Book recommendation, not a review

Are Baptists Reformed? Kenneth H. Good. Lorain, OH: Regular Baptist Heritage Fellowship, 1986. 394 pp.

Is the moniker "Reformed Baptist" a contradiction? What does it mean? Kenneth Good can help, with his book Are Baptists Reformed. This is not a review of  Good's book, but simply a recommendation of it. I recently purchased it from Backus Book Publishers, Rochester, NY. I have not yet read it, but scanned  a number of representative pages. With this scan, it is obvious that this book will be of great interest to me, even though it is equally obvious that there are some parts with which I will not agree.

The late 20th century and beginning of the 21st has seen a revival of Calvinistic soteriology among Baptists. Such revival offers some welcome contrast to theology that had become increasingly human-centered and even at times suggestive of Pelagianism. But that revival has brought with it the dilatory side-effect of some looking to the Reformers as the acme of theological wisdom -- and adopting some of the non-Baptist ways. Good's book is a deliberate attempt to contrast Baptist theology -- even such that is "Calvinistic" soteriologically -- with the theology of the Reformers. What is the difference?

Good highlights the differences in 4 categories. He says Baptists differ from the Reformed:

1. In their views of the Word of God
2. In their views of the church considered as an organism
3. In their views of the church considered as an organization
4. In their philosophy of history

Good apparently has no objection to learning from the Reformers where we can, but his book offers important corrections. Baptist distinctives should not be watered down by creating just one more slightly different version of Reformed churches. One reason that I am getting out this recommendation is that Backus Book Publishers is offering an overstock sale price for this worthy book. Finding a $24.95 retail book of 394 pages for only $5 is quite a deal! Is there any reason not to buy it? Strike while the iron is hot.

To order, go to Backus Books Special Offer.