The Baptist Faith and Message 2000: Critical Issues in America's Largest Protestant Denomination

by Douglas K. Blount (Editor), Joseph D. Wooddell (Editor), Susie Hawkins (Foreword by), Daniel L. Akin (Contribution by), Chad Owen Brand (Contribution by)

Overview

Southern Baptists are the nation's largest protestant denomination, with over 43,000 churches and millions of members. Since its inception, controversy has surrounded the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Southern Baptists' most recent confession of faith. The present volume consists of essays by Baptist scholars explaining and defending that document. Each of the 18 articles of the BF&M 2000 is addressed, with special attention to the most critical issues and changes from the denomination's 1963 confession. Also included is an appendix comprising the full text of all three Baptist Faith and Message statements from the 20th century (1925, 1963, and 2000), in side-by-side columns for easy reference and comparison. Contributors include Al Mohler, Paige Patterson, Tom Nettles, Dorothy Patterson, E. David Cook, and C. Ben Mitchell, with a foreword by Susie Hawkins. Brief yet comprehensive, detailed yet accessible to the non-specialist, this volume is a must read for Southern Baptist professors and students, staff and church members, and anyone interested in one of the most powerful religious forces in America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742551039
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/04/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.35(w) x 9.12(h) x 0.61(d)

About the Author

Douglas K. Blount, PhD, is associate professor of philosophy of religion and assistant dean for ethics and philosophical studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also managing editor of Southwestern Journal of Theology.

Joseph D. Wooddell, PhD, is assistant professor of philosophy at Criswell College.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Preface Chapter 3 Introduction Chapter 4 Article I: The Scriptures Chapter 5 Article II: God Chapter 6 Article III: Man Chapter 7 Article IV: Salvation Chapter 8 Article V: God's Purpose of Grace Chapter 9 Article VI: The Church Chapter 10 Article VII: Baptism and the Lord's Supper Chapter 11 Article VIII: The Lord's Day Chapter 12 Article IX: The Kingdom Chapter 13 Article X: Last Things Chapter 14 Article XI: Evangelism and Missions Chapter 15 Article XII: Education Chapter 16 Article XIII: Stewardship Chapter 17 Article XIV: Cooperation Chapter 18 Article XV: The Christian and Social Order Chapter 19 Article XVI: Peace and War Chapter 20 Article XVII: Religious Liberty Chapter 21 Article XVIII: The Family Chapter 22 Appendix: The 1925, 1963, and 2000 Editions of the Baptist Faith andMessage Chapter 23 About the Contributors

Editorial Reviews

These are days when we desperately need a clearly identifiable profile of what Baptists believe. Doug Blount and Joe Wooddell have done an excellent job and have served this denomination well by editing this collection of insights on the BF&M 2000. Every Baptist in every pew needs to read this doctrinal examination.

D. McCall ("Mac") Brunson

This much-welcomed volume is a uniquely helpful resource for churches across Southern Baptist life. A fine cast of contributors have penned insightful expositions for each article of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. The book achieves the careful balance of displaying the importance of the themes being addressed while keeping the essays accessible to a wide variety of readers. I gladly recommend this volume and pray that it will help individual believers, as well as entire congregations, grow in their understanding of foundational Baptist beliefs.

David S. Dockery

Throughout their history, Baptists have published many confessional statements to show that the faith they profess, while always deeply personal, is never merely private. Forth-telling the Gospel message and how it relates to every area of life is intrinsic to the evangelical identity all Bible-believing Baptists are happy to claim. The essays in this volume constitute a commentary on the most recent Southern Baptist confession of faith. The chapter by Tom Nettles alone is worth the price of the book, but the entire volume is an important resource for understanding America's largest Protestant denomination.

Dr. Timothy George

Southern Baptists have no creed, but we have the Baptist Faith and Message, a confession, a definitive statement of our core beliefs and practices. One needs only to listen to the voices of the present generation to understand how critical it is that God's people know what they believe, and why they believe it. It is incomprehensible that a growing number of professing Christians are joining the chorus of skeptics and unbelievers in questioning the exclusivity of Christ, and Christ alone, for salvation. Philosopher Theologians Blount and Wooddell have given us a concise and easily understood guide through the basic biblical tenets of our faith. Read it now. Keep it handy. "Be ready with an answer of the hope that is in you!" [The Apostle Peter].

Morris H. Chapman

The scholarly interpretations of many of the articles have been theologically tightened from the 1963 version....This effort has led to well-written discussions.

Baptist History & Heritage

Written with careful research and clear relevance by outstanding Baptist scholars and theologians, this volume will strengthen your personal faith and reinforce our Baptist convictions. You will be grateful, as I am, for this important work and significant witness of our historic and living faith.

Dr. Jack Graham

Southern Baptists have no creed, but we have the Baptist Faith and Message, a confession, a definitive statement of our core beliefs and practices. One needs only to listen to the voices of the present generation to understand how critical it is that God's people know what they believe, and why they believe it. It is incomprehensible that a growing number of professing Christians are joining the chorus of skeptics and unbelievers in questioning the exclusivity of Christ, and Christ alone, for salvation. Philosopher Theologians Blount and Wooddell have given us a concise and easily understood guide through the basic biblical tenets of our faith. Read it now. Keep it handy. "Be ready with an answer of the hope that is in you!" [The Apostle Peter].

The scholarly interpretations of many of the articles have been theologically tightened from the 1963 version....This effort has led to well-written discussions.

These are days when we desperately need a clearly identifiable profile of what Baptists believe. Doug Blount and Joe Wooddell have done an excellent job and have served this denomination well by editing this collection of insights on the BF&M 2000. Every Baptist in every pew needs to read this doctrinal examination.

This much-welcomed volume is a uniquely helpful resource for churches across Southern Baptist life. A fine cast of contributors have penned insightful expositions for each article of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. The book achieves the careful balance of displaying the importance of the themes being addressed while keeping the essays accessible to a wide variety of readers. I gladly recommend this volume and pray that it will help individual believers, as well as entire congregations, grow in their understanding of foundational Baptist beliefs.

Throughout their history, Baptists have published many confessional statements to show that the faith they profess, while always deeply personal, is never merely private. Forth-telling the Gospel message and how it relates to every area of life is intrinsic to the evangelical identity all Bible-believing Baptists are happy to claim. The essays in this volume constitute a commentary on the most recent Southern Baptist confession of faith. The chapter by Tom Nettles alone is worth the price of the book, but the entire volume is an important resource for understanding America's largest Protestant denomination.

Written with careful research and clear relevance by outstanding Baptist scholars and theologians, this volume will strengthen your personal faith and reinforce our Baptist convictions. You will be grateful, as I am, for this important work and significant witness of our historic and living faith.

From the Publisher

The scholarly interpretations of many of the articles have been theologically tightened from the 1963 version....This effort has led to well-written discussions.

Summer / Fall 2008 Baptist History & Heritage