The Sung Theology of the English Particular Baptist Revival: A Theological Analysis of Anne Steele’s Hymns in Rippon’s Hymnal

Any emphasis on the hymns of a Baptist woman, and a renewed emphasis on the use of hymns to teach and inspire, is to be welcomed. However, this particular volume, the fifteenth monograph in Baptist History to be published by Pickwick Publications, proved to be disappointing. Unfortunately, this volume does not seek to provide a theological analysis of Anne Steele’s hymns, but examines some of the verses written by Steele that John Rippon selected and edited before he included them in his Selection of Hymns. In effect, Carmichael is reflecting on Rippon’s theology. Hence, he naturally uses the headings in Rippon’s collection as the theological themes to be explored. Unfortunately, the discussion of these themes seems narrowly prescribed and lacks an understanding of Baptist life and relationships in the context of eighteenth-century Britain. Curiously, while noting that there were Particular Baptists who favoured open communion and open membership (such as Daniel Turner of Abingdon and the Rylands of Northampton), Carmichael appears to dismiss them as minor figures among Calvinistic Baptists! Moreover, he suggests that John Collet Ryland’s views may have been shaped by his friendship with the Anglican, James Hervey. However, no mention is made of Anne Steele in relation to Hervey, or to the fact that she wrote at least two poems reflecting on Hervey’s work. This omission may be an indication of the fact that, as Carmichael admits, he has not consulted primary sources relating to Steele and her family, but has simply relied on secondary sources. It may also be an indication of an inadequate appreciation of other wider connections within the eighteenth-century British context. Since the author seems to be seeking to portray, as he put it, ‘what, or who, might be called Rippon’s Steele’ (p.201), rather than analysing the hymns of Steele herself, what is provided in this book is essentially a discussion of some of the hymns of a female hymn writer that have been edited by a man and included in his collection, selected according to his own criteria. These edited hymns may, therefore, offer some limited insight into the theology of certain Particular Baptists of the period but, unfortunately, this work does not offer us any new insight into the life and faith of this Baptist woman. As a result, there is inevitably a limited appreciation of Steele’s contribution as one who proclaimed her faith not through theological discourse or preaching, but through her verse and hymnody.