Thinking With the Church

“Against the backdrop of ‘resurgent Calvinism,’ Derek Hatch urges Baptists to retrieve the sacramental ontology of the great tradition of the church. Those skeptical of a ressourcement of the church catholic may want to consider Hatch’s unrelenting focus on Jesus. The Christological approach yields a winsome treatment that deals a blow to our modern theological dilemmas (Bible or tradition, individual or community, truth or freedom). This thorough and nuanced appeal to the nouvelle théologie of Henri de Lubac and others is well worth pondering—not only for Baptists, but also for other Protestants and Catholics.”


—Hans Boersma, J. I. Packer Professor of Theology, Regent College





“Derek Hatch proposes a remedy for the ‘strained relationship’ between Baptists and theology: connecting the theological concerns that Baptists do have—even when not aware that they are doing theology when they engage them—with the practice of theology by the whole church. Thinking with the Church is must reading for all Baptists who are conscious of the shortcomings of their ecclesial life and yearn for the renewal of theology that will help Baptists envision for their churches a fuller participation in God’s life.”


—Steven R. Harmon, Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity