Baptist

Grew from: Reformed / Presbyterian
From: 1609 AD
Origin: Amsterdam and England
Confession: Second London Baptist Confession 1689 AD

Grew from English separatism, holding baptism to be for professing believers only and each congregation to be self-governing.

What marks it out

Baptism by immersion of professing believers only, and the local congregation as a complete church under Christ with no authority above it. Liberty of conscience and the separation of church and state, argued by Baptists in England and Rhode Island before any government granted it — Roger Williams founded a colony on the principle in 1636. No binding creed: confessions are testimony rather than a test.

Bodies that grew from it

Figures

Martin Luther King Jr. 1929–1968
The civil rights movement, argued from a pulpit

Alongside it

Also from Reformed / Presbyterian.

In the record

1730–1840 AD Revival

The Great Awakenings

Waves of revival preaching produced the Methodist movement and, later, the Baptist and Restorationist expansion in America.

What it holds

Each position in the terms this tradition itself uses, with its confessional source.

Baptism Church-dividing: Baptism is for those who personally profess faith, by immersion. Infant baptism is not baptism, since it lacks the profession the ordinance requires. Second London Baptist Confession, XXIX (1689)
Church authority Church-dividing: Each local congregation is complete in itself under Christ and answers to no external hierarchy. Second London Baptist Confession, XXVI (1689)
Justification Church-dividing: Justification is by the imputed righteousness of Christ, received by faith alone, which is never alone in the person justified. Second London Baptist Confession, XI (1689)
Mary Church-dividing: Honoured as the mother of Jesus; invocation is rejected, as is any mediatorial role. Second London Baptist Confession, XXII (1689)
Scripture and tradition Church-dividing: Holy scripture is the only sufficient and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. Second London Baptist Confession, I (1689)
The Lord's Supper Church-dividing: A memorial and a showing forth of Christ's death, in which believers are spiritually nourished; the elements remain bread and wine. Second London Baptist Confession, XXX (1689)
The saints and intercession Church-dividing: Prayer belongs to God alone; the saints are honoured but not invoked. Second London Baptist Confession, XXII (1689)
The state after death Church-dividing: The righteous are received into paradise at death; purgatory is rejected. Second London Baptist Confession, XXXI (1689)
How many sacraments Genuine disagreement: Two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper; the word sacrament is often avoided. Second London Baptist Confession, XXVIII (1689)
Icons and images Genuine disagreement: Images are not used in worship, following the Reformed reading of the second commandment. Second London Baptist Confession, XXII (1689)
Ordination of women Genuine disagreement: Varies sharply by convention and by congregation, consistent with congregational governance. Contemporary practice, summarised
Perseverance of the saints Genuine disagreement: The saints will certainly persevere, being kept by the power of God through faith. Second London Baptist Confession, XVII (1689)
Predestination and free will Genuine disagreement: Election is unconditional and by grace, following the same understanding as the Reformed confessions. Second London Baptist Confession, III (1689)
How the cross saves Difference of emphasis: Generally holds penal substitution, following the Reformed confessions. Held across the confessional standards; no tradition makes one theory a test of communion.
Spiritual gifts Difference of emphasis: Predominantly cessationist, with continuationist minorities. Baptist practice, summarised
The millennium Difference of emphasis: All three readings are found, with premillennialism common in many conventions. Augsburg Confession, XVII (1530) for the Lutheran position; otherwise contemporary practice, summarised.
Inspiration of scripture Broad agreement: Held in common with all the traditions listed here; not a point of division. Held across all confessional standards
Salvation originates in grace Broad agreement: Held in common with all the traditions listed here; not a point of division. Second Council of Orange (529)
The Incarnation Broad agreement: Held in common with all the traditions listed here; not a point of division. Nicene Creed (381); Chalcedon (451)
The Resurrection Broad agreement: Held in common with all the traditions listed here; not a point of division. Nicene Creed (381); Chalcedon (451)
The Trinity Broad agreement: Held in common with all the traditions listed here; not a point of division. Nicene Creed (381); Chalcedon (451)

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