Fullerism as Opposed to Calvinism: A Historical and Theological Comparison of the Missiology of Andrew Fuller and John Calvin

Calvinism and its impact upon Baptist and other free-church traditions is an issue of perennial importance. Indeed, much ink has been employed throughout the years for the purpose of considering just this topic. Obviously Calvinism is a complete doctrinal system, and it bears upon many other areas of theological concern beyond the doctrine of salvation. While many Baptists have had a long and historic association with Calvinistic soteriology, Calvinism's approach to ecclesiology and missiology should leave most self conscious Baptists dissatisfied at best. This book provides a missiological comparison of Fullerism and Calvinism. Andrew Fuller or Fullerism (while admittedly a form of Calvinism) is shown in this book to be an exciting and vibrant alternative to historic Reformed theology-particularly for Baptists and other free-church traditions. Fuller made a tremendous theological contribution in his day; through his writings he established the doctrinal rationale for indiscriminate gospel proclamation (a concept that was heavily under attack in eighteenth-century Baptist life). Consequently, this book hopes to encourage its readers to contemplate the lack of precision in the term "Calvinism" when used as a Baptistic nomenclature and to promote "Fullerism" (with its acute missiological emphasis) as a more helpful theological descriptor for the Baptist.

A. Chadwick Mauldin is the Director of Ministry and Theology at Happy Hill Farm Academy in Granbury, Texas. He has completed two degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently conducting further postgraduate research-focusing on a systematic study of Andrew Fuller's theology and its place within eighteenth-century Baptist history.

Michael A. G. Haykin (ThD, University of Toronto) is professor of church history and biblical spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. He has authored or edited more than twenty-five books, including Rediscovering the Church Fathers: Who They Were and How They Shaped the Church.