Andrew Fuller: Model Pastor-Theologian (Baptist Thought and Life)

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Andrew Fuller: Model Pastor-Theologian – Nathan A. Finn

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There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Here is a great book on Andrew Fuller. Fuller was the man who "held the ropes" for William Carey and the other Baptist missionaries whom God used to launch the Great Century of Christian Missions.

The focus of the book is on his role as pastor and theologian, and Fuller is truly a model to follow. One person found this helpful. I purchased the book for class for review. I am now a fan of the author and Andrew Fuller. Thank you for the work. The essentials are all there. Good book on the pastor-theologian distinctives of Fuller.

This was a book for TRs truly reformed. It would help someone seeking info about Fuller's doctrinal convictions. But it lacked all of the personal information needed to make Fuller and his times come alive. I like good history. I love good biographies, but this was just information.

Fuller's is a name you encounter increasingly these days as evidenced, for instance, by "The Works of Andrew Fuller Project"and "The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies" , and those familiar with the theological, ecclesial, and denominational frictions within the Southern Baptist Convention will understand why. Andrew Fuller was a British Baptist pastor and theologian largely self-taught who exerted a marked influence over the Baptist church which he pastored and the association of which he was an important part.

As an aside, Brewster's description of the heightened collegiality of British associationalism was quite insightful. So great was his influence, that one historian claimed he achieved a kind of de facto bishopric in the area. His was a ministry characterized by great fruit and great controversy, the latter likely being the reason for the renewed interest in Fuller today.

I do understand that the contention that Gill was "hyper" in his Calvinism is hotly disputed. It is possible that Brine's presentation of Gill's thought gave rise to the assumption. It is also possible that Gill was, in fact, a hyper-Calvinist. I'll leave that to others to decide. The hyper-Calvinism of Fuller's day had essentially suffocated evangelistic efforts among 18th century British Baptists. Gospel appeals to the lost were expressly avoided unless a lost person gave some evidence of a "warrant," or indication that they might be among the elect.

As such, evangelism suffered and evangelistic means were avoided. It must be understood that Andrew Fuller did not break with Calvinism per se, he broke with hyper-Calvinism. Fuller nuanced his Calvinism into a kind of evangelistic, missionary Calvinism.

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He did not reject election. He simply rejected the notion that a warrant must be present to justify evangelistic outreach. Fuller argued that, on this side of Heaven, we do not know who the elect are. As such, we should hear the missionary impulse within scripture and indiscriminately offer the gospel to all people in all nations. It is hard for us to imagine this being controversial, but it was in his day and context. Fuller also nuanced his approach to limited atonement, arguing that while the atonement was efficient only for the elect, it was sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

As such, we may yet again feel not only the freedom, but the imperative of preaching Christ to all people, everywhere, under the biblical assumption that the blood of Christ is a sufficient payment for the sins of the world. Fuller is also notable for his efforts alongside William Carey in beginning the Baptist Missionary Society, which constitutes, essentially, the beginning of the modern missionary movement. Fuller was the society's head at home, working tirelessly to handle the various organizational, financial, and logistical issues that arose in the execution of this important ministry.

He was, in Carey's famous terminology, the one who "held the rope" for the missionaries while they went to the field. Brewster reveals that some believe Fuller to have been under-appreciated in his role in the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society. Others seem to overstate Fuller's importance.

To be sure, William Carey's name is rightly synonymous with the founding of the modern missionary movement, but it is only right to recognize as well the enormous role that Fuller played. To use Carey's terminology, what would become of those descending below if those holding the rope were not faithful?

Nathan A. Finn

And, by all accounts, Fuller was a faithful "rope holder," almost obsessively so. The current revival of interest in Fuller may be attributed in part as Brewster recognizes to the controversies surrounding Calvinism in the Convention today. It is a controversy I'm disinterested in commenting on here. Regardless, Fuller represents a possible via media in the modern controversy, showing the one side that a not all Calvinism is hyper-Calvinism and b that Calvinism in and of itself is not inherently inimical to fervent evangelism, and showing the other side that an imbalanced preoccupation with the Calvinist system, untempered by those significant portions of scripture that speak of and illustrate the worldwide missionary impulse of the early church and need to take the gospel to the nations can lead to a stifling of missions and evangelism.

A man like Andrew Fuller, and his example of passionate evangelism and missions, may serve to help temper the unfortunate rancor of the modern situation in the SBC. To put it mildly, were the Convention populated by people as passionate about preaching the gospel of Christ to the nations as Andrew Fuller was, we may would just see revival break out in earnest in our day. I was also challenged by this book's depiction of Fuller's approach to pastoral ministry.

Fuller was quite scrupulous about the need for him to be an undershepherd to the people of God. He worked tirelessly in knowing and reaching his people, and those outside of his own church. Fuller never seemed to coast in his pastoral duties, even though, at times, his work in the missionary society caused him to do less than he likely should have for his own people. In all, this is a truly wonderful and insightful biography. It's well-written if a tad repetitious at times and engaging. For example, a major factor has to be the dramatic shifts in worldview brought about by the Industrial Revolution years ago and the Information Revolution of today.

Regardless, I agree who can deny it that the modern church overall is on a starvation diet when it comes to theology. The thesis of the book is that theologically weak churches are a consequence of theologically weak ministers. The solution to this church problem is a change in approach by its personnel.

Paul Brewster offers Andrew Fuller, 18 th century pastor-theologian as an example of the kind of preacher who can solve the theological barrenness of the contemporary church. His pastor as he grew up, John Eve, ironically fell afoul of his church when his Hyper-Calvinistic bona fides came into question.

Various circumstances about a year later put Fuller in the pulpit as a regular preacher at the age of 19 , and, after some months, the congregation of the Particular Baptist Church at Soham called him to be their pastor in January This move plunged Fuller into a lifetime of study, ministry, and leadership.

During that time, Fuller realized the deficiencies of Hyper-Calvinism, leading to strained relations with the Soham church.

Consequently, his ministry at Kettering was most productive. Though it was far from original in its sentiments, it was a more systematic, biblical, and theologically informed attempt to justify the evangelical Calvinism that was already gaining ground than had ever been attempted.

In addition to his preaching and writing, Fuller is notable for his leadership of the Baptist Missionary Society and his long labours in behalf of foreign missions led by his friend, William Carey. The labours of the Missionary Society added to the burdens of his activity. After his death, his widow, Anne, remarked on how she would often mention how many labours occupied their time.

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Popular remembrance of Fuller is associated mostly with his work with the Missionary Society. However, this book emphasizes his work as a theologian, a considerable part of his labours. To examine this topic takes three chapters: Later, the author notes that Fuller addressed other topics besides soteriology, but given his struggles with Hyper-Calvinism, it is no surprise that Soteriology dominates his writing.