Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #157016 in Books
• Published on: 1987-01-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 850 pages

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive, informative, and accesible
A standard seminary textbook, McBeth's comprehensive treatment of the various groups that share a common "baptist" identity is an accesible read for laypeople as well. If you've ever wondered what a "hardshell" baptist was, or what made "primitive baptists" different, this is the book for you. In addition, McBeth does an excellent job of helping baptists to understand how our own theological journey connects with that of the larger Christian church.

Comprehensive and Personal
Without a doubt, this is the most definitive work on the history of Baptists. McBeth leaves no stone unturned in developing a portrait of a faith tradition born out of persecution and intolerance. A tradition born with an affinity for personal freedom, i.e. competency before God. McBeth's work has aided me greatly in understanding why I am Baptist and what that means. At a time in which many Baptists are struggling with a crisis of identity, this book can serve as a rescue. Don't let the size of the book intimidate you. Think of it as crawling into grandpa's lap and hearing the stories of old. More than the book I appreciate the man behind it. He was one of the greatest teachers I ever studied under, and one of the most genuine professor I ever encountered.

Enjoyable Read of Baptist History
I was required to read this book for a seminary course and instead of being intimidated by the size of the book, I found it to be an extremely enjoyable read on how Baptists have flourished over the years in spite of persecution, church splits, and other challenges.

McBeth traces the origins of Baptists in the early 1600s from England and Holland and chronicles their history up to the late 1900s.

Among the more interesting topics covered include:

1. Baptist beginnings in Europe.
2. Baptist beginnings in America and the part they played in the Great Awakenings.
3. The struggle for religious libery in early America.
4. The split of the Baptists in the 1840s that eventually led to the Southern Baptist Convention.
5. The formation of several types of Baptist groups (Southern, Primitive, Independent, American, National, Landmark, etc.).

Whether you are Baptist or not, after reading this gem you will have a greater appreciation for the Baptist heritage!

Read and enjoy!