ANTI-LANDMARKERS Anti-Landmarkers from within the ranks of Baptists all have one common trait - They all are universal invisible church advocates. Within the ranks of Southern Baptists, Louisville Seminary has been the battleship leading the pack against the Landmark position since the time of William H. Whitsitt who set forth the position that Baptists originated with pedobaptists in England in 1641. Since that time, there have been a consistent line of professors of Church History that have consistently defended the Whitsitt theory which has been thoroughly disproven by Dr. John T. Christian and many others. Dr. Morgan Patterson led this charge when I was in school. Under Dr. Morgan Patterson in about 1980 James E. Tull did his doctorial thesis at Southern Seminary attempting to prove that Landmarkism originated among Baptists between 1851-1888 as a reaction against the movement led by Alexander Campbell. His doctorial thesis was later published in a book. However, the thesis of Tulls book has been disputed and I believe thoroughly disproven over the years, just as the Whitsitt theory has been thoroughly disproven. Through the years I have carefully read most all of the writings coming from Dr. J.R. Graves, Dr. James Pendleton, Dr. A.C. Dayton and many others living in that period and according to their own writings their view of the church was not a reaction to current theological controversies, but rather a restoration of what earlier Baptists had believed and many were still practicing. Dr. J. R. Graves makes this abundantly clear in his last and most definitive book on this subject. Most anti- Landmarkers attribute Landmarkism with being over patriotic to the Baptist denomination. Reminds me of the current Obama supporters who are attempting to destroy the patriotism in America,and so they are removing, rewriting and distorting the true early history of America. Likewise, these anti-Landmarkers are attempting to distort and rewrite Baptist history. All Baptists historians prior to William H. Whitsitt traced the history of Baptists from the first century. Whitsittism attempted to rewrite Baptist History, and all anti-Landmarkers have followed this piped piper. For a more conservative view of the debate among historians over the historical rise of Landmarkism see - baptisthistoryhomepage/harper.landmarkism.chapt1.html
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 12:16:11 +0000
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