In Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands: Recovering Sacrament in the Baptist Tradition, Michael A. G. Haykin shows that 17th-18th century British Baptists held a sacramental view of the Lord's Supper, even as they affirmed its memorial function and classification as an ordinance. The majority of Baptists in this period adopted Calvin's view of the Table, emphasizing Christ's presence in the sacraments mediated by the Spirit and received by faith. Haykin draws special attention to hymns, prayers, and writings from this era that reveal this more sacramental and less exclusively memorialist perspective.

Haykin points out that when Baptists shifted from being a persecuted minority emphasizing the preaching of the Word and practice of the sacraments to a legal and evangelical institution, the emphasis on evangelism replaced the emphasis on sacraments. He draws a compelling connection between the rise of "altar calls" at the end of services and the decline of regular inclusion of the Supper in worship. The altar call essentially undermined the Table's place in the Sunday gathering—a connection I had never made before, but one that makes immediate sense.

Haykin also explores the debate between Baptists who practiced open communion and membership versus those who enforced closed communion and membership. While this section was less engaging, his documentation of the dispute between John Bunyan and William Kiffin illuminates the longstanding debate among Baptists regarding the appropriate recipients of the Table. At Resurrection Church, the timing and mode of baptism do not bar participation in communion. Our instructions in the weekly bulletin state: "If you are baptized into God's family and sincerely love Christ, you are welcome to partake, whether or not you are a member of Resurrection Church." The historical debate Haykin outlines provides valuable context for our current practice.

Haykin demonstrates that British Baptists treasured the Eucharist as both memorial and sacrament, considering it the means of grace that draws believers closest to Christ. This attitude stands in stark contrast with many modern (particularly American) Baptist approaches to the Table. Though concise and focused on a specific era of Baptist history, this book provides a valuable resource for those connected to the Baptist tradition who seek to recover a deeper appreciation for the sacraments in their churches.

Amidst us our Beloved stands,
and bids us view His pierced hands;
points to the wounded feet and side,
blest emblems of the Crucified.

If now, with eyes defiled and dim,
we see the signs, but see not Him;
O may His love the scales displace,
and bid us see Him face to face!

"Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands" - C. H. Spurgeon