6. 20世纪后期改革宗浸信会在美国的出现
介绍
a. 关于我们这部分学习的几个现实。首先，应该牢记的是
(1) 现代改革宗浸信会的兴起是一个历史上比较晚近的事件。据我所能确定的而言，美国第一间明确的改革宗浸信会教会是宾夕法尼亚的卡莱尔恩典浸信会教会，并且直到1950年代后期才在教义上清楚明确是改革宗的，与第一家教会一样是明确的改革宗浸信会的其他教会，直到1960年代才出现。[107] 这样，这个历史就是非常近期的历史，人们的共识是，在各种事件仍然在时间上很新近，或者甚至仍然发生的时候很难看清主在教会历史中在做什么。只有经过了一段时间，看得更清楚以后我们才能够开始评价所发生的一切。所以，我们这部分的学习往往更多的是记述所发生的事件，而不做太多的分析。现在我们继续进行，首先应该提到的是：
(2) 在基督国度的整幅大图画中，改革宗浸信会实在是一群很小至少外在上是由一些规模比较小的教会组成的一个派别。对我们这些改革宗浸信会的人来说，这虽然很卑微，却是一个现实。但是，也应当承认：
(3) 改革宗浸信会历史包含一些非常败坏和糟糕的事情，这对于见证他们的人来说是非常令人痛苦和降卑的。这类令人痛心的事情有些是男女关系上的不道德，另一些是不忠，有些是领袖公然的背道，地方教会内部以及地方教会之间的纷争，个性的冲突，以及可能有的争竞和敌对，牧师恶待羊群和其它教会，有些情况是会众恶待牧师等等。这样的事情我们还可以历数下去，但是总而言之，就是有不光彩的事情，在很多方面这些事情是难以面对的，从很多方面考虑这些事不应该成为我们注意的焦点。我们只需要学习神藉着这些事教导我们的功课就够了。
改革宗浸信会历史上有这些现实，我们为什么还要进一步学习它呢？至少有：
b. 我们进行这部分学习的三个紧密相关的原因。首先，我们应当学习更晚近的改革宗浸信会历史。因为：
(1) 知道并且面对过去的罪和错误，以便我们从中吸取教训，并且避免未来再犯，这是很重要的。有关历史的一句古话实在是很正确的――那些对历史错误无知的人必然要重倒覆辙。我们应当渴望我们在属灵上长进，不但是作为个体基督徒，而且也作为地方教会和地方教会群。更为详细地学习改革宗浸信会历史的第二个原因：
(2) 通过那段历史，主一直在把祂的教会引向对祂话语更清楚的明白和认识，我们有必要警惕，以免失去所获得的好东西，也免得在教义和实践上出现属灵的衰落，这些都是教会历史上一次又一次发生的情况。我们需要知道跟我们有共同的属灵和神学传承的那些人的历史，以便我们不失去我们靠着神的恩典所得到的美好东西。看看保罗在腓立比书3:16中对这一点的强调（查看）。
这引出了学习改革宗浸信会历史的第三个和最后一个原因：
(3) 像在所有教会历史中那样，在兴起改革宗浸信会和其它主权恩典教会的过程中，基督一直在恩慈地建造祂的教会。所以，我们作为信徒应当极大地渴望学习我们神的工作，以便祂得着祂的名所配得的一切荣耀和颂赞。记住诗篇111:1-2是怎样强调这一点的（查看）。当我们学习教会史的时候，我们主要的焦点不应当是人的失败（甚至不应该是他们的成就）失败是很多的，即使参与者是重生的人都会有很多过失。我们的主要焦点应当放在基督的奇妙作为上面，因为祂使用软弱和有缺陷的人在地上成就祂荣耀，恩慈和救赎性的目的，为使祂自己得荣耀并使一大批从各国各族来的人，得着拯救。改革宗浸信会的历史固然混杂着邪恶可悲的罪孽和失败，并且在目前同基督在地上作为的更大图景相比，显得微不足道。但是，它是神作为的一个清楚明确鼓舞人心的证据，这作为就是复兴那些曾经看似倒在街头，无人问津的祂主权恩典的荣耀真理，并且是通过非常微小的开始这样做的，这微小的开始已经以令人鼓舞的方式壮大了。
而且，如果我们有着改革宗浸信会的教义信条的话，神的这些作为就以一种特殊的方式成了我们的历史，所以我们应当对它有特别的兴趣。
[1] P. 1
[2] My former teacher, p. 1.
[3] McBeth, p. 123.
[4] Ahlstrom, p. 175
[5] P. 149.
[6] P. 176.
[7] Pp. 145-46.
[8] Armitage, p. 716.
[9] Berry, p. 52.
[10] Sweet, p. 76.
[11] My former teacher, pp. 3-4.
[12] This designation is not to be confused with the General Association of Regular Baptist churches (GARB) organized during the Modernist/Fundamentalist Controversy almost two centuries later.
[13] P. 149.
[14] P. 318.
[15] P. 150.
[16] P. 307.
[17] It will be noted that this number differs significantly from the number below for 1740 (96), but it may be that this second number is much larger because it was based on more extensive evidence, less conclusive evidence, or because it had begun to reflect the revival which broke out in late 1739. The following number may also be larger perhaps because preaching centers not yet constituted formally as local churches were included in it, but not in the 47 churches indicated by Vedder.
[18] Tracy, pp. 6-10, 132-135, 153, 154, 170-179, 187, 188.
[19] The previous three paragraphs are largely drawn from Baptist Roots, pp. 4-5, with modest alterations.
[20] The material in this section is basically from Baptist Roots, pp. 5-6, with a few slight alterations.
[21] P. 318.
[22] Noll (editor), p. 97.
[23] P. 443.
[24] The above material under section 3 is from HT4, pp. 7-8.
[25] P. 252.
[26] From p. 17 in the edition printed by Backus Book Publishers.
[27] Westminster Confession of Faith, pp. 101-02.
[28] Walker, Creeds, p. 393.
[29] Baptist Theologians, p. 104.
[30] Englizian, p. 24.
[31] Cathcart, pp. 52-53.
[32] P. 61.
[33] P. 54.
[34] P. 259.
[35] P. 54.
[36] Pp. 252.
[37] McBeth, pp. 257-58.
[38] This first of the ten amendments making up the Bill of Rights included providing for religious liberty. Its complete text is:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
[39] McBeth, pp. 253-4.
[40] P. 253.
[41] An early act of rebellion in which American colonists, dressed like American Indians, boarded British merchant ships in Boston harbor and threw the tea they were carrying overboard so that no tax upon that tea – a tax imposed by the British Parliament without their representation – could be collected.
[42] McBeth, p. 259.
[43] P. 263.
[44] A legislative body composed of representatives from the British colonies which ultimately declared independence from Great Britain.
[45] P. 113.
[46] McBeth, p. 252.
[47] McBeth, p. 252.
[48] Pp. 279-283.
[49] Shurden, p. xiii.
[50] Minutes, p. 343.
[51] P. 241.
[52] P. 366.
[53] McBeth, p. 344.
[54] P. 373.
[55] However, it is important to acknowledge that other issues also clearly contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War in the United States, including especially that of the rights of states under the U.S. constitution.
[56] Brackney, pp. 173-74.
[57] This characteristic of the society method created a practical problem for the more distant southern Baptists, for they simply could not travel long distances several times a year to several society meetings.
[58] McBeth, p 358.
[59] P. 393.
[60] P. 393.
[61] These churches were following the clear pattern of doing missionary labors found in the Bible — Acts 13:1f.
[62] Contrary to the Acts 13:1f pattern for carrying out missionary labors.
[63] Or an entire nation as with the SBC.
[64] Pp. 347-48.
[65] Baker, pp. 188-89.
[66] Baker, pp. 145-46.
[67] A similar statement of the Baptist Faith and Message with revisions was adopted in 1963. As recently as 2000, generally encouraging changes have been proposed and adopted.
[68] Pp. 609-10.
[69] Wills (pp. 116-17) indicates that Southern Baptists in Georgia during the 1840’s were very concerned to maintain the purity of their churches as evidenced by the fact that corrective church discipline was frequently used. During that time the churches excommunicated annually an average of 201 persons per 10,000 church members. But by the 1940’s, that number had fallen more than 90% to only 18 excommunicated per 10,000.
[70] P. 681.
[71] Churches in Galatia and Achaia also cooperated with one another in collecting this gift (1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 9:1-2).
[72] Article III, Baker, p. 63.
[73] Baker, p. 63.
[74] Baker, p. 64.
[75] Baker, p. 64.
[76] P. 396.
[77] It should be noted that a national or at least broader geographical association of churches might initially contain a small enough number of churches that oversight of especially some simpler, more temporary efforts could still be provided practically by the gatherings of member churches. However, unless such an association divides as it grows (as the Philadelphia Association did), a large denominational super-structure like that of the SBC will almost certainly result with actual administration and oversight effectively removed from the local churches comprising the association.
[78] Minutes, p. 4.
[79] Pp. 107-8.
[80] P. 115
[81] Pp. 360-61.
[82] Baker, p. 135.
[83] The Ideal Church, p. 58.
[84] Pp. 39.
[85] P. 60.
[86] Baker, p. 120
[87] P. 14.
[88] Mack, p. 61 – quote of doctoral thesis by Gilbert Englerth.
[89] Pp. 17-18.
[90] Pp. 61-62.
[91] Pp. 20-21.
[92] Evidently a reference to the South Carolina State Convention.
[93] Baker, p. 140.
[94] Baker, p. 140.
[95] P. 23.
[96] P. 721.
[97] P. 25.
[98] P. 61.
[99] Singer, pp. 108, 148, 183, 300, 331-335.
[100] P. 25.
[101] Baptist Roots, pp. 27-28.
[102] P. 63.
[103] P. 64.
[104] P. 63.
[105] P. 64.
[106] P. 64.
[107] By being clearly a Reformed Baptist church I mean adopting the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith or a very similar confession like the Philadelphia Confession of Faith as the confession of faith of that local church. Other Calvinistic churches which have embraced the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace or Calvinism, but are not necessarily Reformed in other areas having to do with eschatology, God’s moral law, etc., will be referenced as Sovereign Grace churches.
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