Description

This issue of Baptist History & Heritage—“Missions, Myths, and Movements in Baptist History” (Volume 60, No. 1, 2025) offers an assortment of articles examining different facets of Baptist life and features fascinating stories that have shaped Baptist identity.

Stephen Kent revisits the Hillcliffe Baptist Church in England, probing bold claims of 17-century origins and tracing how 19th-century historians contributed to denominational myth-building. Building on this attention to contested memory, Jason B. Palmer explores William Wistar Hamilton, whose presidency at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary was marked by scandal yet followed by years of continued ministry and reinvention.

Turning to new voices and social movements, Christopher Price highlights independent fundamentalist writer Velma Carlton, who challenged male authority and abuse from within her movement’s theological boundaries, while Ranmi Bae uncovers how early Korean students at Baylor University served as cultural mediators amid Cold War mission ideals.

Stuart R. Sprague traces the Baptist Students Concerned movement (1968–1970) and its enduring legacy in shaping moderate Baptist life, and Jacob V. Hines analyzes the SBC’s Bold Mission Thrust initiative, revealing its surprising ecumenical dimensions.

Taken together, these studies illuminate the enduring complexity of Baptist witness and the continuing work of interpreting our history for the life of the church today.

Table of Contents

“The Early History, Myths, and Legends of Hillcliffe Baptist Church” – Stephen Kent

“William Wistar Hamilton Sr.: Exploring the Life and Legacy of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s Second President – Jason B. Palmer

“Independent Fundamental Baptist Dissident: Velma Carlton and The Castle Is in Shambles” – Christopher Price

“Cultural Mediators in a Divided Era: Early Korean International Students at Baylor University, 1948-1956” – Ranmi Bae

“Baptist Students Concerned, 1968-1970” – Stuart R. Sprague

“Bold Mission Thrust: A Southern Baptist ‘Countdown’ Strategy” – Jacob V. Hines