Baptists around the World: A Comprehensive Handbook

Baptists around the World: A Comprehensive Handbook. Edited by Albert W. Wardin. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995, xxxii + 474, n.p.

Wardin has put together a concise encyclopedia of Baptist history and statistical information. This marks the first time that such a worldwide study of Baptists has been attempted. As D. Lotz writes in the foreword, it is "a quick reference work to give a bird's eye view of Baptists in every conceivable geographical area of the world" (p. xxviii). The Handbook gives information on 180 members of the Baptist World Alliance as well as many other independent and separatist Baptist groups. It not only treats the countries where there is a significant Baptist presence such as the United States and England but also others like Israel, Vietnam, Yemen, Turkey, Bosnia and French Guiana, where there are only a handful of churches. By referring to all known Baptist bodies, many of which are in the Two-thirds World, this Handbook seeks to remedy some of the deficiencies of past histories. Wardin hopes that this "volume will be useful in introducing Baptists to each other and the public at large . . . [as well as help Baptists] in developing fellowship, in encouraging intercession for each other, and in the promotion and study of missions" (p. xxxii).

The Hand book begins with two brief introductory chapters, one on Baptist identity and the other on Baptist expansion and mission. The first chapter mentions not only those principles that make Baptists a group distinct from other Christians but also some concerns and contentions among Baptists. In this chapter Wardin states that one of the greatest threats to a distinct Baptist identity is the propensity of newly formed Baptist churches to establish themselves without "Baptist" in their name. In the second chapter Wardin gives a brief history of Baptist growth from the eighteenth century to the present. He notes that presently 23% of Baptists live outside the British Isles and North America whereas only 4.5% lived outside of these areas in 1852. He also notes that there has been significant Baptist growth since World War II with an estimated 37.3 million Baptists around the world, 75% of whom are in the United States.

The rest of the Handbook gives the historical and statistical information concerning Baptists of every country in which they are presently found. Wardin has set these countries under one of five geographical divisions: Africa, Asia/Oceania, Europe/Eurasia, Latin America/Caribbean, and Northern America with further regional subdivisions to enable the reader easy access to information. (There is no subject or person index.) The histories of each country, though brief, do include the most relevant information, including pertinent political history, Baptist magazines published, seminaries and schools founded, and missions started. At the end of each history there are brief but useful annotated bibliographies to facilitate further study. Some of the contributors to the history sections include such men as D. Bebbington, G. Rawlyk, R. Pierard and B. Shelley (approximately 75% of the histories were written by Wardin). The statistical information for each couritry in most cases is an up-to-date listing of all known Baptist groups with each group's church and person membership figures. At the end of every subsection a list of Baptist and Baptist-related missions is given for each country including the year of entry.

Other features of the Hand book include maps showing the countries in which Baptists are presently found, a time line of Baptists in the United States, a distribution of Baptists in the United States by region and state (listing each group, its membership and churches), and Baptist world statistics by continent and by country.

This Hand book contains a wealth of historical and statistical information for anyone interested in Baptist studies. It is a must reference work for every seminary or religious studies library. It will prove to be a helpful reference for Church historians, theologians, pastors and laypersons interested in Baptist history and its presence in the world. I also recommend it for anyone interested in surveying what the Lord has done through Baptists in the world, past and present.

Barry Howson

McGill University

Copyright Evangelical Theological Society Dec 1998
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved