When, Where and How was the Baptist Church formed? Looking for some serious answer please not stupid ones.?

Answer 1

It is reported that John Smyth, who originally was a bishop in the church of England, left that church and fled to Holland. He, along with others, formed the first Baptist church around 1610. Shortly after he died, the church there ceased. Some that helped found it in Holland, returned to England and established other Baptist churches. As time passed, the number of churches grew. The Calvinistic or Particular Baptists were a different group in England which also spread. These eventually migrated to what is now the USA.

It is reported that Roger Williams founded the first Baptist church in America around 1639 in Providence, RI. There is no record of other Baptist churches coming forth from this one. Later, other Baptist churches sprung up. One in Boston, another in Maine which relocated to South Carolina. Another was started in New York, another in Long Island in the 1700's, another in Philadelphia, and another in New Jersey. Very severe persecution awaited these people that made their stand for God’s Word. Once the Revolutionary War ended and religious freedom was established, the Baptists spread far and wide.

There is a long-held saying among Baptists: when you get two Baptists together, you get three difference opinions! This is most evident when one reads online Baptist history resources: many seem bent on proving that their particular view of Baptist history is the one and only true understanding of Baptist history.

History, in fact, is subject to various (and often contradictory) interpretations. Baptist history is not exempt from the interpretive confusion. Indeed, Baptists are even in disagreement over how they originated!

Views of Baptist Origins

1. Outgrowth of English Separatism -- In this view, the Baptist faith originated from within the Separatist movement, a movement which arose in Europe with the goal of breaking away from the Church of England (which previously had broken away from the Catholic Church, yet retained many of the trappings; those within the Church of England who wished to remain a part of the Church and yet purify it became known as "Puritans;" they were, in a sense, cousins to Separatists). The influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists is considered minimal, according to this viewpoint. The earliest Baptist church is traced back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with John Smyth as pastor. The group's embracing of "believer's baptism" became the defining moment which led to the establishment of this first Baptist church. Shortly thereafter, Smyth left the group, and Thomas Helwys took over the leadership, leading the church back to England in 1611. This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted view of Baptist origins. Representative writers include William H. Whitsitt, Robert G. Torbet, Winthrop S. Hudson, William G. McLoughlin and Robert A. Baker.

2. Influence of Anabaptists -- This view holds that although Baptists originated from English Separatism, their emergence owes much to the earlier Anabaptists. According to this view, some early Baptists were influenced by some Anabaptists. The Dutch Mennonites (Anabaptists), for example, shared some similarities with General Baptists (believer's baptism, religious liberty, separation of church and state, and Arminian views of salvation, predestination and original sin). However, other than this, there were significant differences between Anabaptists and Baptists (Anabaptists tended towards extreme pacifism, communal sharing of earthly goods, and an unorthodox optimistic view of human nature). Therefore, few Baptists hold to this theory of Baptist origins. Representative writers include A.C. Underwood and William R. Estep. Among some contemporary Baptist scholars who emphasize the faith of the community over soul liberty, the Anabaptist influence theory is making a comeback.

3. Continuation of Biblical Teachings -- Some Baptists "seek to go back beyond the Anabaptist movement to trace the continuity of Baptist forms of faith through the centuries" (Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage, page 56). While advocates of this view do not claim a succession of organized Baptist churches (see below), they believe that Baptist faith and practice have existed since the time of Christ. This view has a goodly number of advocates, including a number of early Baptist historians, many of whom were concerned with presenting the validity of their faith (denomination) over and above that of other denominations. Some representative writers of an earlier era include Thomas Crosby (one of the earliest Baptist historians, he wrote in the early 1700s), A.H. Newman and David Benedict.

4. Succession of Baptist Churches -- This viewpoint goes beyond mere "continuation of biblical teachings" and declares that Baptist churches actually existed in an unbroken chain since the time of Christ and John the Baptist. Commonly referred to as "Landmarkism" or the "Trail of Blood" theory (J.M.Carroll wrote a book of supposed Baptist history by this name), this view declares that those churches which stood outside the influence of the Roman Catholic Church at various times in church history were, in actuality although not in name, Baptist churches. That which made them Baptists was their refusal to accept infant baptism, or, said another way, their refusal to accept the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church as a Christian entity. However, many of the historical churches which Landmarkists label as Baptist churches were actually heretical in regards to doctrine. Nonetheless, the "Landmarkist" view, which has little actual historical support, remains popular among certain Baptists. The reason for its moderate popularity (and, indeed, strong popularity among some rural Baptists in the southern and western United States) stems (to some degree) from a long-standing dislike (if not hate) of Catholics by many Baptists. Representative writers of this viewpoint include J.M Carroll, G.H. Orchard and J.M. Cramp. It should also be noted that, interestingly enough, much of the Baptist history material thus far posted on the Internet is Landmarkist in nature, indicating that Landmarkers are yet a very vocal lot.


The Reformed Debate

In addition to the long-running debate over Baptist origins, a new debate is now prominent in Baptist life: the question over whether or not Baptists (and particularly Southern Baptists) are historically Calvinistic. The Founders Journal (see below), along with Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is doing an admirable job in championing the belief that Southern Baptists have always been strict (5 point) Calvinists. Their efforts do fall short of the truth, however, for although Baptists (including Southern Baptists) have certainly been influenced by Calvinism, they have also been much influenced by Arminianism, which historically served to moderate Calvinism and produce a warmly evangelistic theology as mirrored in the Great Awakenings. Most Baptists today hold beliefs from both Calvinistic and Arminian schools of thought. The current Calvinistic debate about Baptist history has reached the point where it is now affecting many Baptist churches throughout America.

Answer 2

After Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic church there were many other sects to follow. Michael Kane started the Baptist movement in Florida in the early 1800s

Answer 3

Well, first Luther broke from the Catholic church, creating the first protestants (Lutherans). Then Calvin came along and further revised Lutheranism, saying that we are saved by faith alone and the bible is the only source of wisdom. After that, various breaks resulted in the dozens of denominations.

Answer 4

"The earliest Baptist church is traced back to 1609 in Amsterdam, ... "

Here is all the information that you could possibly need on the history of the Baptist Church...

Answer 5

The Westboro Baptists church is between the numerous motives any such enormous volume of persons dislike Christianity. They %. and choose what elements of the Bible are to be believed. they honestly anger me besides. i'm no longer a Christian in any respect notwithstanding, i'm a mixture of Paganism, non secular satanism, buddhism and shintoism. I somewhat have examine and studied the bible myself, when you consider that i like to talk and study about faith and the westboro church has a extra precise description of god than maximum christians. God does punish and god does hate. It says so in the bible. They were provided that section accurate, notwithstanding the bible also says it isn't for guy to guage others and to love thy neighbor. consequently the westboro church is the picture of maximum christians, hypocrites. they are in basic terms advise hypocrites. No offense to christians meant by ability of this answer. i appreciate your beliefs, in basic terms desire extra human beings had extra information of what the bible says.

Answer 6

All organized religions (churches) are spin offs of the catholic church which has it's roots in christianity & paganism. All daughters of one whore. The focus is to know God not waste your time in frivolity or do you not see the signs of the end of time.
Larry T

Answer 7

Hopeful: Don't hang "Lutheran" on Martin Luther. He asked that those who follow his teaching be called "Christians," complying with scripture rather than defying it. His intent was not to create something new, but to fix what was broken.

Answer 8

Baptists In Britain

Although the honor for the establishing of the first Baptist Church in Wales belongs to John Myles, the real championing of the Baptist cause belongs to one Vavasor Powell (1617-1670), because Myles and most of his congregation moved to New England. Powell was definitely of Puritan persuasion within the Established Church, but by 1655 his church in Wales was baptistic at least, for records reveal that he had been recently rebaptized. Many Baptists came from his efforts, and the succeeding Welsh Baptists (Christmas Evans, 1766-1838, etc.) continued his ardent Calvinistic beliefs, although for a time Arminianism was threatening.

Baptists had no beginning in Scotland until the eighteenth century and that, again, under the leadership of men from Independent and Puritan (within the Church of Scotland) backgrounds. These earliest churches were begun under the leadership of Sir William Sinclair (1750) and Robert Carmichael (1765). The most familiar names of early Baptists in Scotland are the Haldane brothers, Robert (1764-1842) and James (1768-1851), both of whom had been Independents. In 1808 they both became convinced that their practice of infant baptism was unscriptural, and in the fifty years of ministry which followed, nearly forty Baptist churches were founded in Scotland.

Baptists in Ireland have never been many, Irish resistance being too great. The first Baptist church established was under the direction of Thomas Patience in Dublin, probably in the year 1653. The Baptist who perhaps most helped the cause of Baptists in Ireland was the esteemed Alexander Carson (1776-1844). A very learned Scottish Presbyterian, he vigorously opposed some of his church members who began to embrace Baptist convictions. Later, having been persuaded of their truthfulness, he was removed from his church by the synod. His Baptism: Its Mode & Subjects, testifies to his ability to defend believer's baptism.

The first Baptist Church in England (General Baptist) finds its origin with John Smyth. Although Smyth had definite Puritan beliefs, persecution drove him from England to Holland because of his Separatist convictions. With his church moved to Amsterdam, he came into fellowship with the strong Mennonite (Anabaptist) groups there. Smyth there established a Baptist Church, having baptized himself and his entire congregation (with one pail of water!). He soon applied for membership in the Mennonite church, only to the great disruption of the congregation. Thomas Helwys (c. 1550 - c. 1616), a member of the church, led the congregation to excommunicate Smyth for his Anabaptist heresy. In 1611 they published a declaration of their faith rejecting the teachings of the Anabaptists. Shortly thereafter they moved back to England, thus becoming the first Baptist Church on English soil.

General Baptists who followed (and who eventually gave way almost entirely to Unitarianism) made great efforts to disavow any connection with Anabaptism. Similarities there were, but identity or association with them was consistently denied. Their Declarations of Faith made this abundantly clear; not only did they reject Anabaptism, they often referred to themselves as "Protestants." In 1678 they published "An Orthodox Creed or Protestant Confession of Faith, Being an Essay to Unite and Confirm all True Protestants."

The other strain of Baptists in England (Particular Baptists) began in 1638 under the leadership of John Spilsbury, their first pastor. The church began as a break from the Independent Church which was begun by Henry Jacob (the so-called "Jacob-Lathrop-Jessey Church," named after its successive pastors) over the matter of infant Baptism. These Particular Baptists were by far the strongest voice of English Baptists for generations (Gill, Fuller, Spurgeon, Bunyan, etc.). Like the General Baptists these Particulars repeatedly disavowed any association with Anabaptism and continually affirmed their loyalty to the Protestant Reformation, even calling themselves Protestants. Their Second London Confession of faith is an obvious and admitted adaptation of the Presbyterian Westminster Confession of 1646 (as is also the Philadelphia Confession, which became the standard statement of faith for Baptists in America). The Second London Confession (1677) states the Particular Baptist agreement "with Protestants in diverse nations and cities . . . in that wholesome Protestant doctrine, which with so clear evidence of Scriptures that they have asserted," and claims kinship with the great reformers of England who gave their lives in opposition to Rome.

It is abundantly clear that the Baptists of Britain, while consistently rejecting the teachings of the Anabaptists, sought to remain loyal to the Protestant Reformation, their few (but major) differences notwithstanding.

One other point is worthy of note here, and that regards the mode of baptism practiced by these early Baptists. Originally it was almost uniformly by affusion. This is true of the Anabaptists (even down to today's Anabaptists and their children the Mennonites) as well as the Baptists of Britain. Vedder ( A Short History of the Baptists) a Baptist Historian, says this was the same of the first Baptists of America as well (e.g., Roger Williams). Well into the third quarter of the seventeenth century Baptists were not entirely an immersionist group. The issue with them, which they so diligently fought, was that of the subjects of baptism. In their struggle for complete conformity to the New Testament, immersion did follow.