'A wonderful witness to the wide variety of British Baptists' theological work'  

A number of Baptist writing projects have been published in 2021, with more to come before the year is done, writes Andy Goodliff 

Three PhDs have been published, by David McLachlan, Anthony Clarke and myself. My book is a study of Baptist Union life in the 1990s; David’s explores disability and the doctrine of atonement and Anthony’s is focused on what we are doing when we form or train Baptist ministers. 

In addition Mary Cotes has published on women in scripture and history and how they witness to women’s calling to kingdom work, while Emma Nash offers a powerful engagement with the experience of childlessness. 

Earlier this year Anthony Reddie, Seidel Abel Boanerges with Pam Searle edited a collection of essays on intercultural preaching as aid to helping those of us who preach to consider how we might preach conscious of the different cultures present in scripture and in our congregations. Contributors alongside the editors are Eleasah Louis, David Wise, Clare Hooper, Amutha Devaraj, Wale Hudson-Roberts and others. 

Myra Blyth’s new book, written with Matthew Mills and Michael Taylor, takes up the issue of restorative justice and the place of forgiveness within it from the perspective of theology.

Anthony R. Cross and Brian Haymes have edited a collection of essays in honour of Ruth Gouldbourne on the occasion of her 60th birthday, highlighting the important contribution Ruth has made and continues to make Baptist life and thought. The collection includes contributions from Steve Holmes, Lina Toth, Paul Fiddes, Sean Winter, Karen Smith, Michael Peat and others. Chapters include the topics of 2 Corinthians 3, women and ministry, William Shakespeare, Martin Luther King Jr., pastoral prayer, gender dysphoria. 

Elsewhere Together Free co-ordinator Dan Pratt has edited a collection of essays exploring emerging theologies and faith responses to modern slavery, which was available at the end of the July. 

Here is a wonderful witness to the wide variety of theological work British Baptists have been doing. There is much here that will help those in ministry or anyone who wants to think about the difference Christ makes to our being Christian today.  
 

Andy Goodliff is minister of Belle Vue Baptist Church, Southend-on-Sea 

He edits Regent’s Reviews, based at Regent’s Park College, Oxford. Regent’s Reviews is published every April and October.