In this collection of essays, sixteen Southern Baptist leaders address key issues of theology, polity, and practice to ascertain the future of the Southern Baptist Convention in particular and evangelicalism in general.

9. The Theology of a Pilgrim Church -- 10. The Baptist Eschatological Vision and the Ecumenical Future -- Bibliography -- Credits -- Scripture Index -- Author and Editor Index -- Subject Index

The authors of the papers published here come from a dozen different countries and represent different expressions of Baptist life. The papers were delivered at the third International Conference on Baptist Studies, held at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague in July 2003, with the theme Baptist Identities. Those who gave presentations explored what factors have contributed to the nature of Baptist distinctiveness in different countries and at different times. In some cases the authors have written about their own contexts, using specific case studies that relate to particular periods, whereas in other cases they range more widely, covering several countries and/or longer periods of time. Topics examined in this volume include theological education, women in leadership, issues of ethnicity, Baptist identity and national consciousness, and creeds. The regional scope of the Baptist stories that are analyzed includes Africa, Asia, Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, and North America. At a time when there is considerable discussion throughout the world Baptist community about the nature of Baptist identity, this collection of papers by significant historians of Baptist life is an important contribution.

Through critical analysis of writings on Baptist distinctives, Norman shows there is a continuous body of theological components common to all Baptists.

What makes the Baptist witness unique in the Christian tradition and in the world? When Baptists celebrated the 400th anniversary of their distinctive tradition in 2010, the faculty of the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University delivered a unique chapel series to proclaim the Baptist identity. Beginning with those sermons and expanding upon them, this book offers this generation a relevant understanding of Baptist faith and identity, based on the proclamation of 14 classic and emerging distinctives¿from soul competency and the priesthood of believers, to local church autonomy and congregational polity, to religious liberty and separation of church and state. Also includes chapters on vocation and calling, Christian mission, and social justice! Intended first to encourage and equip Baptist preachers, Distinctly Baptist will also be a useful tool for Baptist identity studies in congregations and seminaries alike as we disciple new generations of Baptists in an increasingly post-denominational culture.

Through a Glass Darkly is a collection of essays by scholars who argue that Baptists are frequently misrepresented, by outsiders as well as insiders, as members of an unchanging monolithic sect. In contemporary discussions of religious denominations, it is often fashionable and easy to make bold claims regarding the history, beliefs, and practices of certain groups. Select versions of Baptist history have been used to vindicate incomplete or inaccurate assertions, attitudes, and features of Baptist life and thought. Historical figures quickly become saints, and overarching value systems can minimize the unsavory realities that would contribute to a truer interpretation of Baptist life. The essays in this volume use the term Baptist in the broadest sense to refer to those Christians who identify themselves as Baptists and who baptize by immersion as a non-sacramental church rite. Over the past four hundred years, Baptists have grown from a persecuted minority to a significant portion of America’s religious population. They have produced their fair share of controversies and colorful characters that have, in turn, contributed to a multifaceted history. But what does it mean to be a “real Baptist”? Some look to historical figures as heroic exemplars of Baptist core values. Others consider cultural, social, or political issues to be guideposts for Baptist identity. Through a Glass Darkly dives deeper into history for answers, revealing a more complete version of the expansive and nuanced history of one of America’s most influential religious groups. Contributors: James P. Byrd / John G. Crowley / Edward R. Crowther / Christopher H. Evans / Elizabeth H. Flowers / Curtis W. Freeman / Barry G. Hankins / Paul Harvey / Bill J. Leonard / James A. Patterson / Jewel L. Spangler / Alan Scot Willis

This book considers a 'baptist' account of the identity of the church, Jesus' body, and the communion elements in the Lord's Supper. It does so in conversation with Thomas Aquinas, Balthasar Hubmaier, and James Wm. McClendon, Jr. in the context of contemporary Baptist engagements with ecumenical Christianity and of contemporary philosophy of language. In a very creative and imaginative way it sets the stage for an account of the identity of Jesus' body, the bread and wine, and the church, that makes a constructive contribution to ecumenical Christianity