Hello and welcome. In this article, we will look at ancestral sin in the Baptist tradition between the 19th and 20th centuries. So far on our blog, we've looked at ancestral sin, the view of the fall where guilt is not among the detriments transmitted or inherited from Adam, in the 16th-century Anabaptists. To read that article, see here. We've also looked at the magisterial reformers on original sin. To read that article, see here. These are the two most relevant articles we've done for our focus here. Before getting into the focus of this article, let's review our findings from the 16th century.
REVIEWING THE BAPTISTIC DATA IN THE 16TH CENTURY
In the 16th century, much was said about the spiritual condition of infants and their salvation in the Baptistic tradition. Many comments are in response to the baptismal theology of the magisterial reformers. To summarize the 16th-century magisterial reformers, they believed that all humans are guilty of Adam's sin from birth. As a result, the natural and normative fate of infants is eternal damnation. The solution to this fate is water baptism. A significant aspect of the early Baptistic arguments against Paedobaptism was rejecting the distinct premise of original sin where infants are guilty, under spiritual condemnation, and God's wrath. With the rejection of this premise, the Baptistic Christians of the 16th century undermined one of the primary justifications for infant baptism given by their detractors. Let's look at a few summative quotes.
"Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with concupiscence; and that this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through Baptism and the Holy Ghost." - Article II, 1-2
"Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace. They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism." - Article IX
The Augsburg Confession perhaps best encapsulates the position of the magisterial reformers while briefly commenting on the Anabaptist perspective as well. Original sin itself is seen as condemning and bringing eternal death to those not baptized. Contrary to this, Anabaptists are cited as rejecting paedobaptism and believing children are saved without it.
Hans Schlaffer, 1490 AD - 1528 AD
"You child baptizers say that when a child dies without baptism it is lost and will never see God. Show me, I ask you, one single letter of proof for this in the Holy Scriptures. Christ says about the children that the kingdom of heaven is theirs or of such, and that whoever receives one of them receieves him. They belong to him. Whatever you do to the least of these my own, says the Lord, you have done it to me. Now if they are his, the dear little children are not lost. Never!" - Testimonies of Faith, 100-101
"Nearly all Anabaptists consider children to be of pure and innocent blood, and they consider original sin not a sin which of itself condemns both the children and the adults. They also claim that it does not make anyone unclean except the one who accepts this sin, makes it his own, brings forth fruits of it and is unwilling to part from it. For they claim foreign sin does not condemn anybody, and in this they refer to the Ezekiel 18." - Chronica, Zeitbuch und Geschichtsbibel, Fol. 446
Sebastian Franck was a German Humanist. While he wasn't an Anabaptist himself, his writings about them give us some insight into their theology on the fall and its consequences. Sebastian claimed that the Anabaptists believed Adam's sin was not something inherited in the sense of guilt which negatively affects each person's spiritual condition in God's sight so that infants are under condemnation. Sebastian's observation seems accurate. Prominent Anabaptists in the 16th century like Conrad Grebel, Pilgram Marpeck, Dirk Philips, and many others did not seem to see the imputation or inheritance of Adamic guilt as one of the consequences brought about by the fall. This was one of their theological justifications given for rejecting Paedobaptism. To see a comprehensive treatment of these sources, see our article here. In that article, we cite sources up to the end of the 17th century. With this review in mind, let's move forward to the beginning of the 19th century.
ANCESTRAL SIN IN 19TH-20TH CENTURY BAPTISTS
Regarding sources in the 19th and 20th centuries, we will highlight three themes among them that indicate an affirmation of ancestral sin.
1. Indication that humans become sinners not by inheriting the guilt of Adam's sin but by utilizing what we inherit from Adam (namely an inclination toward sin) and sinning ourselves.
2. Indication that condemnation and guilt are conditioned on personal sin rather than an inherited sin.
3. Seemingly universal statements of infant salvation that indicate a lack of guilt.
Some sources below are short and don't require additional comments. We will comment on others that are more lengthy and require background context.
New Hampshire Confession, 1833 AD
“[We believe] That man was created in a state of holi-ness, under the law of his Maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice, being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, wholly given to the gratification of the world, of Satan, and of their own sinful passions, therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.” - Article 3
Sandy Creek Declaration of Faith, 1845 AD
"That man was created in a state of holiness, under the law of his maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state it in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, wholly given to the gratification of the world, of Satan, and of their own sinful passions, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse." - Article 3
Compendium of Christian Doctrines, 1866 AD
“Q. ( 4) How are all mankind made sinners? A. By inheriting sinful nature, yielding to temptation, and transgressing God’s law. Rom. v: 14; Gen. iii: 20; Rom. v:l2; I Cot. xv: 22.” - Chapter 2, Question 4
Confession of French Baptist Churches, 1879 AD
“We believe that our first parents were created innocent, but having wilfully disobeyed their creator, they lost their primitive estate and incurred the just judgment of God. All their descendants, enveloped in this judgment and inheriting their fallen nature, are inclined towards evil. We believe that all those who like them shall have consciously transgressed God’s laws, are justly exposed to an eternal punishment.” - Article 3
Principles and Ideals of the Baptist Faith, 1888 AD
“Baptists believe that infants are God’s little ones, whether children of Christian or non-Christian parents, and accept without modification the word of the Lord, “Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” This Christian view of the child makes the external act of “Infant Baptism” unnecessary.” - 1.A
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1908 AD -
“Southern Seminary has had a wide divergence of views on your topic; for example, between Boyce and Dale Moody and between Dale Moody and Al Mohler. Southwestern Seminary, on the other hand, has consistently been on one side: we are not guilty of Adam’s sin. Walter T. Conner repeatedly took this stance.” It is Garrett’s testimony that for more than one century, the theology faculty at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) has affirmed unanimously that people are not guilty of Adam’s sin. Garrett explained, “Conner was in the theology department at SWBTS from 1910 to 1949. I have known, I believe, every person who has taught theology as a full faculty member since 1949, and I cannot identify any one of these who taught that we are all guilty of the sin of Adam (and Eve), with one possible exception.” - James Leo Garret quoted in, Calvinism: A Biblical and Theological Critique by Allen and Lemke, p. 36
Garret was a Baptist theologian with a long and distinguished academic career. He taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary which formed in 1908 for many years during the mid-1900s. Garret is quoted as saying during his time at Southwestern Seminary, the consistent sentiment was that "we are not guilty of Adam's sin". According to his testimony, it would have been difficult to find a faculty member during his time there who taught that all humans are guilty of Adam's sin. If this testimony is accurate, it would mean that the overall theological perspective on the fall at Southwestern in the early to mid-20th century was aligned with ancestral sin.
Articles of Faith of the Baptist Bible Union of America, 1923 AD
“We believe (a) that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but (b) by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, (c) in consequence of which, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and (d) therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.” - Article VI
E. Y. Mullins, 1860 AD - 1928 AD
“Paul does not give us an elaborate theory as to how Adam’s sin is imputed to mankind. There is no clear evidence that he held the view that Adam was the “official” head of the race and that we sinned through him because he represented us in a covenant relation. Nor does he assert that we sinned in Adam because we were actually present in him when he sinned. This theory is based on the supposition that since the race has come out of Adam, we may properly assert that the race as a whole was in Adam. These are speculations about Paul’s teaching rather than interpretations of it.” - Mullins, The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, p. 293
“Men are not condemned therefore for hereditary or original sin. They are condemned only for their own sins. They are called to repentance and faith by the gospel. It is their own act of rejection which is the basis of their condemnation. Infants dying in infancy cannot repent, or believe, or perform works of any kind, good or bad. We do not know how the grace of God operates in them. But we are fully assured that Christ provided for them, and that they are created anew in him and saved.” - Mullins, The Christian Religion in Its Doctrinal Expression, p. 302
Mullins was a Southern Baptist minister and 4th president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mullins comments on the two primary theories for how Adam's guilt could be received. The first is federal headship where Adam unconditionally and unilaterally represents all his offspring, and the second is a seminal presence where humanity was truly in the garden with Adam when he sinned. Mullins says there is "no clear evidence" that the apostle Paul held to or asserted either of these views. For Mullins, these theories are suppositions and speculations rather than proper interpretations of Paul's teaching. On the surface, this skepticism of the theories for inheriting Adam's guilt indicates that Mullins perhaps did not affirm the concept that humanity has inherited Adam's guilt in some way.
Later in the same work, Mullins proposes that humans are only condemned for their sins rather than any sins in their ancestry. He says that our own rejection is the basis of condemnation and all who die in infancy are saved. These concepts are core points of ancestral sin.
W. T. Conner, 1877 AD - 1952 AD
“In other words, the fact of sin and death as a universal phenomenon in human life is traced back to Adam’s sin as the cause or source. The connection between Adam and his descendants is simply that of head of the race and members who spring from him. As to the imputation of Adam’s sin as an act of sin to the individual members of the race, no theory of such imputation is needed, for the simple reason that there was no such imputation. The idea that Adam’s sin as an act of sin is charged to his descendants and on that account they are guilty and hence condemned, is an idea too preposterous to be seriously entertained.” - Conner, The Gospel of Redemption, p. 29
Conner was a Baptist theologian and faculty member at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He supplies a higher degree of clarity than earlier contemporaries like Mullins. Conner says "There was no such imputation" of Adam's sin to his descendants. Conner properly identifies that possession of Adamic guilt makes the possessor condemned. He calls this notion preposterous.
“The Augustinian theory is that because men were seminally present in Adam, or present as to the substance of their being, they, therefore, shared in his sin, and on that ground the sin was charged to them. They are, therefore, guilty of Adam’s sin, because they shared in it. Since the sin is imputed to them and they are guilty of it, they are born depraved and condemned. To say the least of it, this theory regards in a very crude and materialistic way the idea of Adam’s descendants being present in him. There is no sense in which Adam’s descendants can be regarded as having been present in him so as to justify the imputation of Adam’s sin to them.” - Conner, The Gospel of Redemption, p. 29
“The Federal theory is no better. It says that God made a covenant with Adam, the terms of which were that on condition of Adam’s obedience to God his descendants should have eternal life; on condition of his disobedience his sin should be charged to them, and hence they would be guilty and condemned. There is not a shred of evidence from the Bible that any such covenant was ever made with Adam. Somebody has well said that the covenant originated in Holland rather than in the Garden of Eden. Such a charging of the sins of one human individual to another on the ground of a covenant, with which the one to whom sin is charged had nothing to do, would be the height of injustice.” - Conner, The Gospel of Redemption, p. 29-30
Further on, Conner comments on the theories of imputation like Mullins and concludes that the seminal presence or "Augustinian" theory and the federal headship theory aren't persuasive.
“There are such seeds of evil tendency in the child's nature, and such social influences for evil in the world in which the child lives that it inevitably commits transgression when it comes to the age of moral responsibility. In that sense the child is a sinner. It does not have personal guilt. That is impossible where the conditions of personal responsibility are lacking. These are absent in the child's life until the powers of self-consciousness and self-determination arise. There can be no personal guilt except in the case of a personal agent.” - Conner, Christian Doctrine, p. 191-192
Conner also says that we are classified as sinners through our own inevitable transgression that comes with moral responsibility. He sees possessing guilt as impossible when the conditions of personal responsibility are lacking. This rules out being guilty from conception due to an inherited sin from Adam.
Baptist Faith and Message, 1963 AD
“Man was created by the special act of God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence; whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin, and as soon as they are capable of moral action become transgressors and are under condemnation.” - Baptist Faith and Message, Article III
The Baptist Faith and Message from 1963 was a faith statement in the Southern Baptist tradition. In Article III, the conditions and prerequisites of being considered a transgressor and condemned are laid out. Adam's descendants don't inherit his guilt thereby putting humans under condemnation from conception. Rather, humans inherit the inclination toward sin. Being considered a transgressor and under condemnation is conditioned upon personal sin once moral action is possible.
Billy Graham, 1918 AD - 2018 AD
“While the tendency to sin has been passed on to us from our first parents, we are all sinners by choice. When we reach the age of accountability and are faced by the choice between good and evil, we all at some time or other choose to get angry, to tell a lie, to act selfishly.” - Graham, World Aflame, p. 131
Billy Graham was a prominent Southern Baptist evangelist. This quote is taken from his 1965 publication titled "World Aflame". Graham points out that the tendency to sin (not the guilt of sin itself) is passed on to Adam's descendants. He further says that humans are "sinners by choice" thereby indicating that we are classified as sinners due to personal sins and not by an unconditional and unilaterally inherited Adamic guilt.
Herschel Hobbs, 1907 AD - 1995 AD
“The story of Adam and Eve is the history of the human race, because all their posterity inherit the same tendency toward sin, “And as soon as they are capable of moral action become transgressors and are under condemnation.” - Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message, p. 54
Herschel Hobbs was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1960 to 1963. He was part of the committee that drafted the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message. In 1971, Hobbs published his own exposition on the confession further clarifying and confirming the language of Article III which focuses on the inheritance of inclination or tendency toward sin rather than the guilt of Adam's own sin and condemnation being grounded on personal sins.
Stanley Grenz, 1950 AD - 2005 AD
“We conclude, therefore, that Paul may not be declaring that Adam's offspring are guilty because of his sin. Rather, he may simply be describing what characterizes us in our sinful state of affairs, namely, that we are wrathful people. Whatever may be the final outcome of exegetical considerations of this verse, however, its exact meaning is sufficiently in doubt to render it a fragile foundation for a doctrine of inherited guilt.” - Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 412-413
“We come under the power of death and condemnation through personal sin. We conclude, then, that Romans 5:12-21, like Ephesians 2:3, does not clearly and unequivocally declare that all persons inherit guilt directly because of Adam's sin. The biblical case for original guilt is not strong.” - Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, p. 415
Grenz was a theologian in the Baptist tradition and served in various churches. When commenting on Ephesians 2:1-3, he doubts the interpretation of inherited guilt from the passage and calls it "fragile". Further on in the same work, he clarifies his view that guilt and condemnation are the result of personal sin.
Baptist Faith and Message, 2000 AD
"Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation." - Baptist Faith and Message, Article III
To close out the 20th century, the Baptist Faith and Message from 2000 is the faith statement in the Southern Baptist tradition. It uses the same language in Article III as its predecessor from 1963.
Thanks for reading. That concludes this article.
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