Baptist history, spirituality and administration: Baptist History and Heritage, by design, does not attempt to be an esoteric historical journal; it serves more of an advocacy function. (An Executive Note).

The idea is to provide background articles that both address current issues in Baptist life and urge Baptists to establish creative links between their past and their present and evolving future. Both the current and most recent issues fit into that pattern.

Baptists and Spirituality

Anna Quindlen wrote a penetrating article, "Doing Nothing Is Something: The Overscheduled Children of 21st-Century America, Deprived of the Gift of Boredom," in the May 13, 2002, issue of Newsweek. She commented on the hectic nature of children's lives today; remembered summers as a child when she had time to relax, play, and think creatively; and bemoaned the fact that that kind of summer no longer seems possible. She concluded: "Maybe this is the leading edge of a new way of living that not only has no room for contemplation but is contemptuous of it" (p. 76).

Many factors have diminished the quality of Baptist contemplation and spirituality in recent years: the converting of personal confessions of faith into forced creeds (who can engage in spiritual devotion when struggling with doctrinal compliance?); the expectation that pastors grow churches at quantum rates (when do they have time to pray and think?); general mistreatment of women in ordination and ministry (how can they worship when they are under siege?); powerful attempts to deprive laity of their priesthood (how can they contemplate when they are fighting for their God-given, biblically-based rights?).

Quindlen is right. We need more down time. Ask yourself.' does anger or cynicism or sadness or some other hyper-charged emotion characterize your involvement in Baptist life and your attitude toward Baptists with whom you disagree? Quite honestly, I have experienced all these feelings and more as my career has evolved in the past twenty-five years.

It's breakthrough time. Reading this issue of Baptist History and Heritage on "Baptists and Spirituality" convinced me to conduct a personal assessment of my own spirituality. Perhaps it can help you, too.

W. O. Carver, founding father of the Southern Baptist Historical Society, identified Jesus as "the Supreme Man of Prayer. Nothing is more characteristic of him. Nothing more arresting. He lived by prayer. He met all his crises in prayer" (Thou When Thou Prayest, 1928, p. 3). Baptist history and prayer go together.

Baptist History and Administration

The Winter 2002 issue of Baptist History and Heritage focused on the theme "Baptist Historians and Their Studies." Duke K. McCall read the issue and wrote: "I read it from front to back in one sitting. I literally could not put it down, even when I had to close my left eye to continue reading. I wish I had read it 60 years ago. I would have been a better administrator of Baptist agencies. The insight into how to read history would have broadened my perspective and sharpened my understanding of the context for the policy decisions I had to make. I knew I was dependent on my understanding of Christian history (including especially Baptist history) for major decisions. Had I anticipated that I would spend my life in denominational administration, I would have majored in church history."

If any readers hope to become Baptist administrators or already function in administrative roles, perhaps McCall's honest assessment of the potential values of church history for his own distinguished career can help. Baptists need more leaders willing to invest themselves in understanding the true nature, priorities, ideals, and spirit of Baptist heritage.

Charles W. Deweese
Executive Director-Treasurer
Baptist History and Heritage Society