Counter-Cultural Communities

This book presents six ground-breaking Master's degree dissertations that have been done in the area of Baptist and Anabaptist Studies through the International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS), Prague. The focus is continental Europe, with a particular emphasis on eastern Europe. The material is largely culled from primary sources. The topics covered include the Theology of Baptist Believers in Bulgaria, 1920-1939, the Pentecostal Dilemma in the Finnish Baptist Union, 1930-1953, Moldovan Baptists, 1940-1965, the State and the Baptist Churches in the USSR, 1960-1980, Baptist Mission Efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Life and Convictions of Hans Meier (1902-1992). Most of these topics have never been covered in English before. In the case of the studies of former Communist countries, this kind of research has only been possible in the last decade. 'Baptists emerged four centuries ago as communities of dissent from the culturally and politically established churches of the day. Over the years many of us have learned to make peace with the powers. Yet in so doing we too easily forgot that the best convictions of our heritage are kept alive in struggle. Reading these stories of Baptists in Eastern Europe who contended for the faith may help us rekindle the practice of dissent and thereby become more faithful witnesses to the radical way of Jesus.' - Curtis W. Freeman, Research Professor of Theology and Baptist Studies, Duke University Divinity School 'This fine collection of essays offers insight and analysis of Baptist history in Eastern Europe, an area largely under-researched in English. It is an important and timely contribution to Baptist and European religious studies.' - Bill J. Leonard, The School of Divinity, Wake Forest University 'It is exciting to see a new generation of European Baptist scholars reflecting on the stories of their own communities, especially during periods of struggle, conflict, and persecution. The insights from their research form a helpful backdrop to contemporary issues facing European Baptists today. The triumph of faith over adversity shines through the pages of these studies.' - Tony Peck, General Secretary, European Baptist Federation. 'The publication of these essays is a testimony to the excellent work done by the Department of Baptist and Anabaptist Studies at IBTS, Prague. It is also an enormously useful tool in providing critical scholarship in English which gives an assessment of aspects of East European Baptist thought and activity hitherto not known outside the literature of the different East European languages. In this sense this collection of essays is excitingly pioneering.' - John H.Y. Briggs, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage, Regent's Park College, University Keith G. Jones is the Recto of the International Baptist Seminary, Prague. He was formerly the Deputy General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. Ian M. Randall is Senior Research Fellow at the International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, and a Tutor at Spurgeon's College London.