This book tells the story of Abingdon Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist Churches in the world.

• practice of the Church (page 25)

This section describes an early controversy which resulted in the pamphlet called “The Pastor turned Pope.” It is helpful in understanding the doctrines and practices of the Church in the seventeenth century. That the pamphlet was written by John Atherton, who opposed those doctrines and practices, makes at all the more significant.

The pamphlet describes a Church keen to follow New Testament practices with a distinctive flavour. There is reference to baptism and breaking bread (communion). There is a Pastor and Teachers. There is some hint of miracles (raising the dead, cleansing lepers, casting out demons) and anointed the sick with oil.

• freedom in worship (page 51)

The Church was established at a time when it was illegal to follow ‘any religion apart from the Church of England.’ The penalty for the third offence was transportation.

It was not until the Toleration Act of 1689 when ‘Dissenters’ were allowed to meet. The author suggests that this was the origin of the phrase we still often hear in prayer that we enjoy freedom to worship.

• Church planting (page 43)

As early as 1656, the Church at Abingdon released 99 men and women to plant a new Church at Langworth. The Church at Langworth later released some members to start a Church at Faringdon. (I once attended a friend’s bapstim at Faringdon Baptist Church.)

It would seem that Church planting is a natural activity of a New Testament Church.

• Matters of Unity (page 91)

There is a tension to be found in pursuing Christian unity and doctrinal distinctiveness. In ‘The Pastor turned Pope,’ the Church frequently broke bread, but would not do so with Christians who had been baptised in a different tradition. This matter was addressed directly about a century later by Pastor Daniel Turner in his ‘A Modest Plea for Free Communion at the Lord’s Table between Baptists and Paedobaptists.’

Phrases such as ‘transient communion’ and ‘open communion’ seem foreign to many today, but the issues were important for very many years. The comment is made that Daniel Turner’s intervention represents ‘arguably the greatest contribution that the Abingdon Church … has made to the Church universal.’

An interesting read, seeking to address a significant issue within our world. The book considers a number of historical statements, such as the Magna Carta and helpfully comments upon each. Its conclusion is helpful, looking to God alone for our ‘human rights.’
But I found the book unsatisfying. Too often the author seems to confuse mankind with the Church, as if Scripture applies equally to both. This results in repetitive criticism of the various human declarations related to rights. Several of his arguments are non sequitur. And, at points he seems to lean towards salvation by works, e.g: page 172, “there are specific rights that we all now have through the key right of being God’s children, provided that we walk in obedience to the boundaries set by the Giver of those rights.”
The Christian reader will benefit from a thorough and grace-filled consideration of the issue of human rights. This book is not it.

The Twelve asked Jesus this question (Luke 13.23).
His answer is surprising, in that He said that some who might be expected to be saved are not. Others (Gentiles) will come from the east and west and north and south and will enjoy the eternal kingdom of God.
The New Testament answers the same question with the word ‘many.’ The number who will enjoy God’s eternal kingdom will be huge.
Paul uses this word in Romans 5.15, 19:
“But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! … For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”
John’s visions in Revelation tell a similar story. The apostle is transported in space and time, we might say. At times he looks back from the far future. He sees a great multitude that no-one can count (Rev 7.9). These are those who are ‘saved.’
Sometimes we hear a teaching that suggests that very few will be saved, that Heaven will be sparsely populated. These verses seem not to reach that same conclusion.
Back to Paul. He boldly states: “”Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children, break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labour pains; because more are the children of the desolate women than of her who has no husband.” This is Gal 4.27, quoting Gen 21.10. He is referring to the children of Sarah, but says that we are also like Isaac, children of promise. Could it be that more will be saved than lost?
In bringing the Twelve some reassurance, Jesus told them that He is going to prepare a place for them (John 14.2-3). The Greek word (MONE) is a dwelling place. Apparently, our English words ‘manor’ and ‘manse’ are derived from this word. Heaven, it seems, will be full but not crowded. We will be able to truly enjoy God in a spacious place (Psalm 18.9).