Historic Baptist beliefs

Many contemporaries have a deep―seated suspicion of catechisms. In our own Baptist denomination, many would consider the words "Baptist catechism" as mutually exclusive. A popular misconception is that catechisms are used in times and places where inadequate views of conversion predominate or the fires of evangelism have long since turned to white ash. If the Bible is preached, they continue, no catechism is necessary; catechisms tend to produce mere intellectual assent where true heart religion is absent. This concern reflects a healthy interest for the experiential side of true Christianity. Concern for conversion and fervor, however, should never diminish one's commitment to the individual truths of Christianity nor the necessity of teaching them in a full and coherent manner.―An Encouragement to Use Catechisms, Tom Nettles

Polity: A Collection of Historic Baptist Documents

Edited by Mark Dever

ANABAPTIST CONFESSIONS OF FAITH
WALDENSES CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1120 and 1544
THE SCHLEITHEIM CONFESSION, 1527
DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH, 1527
RIDEMANN'S RECHENSCHAFT, 1540
THE DORDRECHT CONFESSION, 1632
A DECLARATION OF SEVERAL PEOPLE CALLED ANABAPTISTS, 1659

ENGLISH BAPTIST-SEPARATIST CONFESSIONS
A TRUE CONFESSION, 1596
SHORT CONFESSION OF FAITH IN XX ARTICLES, 1609
A SHORT CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1610
A DECLARATION OF FAITH OF ENGLISH PEOPLE REMAINING AT AMSTERDAM, 1611
PROPOSITIONS AND CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, 1612-1614

EARLY ENGLISH BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONAL CONFESSIONS
JOHN SPILSBURY AND HIS CONFESSION
THE FIRST LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1644 CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH SPANISH
THE FIRST LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1646 Edition
AN APPENDIX TO A CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1646, Benjamin Cox (Coxe)
THE FAITH AND PRACTISE OF THIRTY CONGREGATIONS, 1651
THE TRUE GOSPEL-FAITH DECLARED ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, 1654
THE MIDLAND CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1655
THE SOMERSET CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1656
CARTER LANE DECLARATION OF FAITH, 1757
JOHN GILL'S DECLARATION OF FAITH, 1757

ENGLISH BAPTIST GENERAL CONFESSIONS
THE STANDARD CONFESSION, 1660
THE ASSEMBLY or SECOND LONDON CONFESSION, 1677 AND 1688, approved 1689WITH SCRIPTURE REFERENCES CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH FRENCH SPANISH GERMAN© RUSSIAN© UKRAINIAN© CHINESE [Chinese Traditional (Big5)] PHILIPINO ITALIAN MALTESE© CROATIAN©
A SHORT CONFESSION OR A BRIEF NARRATIVE OF FAITH, 1691
THE COALHEAVER'S CONFESSION, 1745
ARTICLES OF RELIGION OF THE NEW CONNEXION, 1770

AMERICAN BAPTIST CONFESSIONS
THE PHILADELPHIA CONFESSION, 1742
THE SANDY CREEK CONFESSION, 1758
THE GOATYARD DECLARATION OF FAITH, 1792
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH, 1833 CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH SPANISH
TREATISE ON THE FAITH AND PRACTICE OF THE FREE WILL BAPTISTS, 1834 AND 1948
THE ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES, 1858 CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH FRENCH SPANISH GERMAN ITALIANARTICLES OF FAITH PUT FORTH BY THE BAPTIST BIBLE UNION OF AMERICA, 1923
BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, 1925 CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH SPANISH
BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, 1963 Report of Committee on Baptist Faith and Message, May 9, 1963 Report of the Presidential Theological Study Committee, June, 1994 Report of Committee on Baptist Faith and Message, June 9, 1998 1963 and 2000 Amendment Comparisons CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH SPANISH
CAMBRIDGE DECLARATION, 1998

GENERAL BAPTIST CONFESSIONS
LIBERTY ASSOCIATION ARTICLES OF FAITH (1824)
GENERAL ASSOCIATION ARTICLES OF FAITH (1870)
GENERAL ASSOCIATION ARTICLES OF FAITH (1949)
A SHORT CONFESSION OF FAITH, IN TWENTY ARTICLES, JOHN SMYTH

BAPTIST CATECHISMS
A CATECHISM FOR BABES, OR LITTLE ONES, 1652
A SHORT CATECHISM ABOUT BAPTISM, 1659
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT, BUNYAN'S CATECHISM, 1675
BENJAMIN KEACH'S CATECHISM, 1677
THE ORTHODOX CATECHISM, 1680
A CATECHISM FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
A CATECHISM OR INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
THE PHILADELPHIA BAPTIST CATECHISM
THE BAPTIST CATECHISM, CHARLESTON ASSOCIATION CATECHISM, 1813CURRENT TRANSLATIONS: ENGLISH SPANISH
THE BAPTIST SCRIPTURAL CATECHISM, 1850
A PURITAN CATECHISM, 1855
A CATECHISM FOR LITTLE CHILDREN, 1864
COMPEND OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES HELD BY BAPTISTS: IN CATECHISM, 186
A CATECHISM OF BIBLE TEACHING, 1892
A BRIEF CATECHISM OF BIBLE DOCTRINE

WALDENSES CATECHISM
A CATECHISM OF THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER

GADSBY'S CATECHISM
A CATECHISM TO VINDICATE FALSE ACCUSATIONS THAT GADSBY DID NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL

CONFESSIONS OF OTHER NATIONALITIES
GEST?DNIS VON GLAUBEN DES B?DNISSES VON EVANGELISCH-FREECHURCH GEMEINDEN, DEUTSCHLAND, 1944,[CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE ALLIANCE OF EVANGELICAL-FREECHURCH CONGREGATIONS, GERMANY, 1944]
Bek?nelsen OM TRON Om SVENSK D?aren, 1861[THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE SWEDISH BAPTISTS, 1861]
CONFESSION ET FOI ET PRINCIPES ECCLESSIASTICAL DE L'ASSOCIATION ?ANG?IQUE D'?LISES BAPTISTES FRANCOPHONES, 1879 ET 1924[CONFESSION AND FAITH AND ECCLESSIASTICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION OF FRENCH-SPEAKING BAPTIST CHURCHES, 1879 AND 1924]
HARMONY OF CALVINISTIC BAPTIST CONFESSIONS OF FAITH
First London Baptist Confession of Faith (1644/1646)
Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)
New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833/1853)
Abstract of Principles (1859)
Baptist Faith and Message (1925)

These five historic Calvinistic Baptist Confessions of Faith are considered to be in essential harmony and all agree on Calvinistic soteriology. Although it is true that the New Hampshire Confession of 1833 and the Statement on Baptist Faith and Message of 1925 could be accused of containing only a diluted form of Calvinism, all the basic tenets of Calvinism strictly considered are present. The difference perhaps, is that you must look for Calvinism in these two confessions, rather than be confronted by it. Historically these two confessions have been used by many churches which are not Calvinistic, or which may only hold to "eternal security."

THE FIRST LONDON CONFESSIONS OF FAITH
In Parallel Forms with Supporting Documents Being the Editions of 1644, 1646, 1651 and 1652.
Reviews by many prominent Baptist and non-Baptist scholars:

Some Early Baptist Confessions of Faith Explicitly Disowned the "Openness" Viewby John Piper
An Encouragement to Use Catechisms Part 1, Thomas J. Nettles (Founders On-Line)
An Encouragement to Use Catechisms Part 2, Thomas J. Nettles (Founders On-Line)
An Encouragement to Use CatechismsPart 3, Thomas J. Nettles (Founders On-Line)
Missions and CreedsPart 1, Thomas J. Nettles (Founders On-Line)
Missions and CreedsPart 2, Thomas J. Nettles (Founders On-Line)
What is Catechismby Zacharias Ursinus (1534-1583)
Biblical and Pastoral Basis for Confessions and Creedsby Robert S. Rayburn "Premise" Volume III, Number 3 / March 29, 1996
Are Creeds Appropriate for Bible Believing Baptists?by Thomas J. Nettles
The Need To Recover the Practise of Catechismby Kim Riddlebarger
The Legitimacy and Function of Creedsby Dean Allen/Mark Sarver
Confessing the Faith in 1644 and 1689The 1689 Confession in Americaby James M. Renihan
Seventeenth Century Reformed Confessional Theology on the Natural Law and the Decalogueby Richard Barcellos
Baptists, the Bible and Confessions, The Need for Statements of Faithby Gregory A. Wills

BOOK REVIEW:
Baptist Confessions, Covenants, and Catechisms,Edited by Timothy and Denise George
Why Creeds and Confessions?By Jay Rogers