The Baptist Confession - 1689 or 1688

[Eoghan]

What is the date of the Confession? Is there a second (earlier) Confession or version? The reason I ask is that I came across the '88 date on a Seminary website. Before I correct them thought I'd better check.

 

[TaylorOtwell]

The confession was actually written in 1677; however, because of persecution, was not officially endorsed by any Baptist. After the Toleration Act of 1689, the Baptists met together again to officially endorse the document.

Sometimes you will see the confession referred as the 1677/1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. I have never seen it referred to as the 1688 Confession, and the seminary probably has a typo on their website.

The earlier Baptist confession endorsed by the a few of the same men who endorsed the 1689 was the 1644 London Baptist Confession. However, this document is quite different from the 1689, as it does not follow the model of the Westminster Confession.

 

[timmopussycat]

What is the date of the Confession? Is there a second (earlier) Confession or version? The reason I ask is that I came across the '88 date on a Seminary website. Before I correct them thought I'd better check.

The LBC was written in 1677 and republished in 1688. The republished version (complete with a little known Appendix on Baptism) is what was commeded by the Baptist GA in 1689.

 

[eqdj]

The Confession was first published anonymously in 1677. Then republished in 1688 and 1699.
The reason it's called the 1689 is because that's when the General Assembly of Particular Baptist churches met in London to receive and recommend the Confession to other churches.
See Dr. Renihan's lecture "Origin of the Reformed Baptists" at about the 49 minute mark.