As a child, I was well aware of my familial Baptist affiliation. My father, graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and became a Baptist missionary a pastor shortly thereafter. I have grown up in the Baptist faith, and in many ways, I agree with the Baptist ideals and traditions discussed in this course. Baptist heritage, elucidated by Bill Leonard and Walter Shurden, provides an understanding of the history and theological ideals of the Baptist tradition. In my personal faith journey, I agree with some, but not all of these ideals. In light of Baptist history, I would not be considered an authentic Baptist. In today's church context, I choose to affiliate with the Episcopal Church. .
Walter B. Shurden addresses four main theological standpoints of the Baptist tradition in his book, The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms. One of those freedoms discussed is Bible Freedom. Shurden suggests that the bible is the final authority for Baptists. He states that the Bible must be central in the life on an individual and church1 Baptists are not bound by tradition, board decisions, papal decrees, or any extra-biblical texts. They take the Bible as their rule for faith and practice. They teach that the Scriptures are sufficient for all things and God has provided them with everything necessary to nurture and sustain spiritual life in the scriptures. On this point in the Baptist faith, I do not agree. The bible, while an important facet of the Christian faith, is not my final authority for my faith. Perhaps I am a bit of a heretic, but I see as much theological relevance in other literary works, and glean insight for my faith from them. .
Another freedom discussed within Shurden's book is that of Church freedom. In this context, Shurden argues that the church should be free from governmental decree, and a hierarchical denominational structure.2 Each church within the Baptist context is self-governing, self-propagating, and autonomous.
