This week, a group of fourteen Baptist historians that, for the past nine years, has convened annually to study in-depth primary documents from Baptist history has released a statement entitled “An Affirmation of Common Baptist Themes.”
The identified common baptist themes are: sola Scriptura, liberty of conscience, believer’s baptism, personal experience of God, the priesthood of all believers, personal and communal devotion to God, the church as the body of Christ, local church autonomy, congregational polity, two ordinances (baptism/Lord’s Supper), voluntary cooperation among churches, religious liberty and the separation of church and state.
As the statement declares, “We believe these themes are still relevant and should continue to inform our Baptist heritage and witness.”
Bruce Gourley, Executive Director of the BH&HS, is among the signatories.
Click here to read “An Affirmation of Common Baptist Themes.”
Click here to read a copy of the Associated Baptist Press story about the statement (posted 9/28/2010).