– 2min Read
Michael A. G. Haykin is the Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Biblical Studies and a Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands: Recovering Sacrament in the Baptist Tradition written by Haykin is a helpful treatment of Baptist history concerning the varying views of the ordinances of the Church. Haykin takes the reader through time following some of the Baptist controversies, hymns, and writings on the Lord’s Supper and baptism in only 160 pages, but it feels more like a devotional. He shows the reader how Particular Baptists historically held to a more Reformed understanding of the sacraments.
History shows that most Baptists did not subscribe to a “memorial view” of the Lord’s Supper, which is the popular view now in the 21st century, nor did they hold to Consubstantiation like the Lutherans either; but that most Baptists followed in the way of John Calvin, holding to a “spiritual presence view.” The spiritual presence view is that Christ is spiritually present in the supper by faith, through the Holy Spirit [1].
Haykin shows how the Lord’s Supper was just as important to Baptists as baptism was. Most people often forget that 16th – 18th century Baptists were passionate about things besides baptism. We see membership, polity, the Lord’s Supper and even hymn singing were all controversies that arose in the Baptist community during this period. Haykin takes us briefly through these things while showing us famous Baptists such as Anne Dutton, Joseph Stennett, William Kiffin, Andrew Fuller, John Bunyan, and others.
Haykin encourages Baptist readers to return to their Baptist heritage and the convictions they historically held at the end of the book. This book will serve people well who would like a light introduction to Baptist history concerning stances on the ordinances of the New Covenant [2].
[1] For an even more in-depth read on Calvin’s view of the Lord’s Supper see Given For You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper by Keith A. Mathison.
[2] For a deeper look into Baptist History please see The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement by Dr. Anthony L. Chute, Dr. Nathan A. Finn, and Michael A. G. Haykin.