關於加爾文主義改革宗浸信會（九 ）

    F.  20世紀後期改革宗浸信會在美國的出現

       介紹。首先跟我一起看：

          a.    關於我們這部分學習的幾個現實。首先，應該牢記的是

               (1) 現代改革宗浸信會的興起是一個歷史上比較晚近的事件。據我所能確定的而言，美國第一間明確的改革宗浸信會教會是賓夕法尼亞的卡萊爾恩典浸信會教會，並且直到1950年代後期才在教義上清楚明確是改革宗的，與第一家教會一樣是明確的改革宗浸信會的其他教會，直到1960年代才出現。[107] 這樣，這個歷史就是非常近期的歷史，人們的共識是，在各種事件仍然在時間上很新近，或者甚至仍然發生的時候很難看清主在教會歷史中在做什麼。只有經過了一段時間，看得更清楚以後我們才能夠開始評價所發生的一切。所以，我們這部分的學習往往更多的是記述所發生的事件，而不做太多的分析。現在我們繼續進行，首先應該提到的是：

               (2) 在基督國度的整幅大圖畫中，改革宗浸信會實在是一群很小至少外在上是由一些規模比較小的教會組成的一個派別。對我們這些改革宗浸信會的人來說，這雖然很卑微，卻是一個現實。但是，也應當承認：

               (3) 改革宗浸信會歷史包含一些非常敗壞和糟糕的事情，這對於見證他們的人來說是非常令人痛苦和降卑的。這類令人痛心的事情有些是男女關係上的不道德，另一些是不忠，有些是領袖公然的背道，地方教會內部以及地方教會之間的紛爭，個性的衝突，以及可能有的爭競和敵對，牧師惡待羊群和其它教會，有些情況是會眾惡待牧師等等。這樣的事情我們還可以曆數下去，但是總而言之，就是有不光彩的事情，在很多方面這些事情是難以面對的，從很多方面考慮這些事不應該成為我們注意的焦點。我們只需要學習神藉著這些事教導我們的功課就夠了。

改革宗浸信會歷史上有這些現實，我們為什麼還要進一步學習它呢？至少有：

          b.    我們進行這部分學習的三個緊密相關的原因。首先，我們應當學習更晚近的改革宗浸信會歷史。因為：

               (1) 知道並且面對過去的罪和錯誤，以便我們從中吸取教訓，並且避免未來再犯，這是很重要的。有關歷史的一句古話實在是很正確的――那些對歷史錯誤無知的人必然要重倒覆轍。我們應當渴望我們在屬靈上長進，不但是作為個體基督徒，而且也作為地方教會和地方教會群。更為詳細地學習改革宗浸信會歷史的第二個原因：

               (2) 通過那段歷史，主一直在把祂的教會引向對祂話語更清楚的明白和認識，我們有必要警惕，以免失去所獲得的好東西，也免得在教義和實踐上出現屬靈的衰落，這些都是教會歷史上一次又一次發生的情況。我們需要知道跟我們有共同的屬靈和神學傳承的那些人的歷史，以便我們不失去我們靠著神的恩典所得到的美好東西。看看保羅在腓立比書3:16中對這一點的強調（查看）。

這引出了學習改革宗浸信會歷史的第三個和最後一個原因：

               (3) 像在所有教會歷史中那樣，在興起改革宗浸信會和其它主權恩典教會的過程中，基督一直在恩慈地建造祂的教會。所以，我們作為信徒應當極大地渴望學習我們神的工作，以便祂得著祂的名所配得的一切榮耀和頌讚。記住詩篇111:1-2是怎樣強調這一點的（查看）。當我們學習教會史的時候，我們主要的焦點不應當是人的失敗（甚至不應該是他們的成就）失敗是很多的，即使參與者是重生的人都會有很多過失。我們的主要焦點應當放在基督的奇妙作為上面，因為祂使用軟弱和有缺陷的人在地上成就祂榮耀，恩慈和救贖性的目的，為使祂自己得榮耀並使一大批從各國各族來的人，得著拯救。改革宗浸信會的歷史固然混雜著邪惡可悲的罪孽和失敗，並且在目前同基督在地上作為的更大圖景相比，顯得微不足道。但是，它是神作為的一個清楚明確鼓舞人心的證據，這作為就是復興那些曾經看似倒在街頭，無人問津的祂主權恩典的榮耀真理，並且是通過非常微小的開始這樣做的，這微小的開始已經以令人鼓舞的方式壯大了。

而且，如果我們有著改革宗浸信會的教義信條的話，神的這些作為就以一種特殊的方式成了我們的歷史，所以我們應當對它有特別的興趣。
　 [1]  P. 1

[2]  My former teacher, p. 1.

[3]  McBeth, p. 123.

[4]  Ahlstrom, p. 175

[5]  P. 149.

[6]  P. 176.

[7]  Pp. 145-46.

[8]  Armitage, p. 716.

[9]  Berry, p. 52.

[10]  Sweet, p. 76.

[11]  My former teacher, pp. 3-4.

[12]  This designation is not to be confused with the General Association of Regular Baptist churches (GARB) organized during the Modernist/Fundamentalist Controversy almost two centuries later.

[13]  P. 149.

[14]  P. 318.

[15]  P. 150.

[16]  P. 307.

[17]  It will be noted that this number differs significantly from the number below for 1740 (96), but it may be that this second number is much larger because it was based on more extensive evidence, less conclusive evidence, or because it had begun to reflect the revival which broke out in late 1739.  The following number may also be larger perhaps because preaching centers not yet constituted formally as local churches were included in it, but not in the 47 churches indicated by Vedder.

[18]  Tracy, pp. 6-10, 132-135, 153, 154, 170-179, 187, 188.

[19]  The previous three paragraphs are largely drawn from Baptist Roots, pp. 4-5, with modest alterations.

[20]  The material in this section is basically from Baptist Roots, pp. 5-6, with a few slight alterations.

[21]  P. 318.

[22]  Noll (editor), p. 97.

[23]  P. 443.

[24]  The above material under section 3 is from HT4, pp. 7-8.

[25]  P. 252.

[26]  From p. 17 in the edition printed by Backus Book Publishers.

[27]  Westminster Confession of Faith, pp. 101-02.

[28]  Walker, Creeds, p. 393.

[29]  Baptist Theologians, p. 104.

[30]  Englizian, p. 24.

[31]  Cathcart, pp. 52-53.

[32]  P. 61.

[33]  P. 54.

[34]  P. 259.

[35]  P. 54.

[36]  Pp. 252.

[37]  McBeth, pp. 257-58.

[38]  This first of the ten amendments making up the Bill of Rights included providing for religious liberty.  Its complete text is:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

[39]  McBeth, pp. 253-4.

[40]  P. 253.

[41]  An early act of rebellion in which American colonists, dressed like American Indians, boarded British merchant ships in Boston harbor and threw the tea they were carrying overboard so that no tax upon that tea - a tax imposed by the British Parliament without their representation - could be collected.

[42]  McBeth, p. 259.

[43]  P. 263.

[44]  A legislative body composed of representatives from the British colonies which ultimately declared independence from Great Britain.

[45]  P. 113.

[46]  McBeth, p. 252.

[47]  McBeth, p. 252.

[48]  Pp. 279-283.

[49]  Shurden, p. xiii.

[50]  Minutes, p. 343.

[51]  P. 241.

[52]  P. 366.

[53]  McBeth, p. 344.

[54]  P. 373.

[55]  However, it is important to acknowledge that other issues also clearly contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War in the United States, including especially that of the rights of states under the U.S. constitution.

[56]  Brackney, pp. 173-74.

[57]  This characteristic of the society method created a practical problem for the more distant southern Baptists, for they simply could not travel long distances several times a year to several society meetings.

[58]  McBeth, p 358.

[59]  P. 393.

[60]  P. 393.

[61]  These churches were following the clear pattern of doing missionary labors found in the Bible -- Acts 13:1f.

[62]  Contrary to the Acts 13:1f pattern for carrying out missionary labors.

[63]  Or an entire nation as with the SBC.

[64]  Pp. 347-48.

[65]  Baker, pp. 188-89.

[66]  Baker, pp. 145-46.

[67]  A similar statement of the Baptist Faith and Message with revisions was adopted in 1963.  As recently as 2000, generally encouraging changes have been proposed and adopted.

[68]  Pp. 609-10.

[69]  Wills (pp. 116-17) indicates that Southern Baptists in Georgia during the 1840's were very concerned to maintain the purity of their churches as evidenced by the fact that corrective church discipline was frequently used.  During that time the churches excommunicated annually an average of 201 persons per 10,000 church members.  But by the 1940's, that number had fallen more than 90% to only 18 excommunicated per 10,000.

[70]  P. 681.

[71]  Churches in Galatia and Achaia also cooperated with one another in collecting this gift (1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 9:1-2).

[72]  Article III, Baker, p. 63.

[73]  Baker, p. 63.

[74]  Baker, p. 64.

[75]  Baker, p. 64.

[76]  P. 396.

[77]  It should be noted that a national or at least broader geographical association of churches might initially contain a small enough number of churches that oversight of especially some simpler, more temporary efforts could still be provided practically by the gatherings of member churches.  However, unless such an association divides as it grows (as the Philadelphia Association did), a large denominational super-structure like that of the SBC will almost certainly result with actual administration and oversight effectively removed from the local churches comprising the association.

[78]  Minutes, p. 4.

[79]  Pp. 107-8.

[80]  P. 115

[81]  Pp. 360-61.

[82]  Baker, p. 135.

[83]  The Ideal Church, p. 58.

[84]  Pp. 39.

[85]  P. 60.

[86]  Baker, p. 120

[87]  P. 14.

[88]  Mack, p. 61 - quote of doctoral thesis by Gilbert Englerth.

[89]  Pp. 17-18.

[90]  Pp. 61-62.

[91]  Pp. 20-21.

[92]  Evidently a reference to the South Carolina State Convention.

[93]  Baker, p. 140.

[94]  Baker, p. 140.

[95]  P. 23.

[96]  P. 721.

[97]  P. 25.

[98]  P. 61.

[99]  Singer, pp. 108, 148, 183, 300, 331-335.

[100]  P. 25.

[101]  Baptist Roots, pp. 27-28.

[102]  P. 63.

[103]  P. 64.

[104]  P. 63.

[105]  P. 64.

[106]  P. 64.

[107]  By being clearly a Reformed Baptist church I mean adopting the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith or a very similar confession like the Philadelphia Confession of Faith as the confession of faith of that local church.  Other Calvinistic churches which have embraced the doctrines of God's sovereign grace or Calvinism, but are not necessarily Reformed in other areas having to do with eschatology, God's moral law, etc., will be referenced as Sovereign Grace churches.