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Baptists and the Bible

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Again Drs. Nettles and Bush write in an authoritarian manner by going to primary sources for their information. Liberals may not like this book due to the fact that the majority of Baptists have always held a high view of the inspiration of Scripture. Some would naturally discredit this book but Nettles and Bush anticipate that by going to the primary sources (some dating even to the 1600's), as opposed to the secondary sources so often used by people today. For those interested in the documentary hypothesis and its detrimental effect on scripture, chapter eight will be of imdespensable value. Nettles and Bush evaluate the impact of German philosphy on the Higher Critical movement. This book should be on the shelf of all historians of Church and Scripure.

If you missed the original edition of this book in the 1980's then you have a great reading experience ahead of you. Dr. Bush and Dr. Nettles explain in this book why Baptists have changed their view of the Bible over the years.

If you don't understand why there are so many opinions and disagreements among Southern Baptists today then read this book and your eyes will be opened and your mind will be stretched as you follow the history of Baptists and their view of the Bible from the 1600's to the present day.

Southern Baptist have recently gone through a period of tumult over the question of biblical authority, and more specifically, biblical inerrancy.

Does the Bible have errors in any field of reality? Does the Bible contain errors when it comes to science or history?

Conservatives within the Southern Baptist Convention chose to face this question head on. Today, the inerrantist view of Scripture has become the prominent position of most everyone in Baptist leadership.

Baptists and the Bible (Broadman & Holman, 1999) by Russ Bush and Tom Nettles, was very influential during the early years of the Southern Baptist debate over inerrancy. It first was released in 1980, right at the time when the political battle over theology was beginning in Baptist life.

Baptists and the Bible was instrumental in that it makes a strong case for Baptist continuity between contemporary inerrantists and the forefathers of the Baptist heritage. Bush and Nettles argue that inerrancy is not something new in Baptist life. Historical documentation establishes a wide consensus on this issue in the past.

Baptists and the Bible is not primarily about the controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention during the last decades of the last century. It is a book of history and theology. With meticulous historical detail, the book outlines a Baptist theology of the Word of God through the centuries, asking such potent questions as:

How is the Bible authoritative?
How is the Bible inerrant?
How is the Bible both a message from God and from man?
This influential book made the case that inerrancy is not an innovation, but rather the historic doctrine of Baptists throughout history.

The most interesting and enlighening subject in this book was in the very first part (chapture two, to be exact) when the two separate groups of Baptists are discussed. All my life (life-long baptist) I was told that every person had free-will to chose for himself whether or not to believe in Christ as his savior. I did not know that there was a group of Calvinist Baptistwho held to predestination. It seems that many in the Baptist Church are espousing that doctrine again. The authors have done every Baptist a great service writing this book. It should be read and re-read by every Baptist if not every Protestant. Very disturbing but very informative book.

Drs. Bush & Nettles provide an eye-opening historical presentation of the alterations in the Baptist view of the inerrancy of Scripture over roughly 4 centuries. It is an immaculate, surgical dissection of the progressive decline of the most fundamental of positions Baptists can hold: the veracity and accuracy of the one document establishing their faith, and the faith of all true Christians: the Bible.

While examining other issues within the framework of Baptist theology, all issues of difference among Baptists devolve to the fundamental principles of whether the Bible addresses those issues directly or indirectly; and can we trust what it says. If it is truly the word of God and has been passed through history without error, as Baptists have historically believed, then all matters of life and practice must ultimately be ruled by the Biblical view.

Theirs is a powerful call back to the key, first issue - the first presuppositional commitment - Baptists and all true Christians must finally decide; that is, what and who their authority will be. This is also a glimpse into the seminal thought processes of Dr. Thomas J. Nettles as he, with others in the Southern Baptist and Reformed Baptist community, developed a strategy to return modern-day Southern Baptists to their historical theological roots in the doctrines of grace, or Calvinism. That strategy has been to pray, to open the Bible to many, to tell the truth about the historic faith regardless of personal cost, and to teach all who would listen, all who have ears to hear.

(That in itself is an incredible story of a significant level of success, from all outward appearances at least, in returning a denomination to doctrinal soundness. Though none would claim that it has been completely successful in returning the entirety of the denomination to doctrinal purity, the gradually growing return to the faith of their Baptist and Reformed fathers has been a fascinating display of the power of God in working through his people. Many - myself included - chose to leave the Southern Baptist Convention, convinced history has demonstrated clearly that denominations on a downgrade never recover; and yet there are signs that the Southern Baptist return to historic Christianity - historic Baptist beliefs - is taking place.)

Every Baptist should make this part of their library; every pastor should read this with understanding and decide which side they are on. Every church should use this book to check their own position and recall a cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation: 'Sola Scriptura' (Scripture alone).