Covenantal, Creedal, Confessional Baptists?

[FrodoSam]

I noticed the Presbyterian forum, and wondered why there wasn't one for, say, Baptists who subscribe the 1689 LBCF?
It has been a growing movement over the past several decades, although it is usually only noticed among Reformed circles, it seems.

 

[RileyG]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

 

[David Lamb]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

Well, local baptist churches are autonomous, not individual baptists. Many baptist churches base their statement of faith on an already-existing confession of faith, such as the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, but that is their choice; there is no "baptist bishop", or synod or any other body above the local church who can force a local baptist church to accept any particular Confession of Faith. I don't know of any who do, but there could well be baptist churches where the Apostles' Creed or some other creed is included in the service.

 

[RileyG]

Well, local baptist churches are autonomous, not individual baptists. Many baptist churches base their statement of faith on an already-existing confession of faith, such as the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, but that is their choice; there is no "baptist bishop", or synod or any other body above the local church who can force a local baptist church to accept any particular Confession of Faith. I don't know of any who do, but there could well be baptist churches where the Apostles' Creed or some other creed is included in the service.

Thanks!!

 

[BBAS 64]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

Good day, Riley

There is a sticky in the fourm, that you may find helpful:

About Baptists - a reference

Baptist Beliefs There are types of Baptists. Some of the Baptist associations and conventions are: The Baptist Faith and Message (SBC) The Baptist Faith and Message Conservative Baptist Convention statement of faith Home - Conservative Baptist Network American Baptist Statement of...

www.christianforums.com

IN Him,

Bill

 

[FrodoSam]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

The proper specific, historic and Reformed confession of the Reformed Baptists of the last several decades, with great recovery of original materials occurring in the past 3, is the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. All Baptists who subscribe this instrument are creedal, meaning they hold to the primary catholic ("catholic" as in universal, not associated with the Roman church) Creeds.
The 1689 LBCF falls within the overall Reformed history, specifically of the 17th century, as all the instruments subscribed by the Reformed in that century rely upon earlier instruments from the 16th century. I can recommend some reading materials, if you're interested.

 

[RileyG]

The proper specific, historic and Reformed confession of the Reformed Baptists of the last several decades, with great recovery of original materials occurring in the past 3, is the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. All Baptists who subscribe this instrument are creedal, meaning they hold to the primary catholic ("catholic" as in universal, not associated with the Roman church) Creeds.
The 1689 LBCF falls within the overall Reformed history, specifically of the 17th century, as all the instruments subscribed by the Reformed in that century rely upon earlier instruments from the 16th century. I can recommend some reading materials, if you're interested.

You can recommend them, it will only add to my very long reading list

Thank you. I appreciate it.

 

[9Rock9]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

Some Baptist denominations have their own statements of faith. The Baptist Faith and Message is perhaps the most well known example.

Baptists don't generally recite creeds, but we would still affirm the contents of the Nicene Creed even if Baptists aren't necessarily aware of the existence of the creed itself.

 

[FrodoSam]

You can recommend them, it will only add to my very long reading list

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Sorry, RileyG, I don't get by here often. Here are a couple of books regarding the Christian teaching of the 1689 LBCF, if I can understand the way to link them here - I am used to posting in Facebook forums, where the link automatically generates a thumbnail, and that doesn't seem to be the case here. The first is, as entitled, an exposition of the 1689 LBCF by James Renihan, the President of, and a professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary; the second is a book on the covenant theology included therein by his son, Samuel Renihan, who is a pastor at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, CA. Both have written extensively. James Renihan is considered the foremost scholar on the 1689 by his peers.

Anyway, I'll try to link them through the add link above.

To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2: A Contextual-Historical Exposition of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (Founders Press) Kindle Edition

The Mystery of Christ, His Covenant, and His Kingdom Kindle Edition

 

[RileyG]

Sorry, RileyG, I don't get by here often. Here are a couple of books regarding the Christian teaching of the 1689 LBCF, if I can understand the way to link them here - I am used to posting in Facebook forums, where the link automatically generates a thumbnail, and that doesn't seem to be the case here. The first is, as entitled, an exposition of the 1689 LBCF by James Renihan, the President of, and a professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary; the second is a book on the covenant theology included therein by his son, Samuel Renihan, who is a pastor at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, CA. Both have written extensively. James Renihan is considered the foremost scholar on the 1689 by his peers.

Anyway, I'll try to link them through the add link above.

To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2: A Contextual-Historical Exposition of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (Founders Press) Kindle Edition

The Mystery of Christ, His Covenant, and His Kingdom Kindle Edition

Thanks for the response

 

[YeshuaFan]

I noticed the Presbyterian forum, and wondered why there wasn't one for, say, Baptists who subscribe the 1689 LBCF?
It has been a growing movement over the past several decades, although it is usually only noticed among Reformed circles, it seems.

Due to many Presby do not regard we Reformed Baptists as being really reformed due to us refusing to hold to infant baptism

 

[FrodoSam]

I'm curious if any Baptist have a specific confession or recite the creed. Aren't they autonomous. I'm not debating or teaching, I just really don't know anything, and would love to see someone enlighten me.

Confessional Reformed Baptists subscribe the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith, aka the 1677/89 London Baptist Confession of Faith. The chapters on God and the Holy Trinity and Christ The Mediator are in line with the Apostles' Creed, the Nicean Creed and the Chalcedonian Definition. Additionally, they have catechisms they subscribe: The Baptist Catechism, which is like the Westminster Shorter Catechism, but with the needed changes and additions suited to the the covenant theology and sacramentology of the Reformed (Particular) Baptists, and An Orthodox Catechism, which is like the Heidelberg Catechism, but with the necessary changes following the covenant theology of the Reformed Baptists and their sacramentology.

You can find all these online. Also, there is a book which just came out that is amazing called What Is A Reformed Baptist by Tom Hicks, which every Baptist, especially those who call themselves Reformed Baptists, should read.

 

[FrodoSam]

Due to many Presby do not regard we Reformed Baptists as being really reformed due to us refusing to hold to infant baptism

We have many Presbyterian brethren with whom we share much more with than with the mainline evangelical churches of today, sadly. Many of them are friendly to us, and do not condemn us and our covenant theology, ecclesiology and sacramentology, and even give messages at our conferences, while some of our esteemed brothers, likewise, give messages at their conferences - there is even interchange among our seminaries (on doctrines we all agree on, of course).

We really only differ with them on covenant theology and baptism, and some of them are actually quite close to our understanding of baptism. Ironically, our understanding of baptism comes from our covenant theology, which came, in large part, from the Paedobaptist John Owen (17th century). There are many older works of the Particular Baptists which have been recovered over the last several decades, are are now available in print, for those who wish to read them.

 

[YeshuaFan]

We have many Presbyterian brethren with whom we share much more with than with the mainline evangelical churches of today, sadly. Many of them are friendly to us, and do not condemn us and our covenant theology, ecclesiology and sacramentology, and even give messages at our conferences, while some of our esteemed brothers, likewise, give messages at their conferences - there is even interchange among our seminaries (on doctrines we all agree on, of course).

We really only differ with them on covenant theology and baptism, and some of them are actually quite close to our understanding of baptism. Ironically, our understanding of baptism comes from our covenant theology, which came, in large part, from the Paedobaptist John Owen (17th century). There are many older works of the Particular Baptists which have been recovered over the last several decades, are are now available in print, for those who wish to read them.

You are interacting with much broader minded Presby that I have so far encountered, as the ones used to dealing with look at me as a Calvinist, but not reformed, due to not holding to the Westminster Confession, and denying infant baptism