We often hear how settled the question was pertaining to the "doctrines of grace" amongst the 19th Baptists. Indeed, as Professor Tom Nettles suggests, to deny the almost universal strict Calvinism (i.e. 5 point Calvinism) of our Baptist forefathers in the Southern Baptist Convention, is to embrace what he calls "theological apostacy" and what Dr. Tom Ascol indicates is a departure from "Baptist orthodoxy" (//link).
Even so, we do not have to look far before we find, in the 19th century, not only numerous but also significant exceptions to the truncated historiography our Calvinist historians often project. We routinely log such exceptions on SBC Tomorrow. Below is another taken from a Circular Letter from the Campbell County Baptist Association (KY) and dated in 1857. Entitled "Doctrines and Practices of Baptists" Article III reads:
III. OF CHRIST. That he was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king; that he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; that he agonized in the garden; that he died on the cross for the sins of the whole world; that he was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures; that he ascended to heaven in the presence of the disciples; that he is now the mediator between God and men; and that he was God manifest in the flesh, as is evident, 1. From the fact that the work of creation is ascribed to him — John i.- 1, &c. 2. That the upholding of the universe is ascribed to him. Hebrews i.- 3. 3. In that he hath power on earth to forgive sins. Matthew ix. - 6. 4. That divine worship is commanded to be offered to him. — Hebrews i. 6. 5. That all the appellations of eternal, all-wise, all-holy, &c., as are applied to God are applied to him.
It's fairly obvious the associational letter does not reflect Limited Atonement, one of the crucial, non-negotiables of the "doctrines of grace."
We must continue to examine our history on its own factual basis without the theological lens we now wear.
With that, I am...
Peter
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