Monthly Archives: September 2018

Why “The Bluestocking Baptists”?

Blog posts

          After flirting with the idea to do a podcast together, Hannah decided to ask Facebook world for some ideas on names for a podcast hosted by two Reformed Baptists women. After a few humorous suggestions from our Presbyterian brothers and sisters, Amy Breece suggested Bluestocking Baptist.
In the 18th Century, there was a group of women, led by Elizabeth Vesey who wanted to move away from hosting gatherings where guests played card games to hosting co-ed gatherings where women with intellectual and literary interests could engage in deep conversations. Elizabeth Vesey invited Benjamin Stillingfleet, a botanist, translator and author, to one of her gatherings but he declined her invitation, confessing that he did not have the proper attire to attend a gathering with such high class guests. Elizabeth insisted that Stillingfleet come and assured him that his bluestockings would do. Bluestockings were the casual wear in that time period and were seen as informal. The nickname “Bluestocking society” stuck.
To quickly summarize, Hannah and I believe…

Scripture is our highest authority rather than tradition
One can be justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, rather than good works. (Ephesians 2:1-7 & Galatians 2:15-16)
In the priesthood of all believers (Hebrews 7:23-28)
That Baptism is for believers only (Mark 16:16, Acts 8:36-37, Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, Acts 18:8, Matthew 3:16 & John 3:23)

For a more in-depth summary of what Hannah and I believe you can check out the beliefs outlined in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. (Click here to check it out)
We decided that since we wanted to be a simple, informal podcast for the average woman interested in learning about Christian doctrine and practice, “The Bluestocking Baptists” was a perfect name.

-Esther Faulkner

Our purpose

Blog posts

           You don’t have time to read thick books by theologians of the past. Words like “propitiation” and “monergism” scare you. But you want something more than your YouVersion app verse of the day. Sound familiar? The Bluestocking Baptists blog and podcast is for women who have a desire to better understand Christian theology and how that theology shapes our lives BUT do not have the time to read Charles Spurgeon’s commentary. It’s for  women who do not know where to begin. Today, there are hundreds of blogs and podcasts out there aimed toward Christian women. Sadly a good majority of those blogs and podcasts throw women a few bones with flowery scripture monogrammed on them (normally completely out of context) but never encourage them to get into the meaty portions of scripture. Women need to read more than Ruth and Esther. Look at the Apostle Paul’s warning to Timothy about the last days (btw every day between Christ’s ascension to the Father and his return are the “last days”…more about that later.)

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

In a world proclaiming the message to love yourself, rely on yourself and do what makes yourself happy, we need to study the meat in scripture more than ever. We need to know how to look out for those who “creep into households and capture weak women” who led women astray. We need to know the chaff from the wheat and wolves from sheep. We need to know what we believe, why we believe it and how to share it.
This is why we’re doing this blog and podcast. Too many things to do to sit and read a blog? We’ll keep them short and simple.
Don’t have time to sit and listen to a podcast with a pen and paper? Push play when you’re at work, driving, or folding laundry. You won’t hurt our feelings. Our goal is to glorify God by showing average Christian women that theology and doctrine are not scary and to help equip them to know the truth from lies.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) 
-Esther Faulkner