Contributions and Struggles: Some Theological Explorations, by Brian Haymes

'Inspiring and challenging volume which shows the breadth of Haymes' profound thinking and his engagement – and struggles – with important issues'

Contributions and Struggles: Some Theological Explorations
By Brian Haymes
Baptist Historical Society
ISBN 978-0-903166-51-5
Reviewed by Ian Randall

Brian Haymes, who died in 2024, made an outstanding contribution to Baptist life. After training for ministry at Bristol Baptist College, he was a pastor in three Baptist churches – St George, Bristol (1965–69), South Street, Exeter (1969–1977) and Mansfield Road, Nottingham (1977–85) – and then served two Baptist Colleges, first Northern Baptist College as Tutor (1981–85) and Principal (1985–94), and then Bristol Baptist College as Principal (1994–2000).

His last ministerial office was once again in a local pastorate, as minister of Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 2000–2005. He was President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, 1993–94. 

Along with preaching, teaching, leading, and offering pastoral, he also wrote. In this book he drew together essays, sermons, and reflections that come from his long ministry and his heart-felt commitment to churches, to colleges and to the spiritual journey. The topics show the breadth of his profound thinking and his engagement – his struggles, as the title has it – with important issues.

The volume has four main parts: ‘On Being a Baptist’; ‘Theological Reflections’; ‘With All the Saints’; and ‘Preaching’.

In the first part there is: a personal account, a probing essay on baptism as a political act, and a plea for deeper understanding of ‘covenant’ under the title ‘Still Blessing the Tie that Binds’.

The second part, with the largest number of items, contains thoughtful studies on themes that are always both theological and practical, such as: ‘Knowing God, a Very Practical Matter’; ‘Following Jesus Christ’; ‘Living the Atonement’’, ‘The Congregation as Missionary and Prophetic Community’; and ‘The Nature of Ministry and Ordination’.

In the third part there are again fine essays, perhaps most notably on ‘The Communion of Saints’ and ‘Mary in the Life and Doctrine of the Church’. The volume ends, in the fourth section, appropriately, with a hope-filled sermon: ‘The God Who Goes Before Us’.

Everyone reading this book will have chapters that are especially appealing. For some, what will be most powerful will be the deep personal conviction which is apparent. For others the serious engagement with the biblical tradition will be the richest element. Indeed, it is probably unwise to try to separate the strands that are woven together.

But for me some of the most stimulating insights are to be found in the interactions with figures from across history and across traditions. Here we have not only a Baptist theologian but a splendidly ecumenical one, looking to learn from and dialogue with - for example -  H.H. Farmer, Thomas Helwys, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhold and Richard Niebuhr, and St Thérèse of Lisieux. In this list only one was a Baptist.

However, in the final section there is a moving tribute to a Baptist scholar-pastor of recent times, George Beasley-Murray.

As well as the essays by Brian Haymes himself, I gained an understanding of the core issues from the Foreword by Paul Fiddes. Thanks are due to Karen Smith and Simon Woodman for their editing of what is an inspiring and challenging volume.    
 

Ian Randall is a Research Associate of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide