The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message (2008)

BOOK REVIEWS

The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message. A. J. Smith Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2008. In the book entitled, “The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message,” by A. J. Smith he begins to established in the introduction how Herschel H. Hobbs stands out as one of the most prolific writers in Southern Baptist history. (p. 1) He shares that in some sections Hobbs introduced concepts and phrases. (p.1) In others he coordinated the thinking of the committee. Throughout, he was the writer, presenting successive drafts for committee approval. (p.1) His enthusiasm for the document in whole and in part is obvious in his explanation and defense of …show more content…

The document at the end of being revised left a Calvinistic view and took on a more Pelagian view. According to Smith the changed revision criticized significant Landmarks and changed the wine used in the Lord’s Supper with the “fruit of the vine. (Pp. 136-180)
One of the strengths of Smith’s work is the substantial quantity of research done to support each allegation. Meticulous energy was used to support each statement with quotations occupied from the primary records in each argument. He dug deep into the past to establish a proper thesis that explained how, when and where the controversy took place. The way that his work was written made the reader feel confident that what he shared in this book was true. It left the reader with limited doubt. The book appears to be reliable. Smith didn’t show favoritism in this book. He gave a lot of information for the liberal and conservative views.
The book is very straightforward. His points are very clear and to the point. His writing is very well organized and the goal is clear. Smith’s thesis is easy to follow throughout the book; because of his is supportive material that supports his assertions. One of the things I didn’t noticed within the text of this book was how the liberal and conservatives accepted the BFM 1963. We know now that it was accepted in today’s time due to history, but Smith didn’t share how the acceptance became into