Mar 05 2008
Recovering Baptist Sacramentalism
More Than A Symbol: The British Baptist Recovery of Baptismal Sacramentalism
Stanley K. Fowler
Paternoster Press, 2002
ISBN: 1842270524
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I doubt it will make many Christmas wish lists. Nor is it likely to be found on the “must read” list of books pastors anticipate reading this year. Nevertheless, Stan Fowler’s More Than a Symbol: The British Baptist Recovery of Baptismal Sacramentalism (Paternoster Press, 2002) is a book that deserves wide reading and vigorous discussion among evangelicals, certainly among Baptists and other Christians practicing believer’s baptism by immersion.
Stan Fowler, Professor of Theological Studies at Heritage Seminary (Cambridge, ON) contends that much current understanding about the ordinance (sacrament) of baptism is inadequate, both in terms of what the Bible teaches and how Baptists have historically understood the rite.
Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University characterizes the book as “a much needed and long overdue challenge to the ‘low’ view of Baptist liturgical life.” John Webster, formerly at Oxford University and now Professor of Systematic Theology at Aberdeen University, says it is a “fine study - historically judicious, theologically astute, spiritually alert” and an “exemplary piece of Christian scholarship.”
OK, so he gets high marks from fellow academicians, but does Fowler connect with the average reader? While it is not “Bethany House fiction”, I believe any serious Christian will find this a compelling read. The real challenge will be in how the reader processes the author’s conclusions.
As the title notes, Fowler intends to demonstrate that present-day British Baptists have recovered an earlier understanding of Baptism as a sacrament. A publisher’s blurb states, “…baptism must be interpreted as an effective sign, a meeting place of grace and faith, a sacrament rather than a mere symbol.” It seems evident that the history supports this conclusion. As for the biblical texts and theological formulations, I encourage readers to grapple with the implications as I do myself.
The book opens with an historical survey of Baptist views of sacramentalism from 1600-1900. Fowler examines Baptist confessions of faith, early Baptist writers and major Baptist leaders. He concludes that the commonly accepted view that Baptists have always understood baptism as purely symbolic is simply incorrect. As the Baptist Catechism (a 17th century document to be used with the Second London Confession of 1677/1689) says: ”[Baptism is a] means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption.”
Though the earliest Baptist leaders held a sacramental view of Baptism, it became evident that this view began to dissipate until major British Baptist leaders in the 20th century began to reformulate the sacramental understanding of earlier times.
In the central section of the book, Stan Fowler tackles the pertinent biblical texts, demonstrating how earlier Baptists understood those texts, as well as how he himself reads them. He concludes by examining how these exegetical conclusions mesh with the larger body of systematic theology.
As all who have been privileged to sit under his teaching know, and that includes me, Stan Fowler is a man of integrity. Though firm in his convictions, Stan Fowler lets his writing follow the evidence wherever it leads. You may or may not agree with his conclusions, but you will be compelled to respect his humble, irenic spirit.
For those feeling little inclination to pick up the book, remember that baptism is a critically important facet of Christian life and practice. Did not our Lord Jesus Christ commission his followers to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (Matt. 28:19)? Should we not ensure that our understanding of baptism conforms to Scripture? Since the very first act taken by a “disciple” is to submit to baptism, is it not evident that knowing its full significance is vitally important for all Christians?
Several years ago, my own denomination (Fellowship Baptists) was working through this very issue with one of its larger churches. The Fellowship Baptist Affirmation of Faith states that we practice believer’s baptism by immersion. It is a requirement for membership in the denomination. This congregation wanted to create a new category of membership to make room for those who had not been immersed as believers. In their view, the New Testament practice of baptism by immersion was “descriptive, not prescriptive.”
During the ongoing discussions, I remember the comment of a colleague in ministry who felt we should make room for this revised understanding of baptism. When I reminded him of the historic Baptist understanding, and of our own Affirmation of Faith, his only response was, “I refuse to be held captive to a historic understanding of being a Baptist.”
Without question, we need studies like Stan Fowler’s More Than a Symbol. While the Fellowship’s discussion about baptism related more to mode (i.e. immersion, sprinkling, pouring), the circumstances surrounding that discussion revealed a woefully inadequate understanding of the importance of baptism in the life of God’s people.
More Than a Symbol is not bed-time reading. It demands concentration coupled with an openness to having long-held assumptions challenged. In our programmatically-glutted, results-driven ministry milieu, this may be too much to ask, but one can always hope.
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This review first appeared in ChristianWeek.