Baptists
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Baptists are a Protestant tradition of Christianity distinguished by baptizing only believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by total immersion. Modern Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul competency (the responsibility and accountability of every person before God), sola fide (justification by faith alone), sola scriptura (the Bible as the sole infallible authority) and congregationalist ecclesiastical polity. Baptists generally recognize at least two sacraments or ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.[1][2][3]
Diverse from their beginnings, those identifying as Baptists today may differ widely from one another in what they believe, how they worship, their attitudes toward other Christians, and their understanding of what is important in Christian discipleship.[4] Baptist missionaries have spread various Baptist churches to every continent.[5] The largest Baptist communion of churches is the Baptist World Alliance, and there are many different groupings of Baptist churches and Baptist congregations.
Baptists are traced back to Dissenters from the Church of England in Great Britain. A nonconformist church was formed in Gainsborough led by the cleric John Smyth. The Gainsborough congregation and the Scrooby congregation went into exile in Amsterdam in 1608.[6] In accordance with their exegesis of the New Testament, they came to reject infant baptism and instituted baptism only of professing believers.[5] Thomas Helwys returned the congregation to England, where he formulated a distinctive philosophical request that the church and the state be kept separate in matters of law, so that individuals might have liberty of conscience. Baptists spread across England, where the General Baptists considered Christ's atonement to extend to all people, while the Particular Baptists believed that it extended only to the elect.[7] The Second London Confession of Faith of 1689 is the greatest creedal document for Particular Baptists, whereas the Orthodox Creed of 1679 is the one widely accepted by General Baptists.
- ^ "Orthodox Creed" (PDF). California Baptist University. 1679. XXVII. Article. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
These two Sacraments, (viz.) Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, are Ordinances of Positive, Soveraign, and holy Institution
- ^ "What We Believe". National Association of Free Will Baptists. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
Gospel Ordinances – Free Will Baptists believe the Bible teaches three ordinances for the church to practice: Baptism in water by immersion, the Lord's Supper, to be perpetuated until His return, and the Washing of the Saints' feet, an ordinance teaching humility.
- ^ "What we believe". Bethel Reformed Baptist Church. 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
Female members should remember the teaching of 1 Cor. 14:34–35, and so must ask questions at Members' Meetings through their own husbands or a male member of the Church. Female head covering is the teaching of Holy Scripture, as seen in 1 Cor. 11, and so is to be observed by all female Church members in all Church Services, business and prayer meetings.
- ^ Shurden, Walter (2001). "Turning Points in Baptist History". Macon, GA: The Center for Baptist Studies, Mercer University. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
- ^ a b Fiddes, Paul (2022). "Baptists". In Andrew Louth (ed.). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191744396.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Gourleywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Benedict, David (1848). A General History of the Baptist Denomination in America and Other Parts of the World. Lewis Colby. p. 325.
It is, however, well known by the community at home and abroad, that from a very early period they have been divided into two parties, which have been denominated General and Particular, which differ from each other mainly in their doctrinal sentiments; the Generals being Arminians, and the other, Calvinists.