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Showing posts with the label Old Landmarkism

The Way of the Towel: Greatness, Redefined by Jesus

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by Bart Denny Central text: John 13:12–17 (NIV) Over the years, in church settings, I’ve done a lot of dishes. I’ve raked a lot of leaves. I’ve painted plenty of church walls. I’ve plunged more than a few clogged toilets. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. But if I’m honest, at this age, with this many years in church, there’s a part of me that wants to say, “I’ve done my time.” I don’t usually say it out loud. I dress it up. I call it wisdom. Focus. Stewarding my time well. But the feeling sneaks up on me. It shows up when another need pops up. When the same few people carry the same load. When I feel tired. It shows up when I think, “Shouldn’t somebody else take a turn now?” And I’ll confess something else: I don’t mind serving. I just want to choose the terms. And if I’m not careful, I start thinking and acting like the low places belong to somebody else. Now let me be even more honest: I don’t struggle with getting my hands dirty. I struggle to keep my ego in check....
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“Because of the Angels”: What’s Really Behind the Head Covering Debate?

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by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M. If you’ve ever read 1 Corinthians 11 and found yourself puzzled by Paul’s instruction that women should cover their heads in worship “because of the angels” (v. 10), you’re not alone. This passage has sparked confusion and debate for centuries. Some, like K. P. Yohannan, argue that Paul’s words are a timeless command for all women in every church to wear head coverings in church. The reference to angels, they claim, seals it as a universal directive. But is that really what Paul intended? Let’s take a closer look. While 1 Corinthians 11 teaches principles that still matter today, the practice of head covering appears rooted in a specific time, place, and culture. And the reference to angels? It’s important, but perhaps not in the way some assume. What Did Paul Actually Say? Paul’s only mention of head coverings is in 1 Corinthians 11, a letter written to a first-century church navigating issues of gender roles, worship practices, and public witness. The p...
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A Baptist Bride? An Analysis of “Old Landmarkism”

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This paper will show that “Old Landmarkism," or "Baptist Bride" theology, is an extreme variant of Baptist ecclesiology that is historically untenable and far out of line with traditional Baptist ecclesiology. Further, Landmarkism is also far removed from the New Testament practices Landmarkism purports to champion. This paper will briefly examine the historical roots of the Landmark Controversy and its influence on Baptist groups and denominations, particularly in the southern United States. The author will paper will examine the tenets of Landmark ecclesiology—including “Baptist succession” (or “Baptist perpetuity”), the marks of a “true” church, Baptist separation, and the Lord’s Supper. In all cases, this paper will show Landmark views of Baptist separation, succession, and the ordinances of the church—while emerging from valid concerns—are taken to an unbiblical extreme. A Brief History of the Old Landmark Movement It is beyond the scope of this paper to trace the c...
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