Baptists

Ross Woods, 2022

The Anabaptist movement arose in Europe in the sixteenth century, soon after the Reformation. They were called “anabaptist,” which means “non-baptizers” because they did not baptize babies. They also usually did not allow members to become magistrates. Some anabaptist denominations today are Hutterites, Mennonites, and Armish, almost all in North America.

John Smith and Thomas Helwys brought the ideas of the the European Anabaptists to England and began the Baptist movement. From there it spread to many parts of the world, and was most successful in the USA.

Many non-Baptist denominations and some cults have Baptist roots in that they believe in the authority of Scripture, have congregational church government, and baptize only believers by immersion. In particular, many interdenominational missions have Baptist leanings, so the churches they plant are also Baptistic.

Beliefs

Baptists have a congregational church government, so no central authority defines what Baptists believe, and most Baptist groups have their own confessions of faith. However, Baptists’ three most defining characteristics are:

1. The authority of Scripture
2. A congregational church government
3. Baptism by immersion of believers only.

Put more completely, they are as follows:

1. Authority of Scripture
2. Church members should be committed Christians.
3. The autonomy of the local Church with Jesus Christ as its Head.
4. The final authority in the local church is the members’ meeting.
5. Two ordinances:
1. Baptism by immersion of believers only
2. The Lord’s Supper.
6. Church and state should be separate.
7. Believers should be free to practice their faith according to personal conscience. Government should give people that freedom.

In some countries, such as Indonesia, governments require a synodal church government, so Baptist churches have adapted as much as possible.

Extreme forms

1. The only cult-like extreme form within Baptist circles was the Landmark Baptists, because their beliefs suggested that Baptists were the only true church.
2. Although most Baptists are evangelical, some Baptist groups have been heavily influenced by neo-orthodoxy while some Baptistic churches have been fundamentalist.
3. One Baptistic denomination disagreed with denominationalism and included “Nondenominational” in its name. As it was not a denomination, it could claim to be the only true church.
4. Segments of some Baptistic denominations have believed in baptismal regeneration, that is, that baptism is essential to salvation.
5. One major Baptist denomination does not accept membership transfers from other Baptist denonominations and requires re-baptism.