...Liberty University The Contribution of Baptists in the Struggle for Religious Freedom A Research Paper Submitted to Dr. Jason J. Graffagnino in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Course CHHI 665 Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary by Brian M. Hyde Lynchburg, Virginia Saturday, December 6, 2014 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 IN THE BEGINNING 2 THE STRUGGLE IN ENGLAND 4 THE STRUGGLE MOVES TO THE NEW WORLD 7 CONCLUSION 11 WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY 14 INTRODUCTION In this nation, and in much of the Western world, the right of each individual to worship as his or her own conscience dictates, or not to worship at all, is one that is all too often taken for granted. Few consider the tremendous lengths gone to and the enormous price paid by so many to obtain and preserve this right. In the United States when one does reflect on this matter his or her thoughts rightfully focus on the many men and women of the armed forces who fought to gain and keep the freedoms the citizens of this nation enjoy. What is often overlooked is the contributions of Baptists in the centuries long struggle to obtain religious freedom. Their struggle began not in the American colonies but rather in England a century earlier. “The freedom of religious belief and behavior which modern Baptists and others take for granted was forged in the crucible of persecution in seventeenth-century England” McBeth adds that, “No group can claim more credit for the Act of Toleration, passed by Parliament...
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...buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. John the Baptist mentions that he will baptise in water, but someone mightier than he, will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. Baptism and the Spiritual gifts are the two major things that I will address. The argument that I will be looking at is the baptism...
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...The Evolution of John the Baptist in Christianity John the Baptist is one of a few recognized prophets in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. John lived by the Jordan River in Perea as an Essene Jew, around the time of Jesus’ ministry. Many know John as a non-divine apocalyptic preacher who claimed baptism would help one get into heaven, and it would be disadvantageous to ignore baptism. John is relevant to understanding historical Jesus not only because he baptized Jesus but because of their conflicting similarities. John and Jesus were both apocalyptic preachers, in the Essene Jewish sub-group, and popular during antiquity. Many scholars actually believe John was more popular in antiquity. Because of his greater popularity, many argue who kick started Christianity John or Jesus? One can see this argument through artistic paintings of John. Art was an important media for communication during antiquity. As Professor Boccaccini mentioned in lecture, most people in antiquity could not read; therefore, they used paintings to communicate. Painters use symbolic elements in their paintings to portray a message. These symbolic elements, such as red for matador, acted as stories or religious instruction (Boccaccini). Just as a written source, one can extract information from these paintings to find out about the historical character John. The first popular painting of John the Baptist originated in the 12th Century, right after the fourth crusade. During this time, medieval...
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...themselves or this sometimes confusing subject. Purpose In order to explain the purpose of a person being baptized, we must first start by understanding what baptism truly is. “The Greek word ‘baptizo” means to immerse, plunge, dip, or bury in water. The Greek word itself excludes it form meaning “sprinkling”.” Now when a person is baptized in water, the person’s body is completely immersed in water and then pulled out. When thinking about what this symbolizes for people, “it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ” and then that person’s identification with Him in their body. There are many great examples in scripture when dealing with the subject of baptism. In Mark 1:4-5, the Bible talks about John the Baptist, “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” This verse is big; it shows the power that this act had on people back in the biblical times. Continuing to go through scripture there is another powerful verse in Acts 2:38-39 which states, “Peter replied,...
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...As Douglass presents such a staunch argument against slavery in the midst of Christianity, it raises the question of how such a large denomination, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, ended up justifying slavery. Dr. Fuller, a prominent Baptist scholar stated, “The fact, dear brother, seems to me to simply be this: it never entered the apostles’ minds that the authority of Christian masters was sinful, and by the strongest implication they confirmed it” (Fuller, 142). Others, Dr. Fuller included, argued slavery was endorsed by the Old Testament, thus meaning it was endorsed after the life of Christ as well. Another argument for slavery was found in the letter of Philemon, where Paul encourages Onesimus to go back to his master. The vast...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A Research Paper on the “The Contribution of Baptists in the Struggle for Religious Freedom” Submitted to Dr. Jason J. Graffagnino, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of CHHI 665 – B04 History of Baptists by Elizabeth Linz Barthelemy February 1, 2015 Contents Introduction 1 The Baptist Origin 2 The separatists/puritans 2-3 The First Baptists Believers 4-5 The American Baptist Contribution to “religious liberty ideal”...............................................6 Rhode Island, Plymouth, and Pennsylvania Colonies......................................................7-8 The South Colonies and Their Struggle for “Religious Liberty” 9-11 Conclusion 12 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................13-15 Introduction “Religious Liberty” is a good and perfect gift from above. Contrary to populace belief “the separation of church and state,” did not originate with the ACLU but for the most part, it originated with the first British Baptists that arrived in Colonial America they were defenders of true “religious liberty.” Moreover, the distinction between religious liberty and tolerance of religion is significant. “Religious liberty” is a right of every men, however, tolerance is...
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...Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Book Critique: Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ A Paper Submitted to Professor Larry McDonald In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course Ecclesiology Theo 620 By Matt Dover September 8, 2012 Bibliography Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ. Thomas R. Schreiner & Shawn D. Wright. Nashville: B & H, 2007. 359 pages. Reviewed by Matt B. Dover Authorship Thomas R. Schreiner is the professor of New Testament Interpretation and the Associate Dean of Scripture and Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to this he served for 11 years at Bethel Theological Seminary, and he also taught New Testament at Azusa Pacific Seminary. Schreiner is the author of numerous books and articles. He is also the pastor of Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Shawn D. Wright is the Assistant Professor of Church History at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to this he served the Southern Baptist churches in New England. Wright also serves as the pastor at Clifton Baptist Church alongside Schreiner. He is also noted for writing various articles and journals. He also serves as a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. Thesis Statement The goal of this book is to recover and maintain an adequate and proper view on the role of baptism in the believer’s life...
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...origin is derived from the word “kristen”.1 Kristen translates into making followers of Christ.2 The Greek word for baptize is baptizein, which translates to immerse.3 Whereas, the most commonly recognized Greek word for baptism is baptizó. There are many scriptures in the New Testament that provide the purpose of baptism. For a Christian, being baptized is an important step in a Christian’s life. It is a process of ridding one of sin so they can live their life according to God’s Will. John 3:15 tells that “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” For Christians, they need to be baptized by a form of water in order to go to God’s Kingdom. ------------------------------------------------- Those who want to be baptized must accept and proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. After He is accepted as the one and only Savior, the person is baptized by going under water in the same manner as John the Baptist. There are three main components that baptism stands for: death, burial and resurrection as Paul describes in Romans 6:1-4. Believers identify this with the fact Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. Mark 16:15-16 states, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes ------------------------------------------------- 1. Hospodár, Michal. "Baptism and its Consequences for our Life." E-Theologos 3, no. 2...
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...A Baptist policy on immigration and asylum seekers The world currently faces a global refugee crisis with up to 40 million displaced people (the majority of whom are women and children). Australia currently accepts around 13,750 refugees each year as part of total planned annual immigration of around 182,000 people. This paper identifies social and political problems relating to asylum seekers and refugees. It examines the biblical teaching on a responsible Christian approach to asylum seekers and refugees, and discusses some of the ways in which Australian Baptists have responded to the challenges of immigration and asylum seekers. It concludes with a new policy proposal for the consideration of Australian Baptist Ministries, the various State and Territory Baptist Unions, and local churches. There is also a guide to further information. The situation facing Australia today Immigration policy is one of the two most bitterly contested issues in Australian politics, and has been for more than ten years. People who seek asylum by boat, and various policy instruments designed to deter both asylum seekers and people smugglers, have been at the heart of an increasingly contentious public and political discussion in Australia for more than a decade. The debate has polarised large sections of the Australian community and prevented many politicians from engaging in a constructive policy dialogue. With little to differentiate their product, especially on economic and employment...
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...Research Paper Of “A Select Issue in Contemporary Theology: Charismatic Theology." THEO 510-C03 LUO (Fall 2012) Survey of Christian Doctrine Dr. Eunice Abogunrin, Professor Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Carol H. Montgomery (ID# 24993689) November 11, 2012 CONTENTS COVER PAGE 1 CONTENTS 2 THESIS 3 INTRODUCTION 3 CHARSMATIC GIFTS DEBATE 3-12 CONCLUSION 12 BIBLIOGRAPHY 13 INTRODUCTION This research paper will show that biblical referred to as glossolalia; the ability to “speak in tongues” is fiercely debated. While the Bible gives clear examples of genuine glossolalia, which will be examined later, the modern debate centers around the need or not, nature, importance, and usage of “tongues” today. Lastly, this paper will examine the biblical accounts of glossolalia along with more occurrences that are contemporary to determine whether modern episodes of “tongues” are needed or not needed. Out of all the gifts, the one that Paul speaks of the most controversial is the gift of tongues. "Glossolalia" is the most commonly accepted term for "speaking in tongues." It comes from the Greek words meaning "tongues" or "languages," and "to speak." Although not exclusively, "speaking in tongues" is primarily practiced by Pentecostal Christians. Glossolalia is the "prayer language" of Pentecostal churches. Some Christians who speak in tongues believe they are speaking in an existing language. Most believe they are uttering a heavenly...
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...representation of God and say it is correct in their eyes. The very fact that many artists have depicted God in their paintings shows that it is not impossible to set out to portray Him, it is just a case of whether or not they have done so in such a way that the Christian community feels that it is adequate enough. There are two main aspects of debate regarding the depiction of God. First, a consideration of the concept of incarnation and its implications for artists. Essentially through the incarnation of God in Christ, a route opens that allows an approximation in capturing the divine essence. In effect this argument proposes that Christian art is possible through establishing the divine in the content of art. The second is the notion of God as ‘creator’ and ‘in creation’ which leads into a different way of understanding how Christian art is possible. Here, the focus of my argument is on how the essence of the divine is embodied in the process of artistry, as opposed to its content. Artistic possibility through Incarnation An artist attempting to paint God without using the incarnate Christ would struggle to universally satisfy Christians (and possibly some non-Christians) because God is not described in any great length in the Bible, so it becomes very difficult to visualise Him and peoples’ personal portrayals vary. However, God is represented in the form of Christ (on the basis that the idea of the Holy Trinity is taken to be true) and is explored extensively a lot in the New...
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...For centuries, people from diverse religions and cultures have searched for substantial data in order to better understand the true nature and identity of Jesus. Some contend that he was a prophet; others worship him as a god, while many others assert that he was merely a wise teacher with no link to the divine. In the second part of Graham Stanton’s book, The Gospels and Jesus, Jesus’ intentions, teachings, and downfall are examined and assessed with notable order and clarity, all in an attempt to resolve the fundamental question of Part II: who was Jesus of Nazareth? Stanton launches Part II with a chapter entitled “What do we know about Jesus of Nazareth?” Here, the debate as to whether or not Jesus existed is considered by exploring archaeological evidence from outside the gospels in an effort to establish what is known about Jesus. He cites various non-Christian, Jewish, and Christian sources after opening the chapter with a theory by G.A. Wells which argues that it was not until 100 CE that Jesus was worshipped as a “Savior” figure. Wells maintains that before 150 CE, there is no independent non-Christian support for the existence of Jesus and that the authors of the four New Testament gospels invented their traditions about the life of Jesus. As Stanton argues, this does not entirely make sense, since it is difficult to find signs of the convictions, emphases, and conflicts of the Christians of that period in the canonical gospels. Stanton continues to refer to...
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...Kevin Combs RELI-3350.1 Chad Spigel 11-9-2009 Beyond the Essene Hypothesis Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars have come up with a variety of theories surrounding the origins and nature of the Essene community at Khirbet Qumran. Gabriele Boccaccini discusses his theory on the origins of the Essene movement, specifically at Khirbet Qumran, in his book Beyond the Essene Hypothesis. In his book, Boccaccini argues that the Essene movement was actually an offspring of Enochic Judaism during the Second Temple period, which later led to the parties of Jesus and John the Baptist. Boccaccini looks at the historiographical analysis and systematic analysis of the Essene community at Qumran to construct his argument. Boccaccini believes that Khirbet Qumran was not the only Essene settlement, but a group of Essenes which were further isolated from society, and followed a stricter covenant than the mainstream Essene community. Beyond the Essene Hypothesis does not suggest anything too radical regarding the Essene hypothesis; but, Boccaccini believes that the term “Qumran” and “Essene” should not be interchangeable with one another. Qumran was merely one example of an Essene settlement throughout the Palestinian area of that time. Comparing the historical writings of Jewish to non-Jewish authors, Boccaccini largely looks at the writings of Philo; the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus; and Pliny the Elder for historiographical analysis. Boccaccini looks at the ancient...
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...köstenberger and stephen o. stout southeastern baptist theological seminary Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006) makes a persuasive argument that the Gospels display eyewitness testimony and thus renews the quest for the identity of the Beloved Disciple as the author of the Fourth Gospel. While Bauckham attributes this Gospel to “the presbyter John” mentioned by Papias, the authors of this study show that the patristic evidence more likely seems to support the authorship of John the apostle and that the literary device of inclusio in the Fourth Gospel, astutely observed by Bauckham, also favors the authorship of John the son of Zebedee. Key Words: Fourth Gospel, Beloved Disciple, John, authorship, apostle, Zebedee, John the Elder, Papias, Eusebius, Muratorian Fragment, Polycrates, Irenaeus, Bauckham Introduction Recent years have witnessed a significant number of publications on the identity of “the disciple Jesus loved” in John’s Gospel. The ever more daring proposals have included identifications of this figure as diverse as the apostle Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, James the son of Zebedee, and even the Samaritan woman, among others. 1 Most recently, Richard Bauckham has weighed in on this debate in his landmark volume Jesus and the 1. Thomas: James H. Charlesworth, The Beloved Disciple: Whose Witness Validates the Gospel of John? (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International...
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...A BIBLICAL EVALUATION OF THE MULTI-SITE CHURCH —————————— A Paper Presented to Dr. Michael H. Windsor Central Baptist Theological Seminary of VA Beach —————————— In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course 354 Systematic Theology 4 —————————— Submitted by: Matthew E.Vanderwarker February 27, 201 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................3 THE DEFINITION OF MULTI-SITE CHURCH ..............................................................4 THE MEANING OF ΕΚΚΛΕΣΙΑ ......................................................................................6 Lexical Definition .....................................................................................................6 Biblical Usage ...........................................................................................................7 Profane Usage ...........................................................................................................8 Etymology and Meaning ............................................................................................8 ΕΚΚΛΕΣΙΑ AS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH ...................................................10 NEW TESTAMENT EVIDENCE FOR MULTI-SITE CHURCH ..................................11 The House Church and Paul's Writings ............................................................................12 The House Church and Luke's Writings ...
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