Overview

Throughout his life, John Ryland Jr. (1753-1825) served the Particular Baptists in England as a pastor, academy president, and missions advocate, becoming one of the most prominent voices in his denomination. A committed Calvinist and Baptist, Ryland nevertheless became known in his day for his openness toward those who did not hold to his theological convictions. From his correspondence with Anglicans, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and even the Russian emperor, to his cooperation with Arminians and Methodists, Ryland showed his willingness to enter into relationships and partnerships with a broad spectrum of Christians. This work examines that aspect of Ryland's life and thought, seeking to understand the denominational context, theological foundations, and personal influences that led him to adopt such a broad-minded view.

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9781666726633

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Graham's book is an original, exemplary, and exceptional piece of research which makes a highly significant contribution to studies in British Baptist history and thought in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. . . . Graham has uncovered and utilized unpublished and published sources never before used in scholarship, locating, accessing, and using with masterful skill a vast corpus of primary and secondary sources. --Henk Bakker, VU University Amsterdam Graham shows that depth can be a pathway to breadth. Through his careful, wide-ranging study of catholicity in the life and thought of John Ryland Jr., he brings light to bear on a range of movements and figures during a time of significant theological and ecclesial ferment within English Baptist life. He also illuminates catholicity of a most charitable form. This work is an important contribution to Baptist studies. --Philip E. Thompson, Sioux Falls Seminary One of the most encouraging theological developments among Baptists in recent years is a reframing of Baptist identity in terms of its 'catholicity.' Graham's exploration of this theme in the ministry of John Ryland Jr. not only demonstrates convincingly that this more recent turn to catholicity in Baptist thought is not unprecedented but retrieves an important resource from within the tradition for constructive Baptist theology today. --Steven R. Harmon, Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity Calvinism and catholicity today are usually viewed as mutually exclusive. This robust study of John Ryland Jr. convincingly shows that this has not been true in the past. Through a meticulous and judicious study of a rich body of correspondence from Ryland as well as various published and unpublished documents from his hand, Graham presents Ryland's principled catholicity as a worthy example to emulate. A truly impressive historical study with significant implications for present-day Evangelicalism. --Michael A. G. Haykin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Graham's book is an original, exemplary, and exceptional piece of research which makes a highly significant contribution to studies in British Baptist history and thought in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. . . . Graham has uncovered and utilized unpublished and published sources never before used in scholarship, locating, accessing, and using with masterful skill a vast corpus of primary and secondary sources. --Henk Bakker, VU University Amsterdam Graham shows that depth can be a pathway to breadth. Through his careful, wide-ranging study of catholicity in the life and thought of John Ryland Jr., he brings light to bear on a range of movements and figures during a time of significant theological and ecclesial ferment within English Baptist life. He also illuminates catholicity of a most charitable form. This work is an important contribution to Baptist studies. --Philip E. Thompson, Sioux Falls Seminary One of the most encouraging theological developments among Baptists in recent years is a reframing of Baptist identity in terms of its 'catholicity.' Graham's exploration of this theme in the ministry of John Ryland Jr. not only demonstrates convincingly that this more recent turn to catholicity in Baptist thought is not unprecedented but retrieves an important resource from within the tradition for constructive Baptist theology today. --Steven R. Harmon, Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity Calvinism and catholicity today are usually viewed as mutually exclusive. This robust study of John Ryland Jr. convincingly shows that this has not been true in the past. Through a meticulous and judicious study of a rich body of correspondence from Ryland as well as various published and unpublished documents from his hand, Graham presents Ryland's principled catholicity as a worthy example to emulate. A truly impressive historical study with significant implications for present-day Evangelicalism. --Michael A. G. Haykin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Author Information

Lon Graham is the pastor of The Woods Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas.

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