Why Caffeinated Theology?
In researching the 18th-century British Particular Baptists, I (David) learned of a group known as the Baptist Board. The Baptist Board was a small group of London Baptist ministers who gathered each month at the Jamaican Coffee House—the first coffee house in London, established in 1652 in St Michael’s churchyard. (In a humorous historical twist, the spot continues to exist as the Jamaican Wine House). Historian Ernest Payne described the gatherings as “a denominational clearing-house, as well as a ministers’ fraternal.”
In their gatherings, they opened Scripture with one another, discussed theology together, and considered various public and denominational issues . . . all over a cup of coffee.
Fast-forward to January 2017. While teaching at an international seminary, I found myself among a small group of PhD students gathered at a little cafe in Penang, Malaysia. Together, we opened the Scriptures, discussed matters of theology and a number of cultural and denominational issues all while enjoying a freshly-brewed cup of coffee.
Simply stated, that is the vision of Caffeinated Theology—to become a place where friends can gather, open the Word of God together and consider various denominational and cultural happenings all the while encouraging one another.
So grab a cup of coffee and check out one of our articles. Then add a comment sharing your thoughts.
About our Contributors
- To learn more about David Norman, click here.
- To learn more about Anthony Svajda, click here.
- To learn more about Sean Wegener, click here.
To see a handbill distributed by the Jamaican Coffee House during the 1650s, click here.