Rich,
I appreciate your concerns and the spirit in which they are written. While I certainly see the potential for problems in any new idea, I am not ready to allow a caution to prevent properly vetting the conclusions of 1689 Federalism (not that I believe you seek to prevent such vetting).
The proponents of 1689 Federalism make some valid points about Baptist history when it comes to Covenant Theology. The American Reformed Baptist movement can be traced back to the late 1960's in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. As most people know, Grace Baptist Church of Carlisle became one of the leading proponents of a national Reformed Baptist Association. ARBCA was the result. ARBCA has done a good job of articulating Reformed Baptist belief and practices, and for that I am grateful. However, when respected theologians such as Sam Renihan, Jim Renihan, and Rich Barcellos are in agreement on a major point of Baptist doctrine that just so happens to be contra the position of Sam Waldron and many ARBCA leaders, it demands attention. I am not willing to dismiss the newness of it just for the sake of it being new. Perhaps that is because I am not willing to put blind trust in ARBCA.
I am not really concerned about a Baptist identity crisis, or for that matter comparing ourselves to Presbyterians. I am interested in finding out whether 1689 Federalism is biblical, and to that end, I am willing to research and test it.
I appreciate your concerns and the spirit in which they are written. While I certainly see the potential for problems in any new idea, I am not ready to allow a caution to prevent properly vetting the conclusions of 1689 Federalism (not that I believe you seek to prevent such vetting).
The proponents of 1689 Federalism make some valid points about Baptist history when it comes to Covenant Theology. The American Reformed Baptist movement can be traced back to the late 1960's in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. As most people know, Grace Baptist Church of Carlisle became one of the leading proponents of a national Reformed Baptist Association. ARBCA was the result. ARBCA has done a good job of articulating Reformed Baptist belief and practices, and for that I am grateful. However, when respected theologians such as Sam Renihan, Jim Renihan, and Rich Barcellos are in agreement on a major point of Baptist doctrine that just so happens to be contra the position of Sam Waldron and many ARBCA leaders, it demands attention. I am not willing to dismiss the newness of it just for the sake of it being new. Perhaps that is because I am not willing to put blind trust in ARBCA.
I am not really concerned about a Baptist identity crisis, or for that matter comparing ourselves to Presbyterians. I am interested in finding out whether 1689 Federalism is biblical, and to that end, I am willing to research and test it.