Why am I still a Baptist? Fundamentally, I remain a Baptist because I am convinced that the Baptist tradition in addition to being in line with the core and catholic tenants of the Christian faith best reflects what the Scriptures teach on the nature of the ordinances and the Church. Or, put differently, I remain a Baptist because I am in theological agreement with Baptistic distinctives.

Yet, as we all know, there is a lot more to denominational identity than mere theological convictions: The objective of this blog series has thus been to illuminate, analyze, and respond to an array of ideas and forces that draw Baptists away from the Baptist tradition. While these movements and their selling points/defining features certainly have theological impetus and implications, they often prove attractive and tempting to Baptists for philosophical, aesthetic, and emotional reasons:

I have acknowledged the validity of many of the criticisms of the contemporary Baptist/Evangelical world, and I have also appreciated some of the points positively presented by proponents of these distinct movements. Yet, the objective of this series has been clear from the outset: To show that these movements offer no legitimate cause to abandon one’s Baptistic convictions.

As shown in detail, the Baptist tradition is neither opposed to a robust, confessional identity, nor does it reject reverent and liturgical worship, and neither is it historically disconnected and rootless. In fact, as seen throughout various points in Baptist history, Baptists have participated in and, at times, even championed the very concepts that critics claim are incompatible with Baptist thought. As I have and will continue to argue: Baptists can be and should be confessionally, liturgically, and historically minded. To embrace these precepts will not alienate us from our forebearers but rather bring us closer to them. The theological truth of Baptist convictions will only be strengthened if we (continue to) embrace our historic confessions, promote a reverent and liturgical low-church worship, and encourage a thorough engagement with patristic and medieval church history.

So again, why am I still a Baptist? I remain a Baptist because I don’t have to leave this tradition to find what so many of my peers are looking for in other traditions. The solution to valid but secondary criticisms is not to abandon our local churches and principles of primary importance. Rather, it is to patiently and humbly promote scripturally sound reform in our churches whenever possible and appropriate.

To that end, here are some books I recommend to Baptists seeking to better understand their tradition, former-Baptists who left without fully appreciating the Baptist tradition, and non-Baptists who would like to know more about the Baptist tradition:

To understand Baptist origins and critical points of historical development: The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement by Anthony L. Chute, Michael Haykin, and Nathan A. Finn

To understand the early development of Baptist covenant theology: From Shadow to Substance: The Federal Theology of the English Particular Baptists (1642-1704) by Samuel D. Renihan

To understand the early development of Baptist polity and church governance: Edification and Beauty: The Practical Ecclesiology of the English Particular Baptists, 1675-1705 by James M. Renihan

To understand the historic position of Baptists on the Lord’s Supper: The Lord’s Supper as a Means of Grace: More Than a Memory by Richard C. Barcellos

To receive an introduction of how Baptist can and should approach Patristics: Rediscovering the Church Fathers: Who They Were and How They Shaped the Church by Michael A. G. Haykin

To know where you are going requires you to know where you came from!