Overview

"Baptism and the Lord's Supper are likely more basic for the church than you think. When Jesus inaugurated the new covenant by his death on the cross, he established baptism as the new covenant sign of entry and the Lord's Supper as the new covenant sign of participation. These signs identify believers with Christ and his people. They are integral to the existence, membership, and discipline of the local church. In answer to the question """"Who can take the Lord's Supper?"""" this book catalogues four major positions in the broad Baptist tradition. While proponents of various views have appealed to the necessity of circumcision for participation in Passover as evidence for their position, none have adequately worked out the covenantal relationships between circumcision and baptism or Passover and the Lord's Supper. By contrast to Reformed pedobaptist covenantal theology and in distinction from Baptist covenantal theology and dispensational theologies, this book develops the relation of these covenantal signs from a progressive-covenantal perspective. It presents an unprecedented comparison of the continuities and discontinuities between the covenant signs across the storyline of Scripture to demonstrate a biblical-theological principle that the sign of entry should precede the sign of participation."

Full Product Details

9781666703146

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""The only thing worse than not knowing the biblical principles behind sound church practices is abandoning those practices altogether--and sadly, many Baptists are guilty of both. In this excellent book Vandiver makes a clear biblical argument for why New Testament baptism matters and qualifies church members for participation at the Lord's Table, issuing a clarion challenge to Baptists to return to an ecclesiology based on Scripture rather than emotion or convenience."" --Hershael W. York, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ""Vandiver's study of the Lord's Supper is exegetically rooted, theologically astute, and practically applicable. Readers will find here a robust defense of close (not closed) communion. An outstanding contribution to the theology and practice of the Lord's Supper!"" --Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ""This book makes two important contributions. First, it gives the arguments for open, close, closed, and ecumenical communion. . . . The second is Vandiver's unique contribution, an argument for close communion by drawing 'a principle of analogy (continuity) from the necessity of circumcision before Passover.' . . . One does not have to agree with all Vandiver's conclusions to profit greatly from his discussion. I commend it, especially to students of ecclesiology and Baptist history and theology."" --John S. Hammett, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ""The relationship of baptism and the Lord's Supper is of great theological importance, and one's theological understanding also has immediate application in the life of the local church. . . . Still, seemingly little consideration is taken in many contemporary churches. . . . Vandiver's book, therefore, is of immense importance. Here one finds a well-articulated historical survey of the ordinances, sound biblical analysis, fitting theological synthesis, and pertinent applications within the life of the church. Pastors and scholars alike would do well to engage with the argument represented here and take up the call to a clear and consistent approach to the ordinances."" --Jeremy M. Kimble, Cedarville University ""Open. Close. Closed. Three views adopted by Protestant churches as to whom may participate in celebrations of the Lord's Supper. May any follower of Jesus take communion? May any baptized Christian participate? May only a member of the church that administers the Lord's Supper take it? And what difference does the church's position make anyway? Through a thorough and meticulous historical, biblical, theological, and practical study, Dallas Vandiver offers us the most complete work on this important topic to date. Highly recommended!"" --Gregg R. Allison, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary"

The only thing worse than not knowing the biblical principles behind sound church practices is abandoning those practices altogether--and sadly, many Baptists are guilty of both. In this excellent book Vandiver makes a clear biblical argument for why New Testament baptism matters and qualifies church members for participation at the Lord's Table, issuing a clarion challenge to Baptists to return to an ecclesiology based on Scripture rather than emotion or convenience. --Hershael W York, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Vandiver's study of the Lord's Supper is exegetically rooted, theologically astute, and practically applicable. Readers will find here a robust defense of close (not closed) communion. An outstanding contribution to the theology and practice of the Lord's Supper! --Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary This book makes two important contributions. First, it gives the arguments for open, close, closed, and ecumenical communion. . . . The second is Vandiver's unique contribution, an argument for close communion by drawing 'a principle of analogy (continuity) from the necessity of circumcision before Passover.' . . . One does not have to agree with all Vandiver's conclusions to profit greatly from his discussion. I commend it, especially to students of ecclesiology and Baptist history and theology. --John L. Dagg Sr., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary The relationship of baptism and the Lord's Supper is of great theological importance, and one's theological understanding also has immediate application in the life of the local church. . . . Still, seemingly little consideration is taken in many contemporary churches. . . . Vandiver's book, therefore, is of immense importance. Here one finds a well-articulated historical survey of the ordinances, sound biblical analysis, fitting theological synthesis, and pertinent applications within the life of the church. Pastors and scholars alike would do well to engage with the argument represented here and take up the call to a clear and consistent approach to the ordinances. --Jeremy M. Kimble, Cedarville University Open. Close. Closed. Three views adopted by Protestant churches as to whom may participate in celebrations of the Lord's Supper. May any follower of Jesus take communion? May any baptized Christian participate? May only a member of the church that administers the Lord's Supper take it? And what difference does the church's position make anyway? Through a thorough and meticulous historical, biblical, theological, and practical study, Dallas Vandiver offers us the most complete work on this important topic to date. Highly recommended! --Gregg R. Allison, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The only thing worse than not knowing the biblical principles behind sound church practices is abandoning those practices altogether--and sadly, many Baptists are guilty of both. In this excellent book Vandiver makes a clear biblical argument for why New Testament baptism matters and qualifies church members for participation at the Lord's Table, issuing a clarion challenge to Baptists to return to an ecclesiology based on Scripture rather than emotion or convenience. --Hershael W. York, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Vandiver's study of the Lord's Supper is exegetically rooted, theologically astute, and practically applicable. Readers will find here a robust defense of close (not closed) communion. An outstanding contribution to the theology and practice of the Lord's Supper! --Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary This book makes two important contributions. First, it gives the arguments for open, close, closed, and ecumenical communion. . . . The second is Vandiver's unique contribution, an argument for close communion by drawing 'a principle of analogy (continuity) from the necessity of circumcision before Passover.' . . . One does not have to agree with all Vandiver's conclusions to profit greatly from his discussion. I commend it, especially to students of ecclesiology and Baptist history and theology. --John S. Hammett, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary The relationship of baptism and the Lord's Supper is of great theological importance, and one's theological understanding also has immediate application in the life of the local church. . . . Still, seemingly little consideration is taken in many contemporary churches. . . . Vandiver's book, therefore, is of immense importance. Here one finds a well-articulated historical survey of the ordinances, sound biblical analysis, fitting theological synthesis, and pertinent applications within the life of the church. Pastors and scholars alike would do well to engage with the argument represented here and take up the call to a clear and consistent approach to the ordinances. --Jeremy M. Kimble, Cedarville University Open. Close. Closed. Three views adopted by Protestant churches as to whom may participate in celebrations of the Lord's Supper. May any follower of Jesus take communion? May any baptized Christian participate? May only a member of the church that administers the Lord's Supper take it? And what difference does the church's position make anyway? Through a thorough and meticulous historical, biblical, theological, and practical study, Dallas Vandiver offers us the most complete work on this important topic to date. Highly recommended! --Gregg R. Allison, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"""""The only thing worse than not knowing the biblical principles behind sound church practices is abandoning those practices altogether--and sadly, many Baptists are guilty of both. In this excellent book Vandiver makes a clear biblical argument for why New Testament baptism matters and qualifies church members for participation at the Lord's Table, issuing a clarion challenge to Baptists to return to an ecclesiology based on Scripture rather than emotion or convenience."""" --Hershael W York, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary """"Vandiver's study of the Lord's Supper is exegetically rooted, theologically astute, and practically applicable. Readers will find here a robust defense of close (not closed) communion. An outstanding contribution to the theology and practice of the Lord's Supper!"""" --Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary """"This book makes two important contributions. First, it gives the arguments for open, close, closed, and ecumenical communion. . . . The second is Vandiver's unique contribution, an argument for close communion by drawing 'a principle of analogy (continuity) from the necessity of circumcision before Passover.' . . . One does not have to agree with all Vandiver's conclusions to profit greatly from his discussion. I commend it, especially to students of ecclesiology and Baptist history and theology."""" --John L. Dagg Sr., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary """"The relationship of baptism and the Lord's Supper is of great theological importance, and one's theological understanding also has immediate application in the life of the local church. . . . Still, seemingly little consideration is taken in many contemporary churches. . . . Vandiver's book, therefore, is of immense importance. Here one finds a well-articulated historical survey of the ordinances, sound biblical analysis, fitting theological synthesis, and pertinent applications within the life of the church. Pastors and scholars alike would do well to engage with the argument represented here and take up the call to a clear and consistent approach to the ordinances."""" --Jeremy M. Kimble, Cedarville University """"Open. Close. Closed. Three views adopted by Protestant churches as to whom may participate in celebrations of the Lord's Supper. May any follower of Jesus take communion? May any baptized Christian participate? May only a member of the church that administers the Lord's Supper take it? And what difference does the church's position make anyway? Through a thorough and meticulous historical, biblical, theological, and practical study, Dallas Vandiver offers us the most complete work on this important topic to date. Highly recommended!"""" --Gregg R. Allison, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary"

Author Information

Dallas W. Vandiver serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Studies in the Graduate School of Ministry at North Greenville University, Greenville, SC

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