The Faith of our Fathers: Georgia Baptists & Evangelical Calvinism

The December 7, 2006 edition of the Christian Index has published a wonderful and much needed article by Dr. Tom Nettles, entitled, An Historical Pespective on Calvinism. This is Dr. Nettles' response to the previously printed statements and assertions made by certain Georgia Baptists regarding Calvinism and its ever growing rise in the SBC. As being a Baptist historian of the highest scholarship, Dr. Nettles reminds us all of the theological heritage we cannot escape as Baptists, and especially as Southern Baptists. Like it or not, our doctrinal pedigree was historic evangelical Calvinism.

One of the facts which Dr. Nettles brings to light in his article, concerns the history of Georgia Baptists. He states: "Virtually every Georgia Baptist Association followed the Charleston Confession or an abstract of it." The Charleston Confession was the adoption of the Philadelphia Confession (pub. 1742) which was the adoption of the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. Each of these confessions were thoroughly reformed or Calvinistic in their doctrine. Now as to their connection with Georgia Baptists, there is an interesting and significant footnote that I would like to add in support of Dr. Nettles aforementioned statement.

In 1790, there existed at that time only five Georgia Baptist churches. These churches were strongly evangelical and unashamedly Calvinistic. But in 1790 there were two events that would greatly challenge their doctrinal convictions. The first event was the theological defection of one of their own pastors, a man by the name of Jeremiah Walker (1746-1792). Walker changed his doctrinal views from Calvinism to Arminianism, and then began proclaiming strongly his new found position which started producing division among the pastors and churches. The second event to challenge these five Georgia Baptist churches, was the arrival of Wesleyan Methodists in Georgia. They were very hostile and aggressive against Calvinism and naturally created quite a stir among the Georgia Baptists. So in response to the Arminianism of Walker and the Wesleyan Methodists, what do you suppose the Georgia Baptists decided to do? They believed that the only action necessary was to draw up their own confession of faith which would state clearly to everyone where they stood concerning the truth of God's Word.

So in May of 1790, these five Georgia Baptist churches (which had already formed the Georgia Baptist Association in 1784) framed and adopted their own articles of faith, which was an abstract of the Charleston and Philadelphia confessions. The third, fourth, and sixth article in this confession should leave no one in doubt as to where the original Georgia Baptists stood in relation to historic Calvinism:

3rd. We believe in the fall of Adam, and the imputation of his sin to his posterity. In the corruption of human nature, and the impotency of man to recover himself

by his own free will - ability.

4th. We believe in the everlasting love of God to his people, and the eternal election of a definite number of the human race, to grace and glory; And that the covenant of grace or redemption made between the Father and the Son, before the world began, in which their salvation is secure, and that they in particular are redeemed.

6th. We believe that all those who were chosen in Christ, will be effectually called, regenerated, converted, sanctified, and supported by the spirit and power of God,

so that they shall persevere in grace, and not one of them be finally lost.

Now the point of course to this historical snap-shot is to simply affirm two important facts which all Georgia Baptists need to weigh and consider: first, confessional Calvinism was the original position of these early Baptist churches. This therefore is our heritage. But even more importantly, this was the theology which the early Georgia Baptists believed strongly was the theology of God's Word. Were they right or wrong in this belief? Georgia Baptists today would do well to be good Bereans and check out the faith of their forefathers by the what the Scriptures teach (I of course believe they were biblically sound). Secondly, the confessional Calvinism of these early Georgia Baptists did not in any way quench their zeal for evangelism and missions. For example, Kiokee Baptist Church (the first continuing Baptist church in Georgia) was responsible in its first forty years, for the planting of 140 Baptist churches in Georgia and which saw the addition of almost 11,000 members. This was a confessional Calvinistic church - and yet, they labored hard and faithful to spread the gospel far and wide for the glory of God. They were evangelical Calvinists! Hmmm...no oxymoron here.