced a significant shift in the past decade or two. Youth ministry, at least from my perspective, has become more theological and thoughtful in the last five-to-ten years as demonstrated by organizations and podcasts like the Youth Pastor Theologian, Rooted Ministry, D6 Academic, and Youth Ministry Institute at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. One could also...
Discussing Doctrinal Differences
Among the courses I teach at Welch College is Christian Doctrines. One of my goals, in addition to teaching reformed Arminian and Free Will Baptist doctrine, is to introduce students to the doctrinal positions of other confessions. I aim to teach the inner logic of varying positions. But my purpose, for Free Will Baptist students especially, is to teach them how to respond to alternative viewpoints and remain confident in their own....
Gospel Feasting
Quickly I lay out two small salad plates and two larger dinner plates from my set of sage-rimmed stoneware on the brown woven placemats. I have only a few minutes before the action begins; once my guests arrive, we will barely be able to keep wiggly bottoms in chairs and food on the plates for the brief moment it takes to bless it. I pull out a couple tealights and decide the tin box that holds the crayons will do for a candelabra. I...
A Difference in Kind: The First and Second Great Awakenings
As we look around the landscape of modern evangelicalism, we find a wide range of beliefs and practices. The kaleidoscope of low church denominations and “non–denominations” can be almost dizzying in their variety. However, these developments result from historic events. By studying how past Christians adopted certain emphases and practices, we better understand current circumstances. Revivalism is one very important aspect of...
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