New Book: "Baptist History in England and America" by David Beale

Dr. Beale was one of my teachers at BJU. I find it interesting that recent books by BJU faculty are not published by BJU Press, but by other publishers.

It’s good for BJU to have books by their profs published by other publishing houses. It speaks to the academic credibility of the school.

To Wally’s question, my first assumption would be that it was a business decision. I wrote textbooks for BJU Press for my graduate assistantship. The press is a business with a budget and a finite staff allocated to priority projects. Their editorial and compositing standards are meticulous, and a 640-page work would be a significant commitment.

This book is long over due! Beale offers a fresh retelling of the major historical events that shaped British and US Baptists. Using an excellent blend of primary source material and the best of recent scholarship, Beale rehearses an old story with clarity and insight. Writing from a conservative vantage point, those who view Baptists through the lens of soul liberty will be disappointed. But those who, like their Baptist forebears, hold the Scripture in high regard, will appreciate the way Beale tells the story. The narrative does not tell everything (Canadian Baptist will lament the omission of their story) and the reader may wish that one tale or another had not been omitted, but Beale demonstrates why the telling of Baptist history must be selective. Three hundred more pages would have been nice but what Beale gives us, he does well. I, for one, hope that this book will find a welcome spot on the shelves of all lovers of Baptist history. Thank you David Beale for a job well done.