BAPTIST HISTORY Lesson 28

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BAPTIST HISTORYLesson 28

• Landmarkism What, Where,
• How and Now

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Primitive Baptists
Origin
Beliefs
Practices
Where are they today?
Is there gospel truth there?
How do you identify the true Church?
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19th Century a turbulent time in American
religious life
1. Question authority legitimacy of existing
ecclesiastical structures
2. Rise of new denominations based on extra
Scriptural revelation.
3. Re-affirmation of the established church as
necessary and valid
4. Rejection of traditional concepts of God and
Christianity for a new, milder form of
Christianity.
Three possible positions as people searched for
answers
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LANDMARKISM
Landmarkism was (is) an ecclesiological movement
that argued Baptists churches are the only true
churches, and as such, Baptist churches have
existed from the time of Christ to the present day
Cotton Grove declaration, 1851
J. R. Graves (1820-1893)
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1854 An Old Landmark Reset
Anti pulpit affiliation
J. M. Pendleton (1811-1891)
A. C. Dayton (1813-1865)
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Landmark distinctive
Nature of the church
Nature of ordinances
Nature of church leadership
Nature of inter-church cooperation
Nature of mission work
Why did the movement arise and find traction?
1. Need to defend legitimacy
2. Need to defend sectarian views of the
ordinances