Baptist churches

A variety of PROTESTANTISM especially common in the United States. Baptists accept only "believer's BAPTISM," that is, the baptism of those who have personally accepted CHRIST. Traditionally they have also been some of the strongest advocates of a separation of CHURCH AND STATE. HISTORY The Baptist churches resemble the Anabaptists of the Protestant REFORMATION in one very important respect: Both groups have insisted that only those persons should be baptized who were old enough to decide that they wanted to be baptized. The Anabaptists, however, arose on the European continent in the 16th century. They were the ancestors of the MENNONITES and the AMISH. The Baptist churches arose in the British Isles in the 17th century. They developed in quite a different direction. At the beginning of the 17th century, people living in England generally thought that CHRISTIANITY should be a state church, that is, a religion that the government offi cially accepted and promoted. This was the view held by Roman Catholics and Puritans as much as by Anglicans (see ANGLICANISM and PURITANISM). In the setting of a state church, people were baptized as a matter of routine at birth. In the mid-17th century, church leaders like Thomas Helwys and John Smyth reacted against this situation. In their eyes, the institution of the state church meant that a person's commitment to Christianity was not very serious. They began to preach that only believers should be baptized. They also began to insist that the relationship between believers and GOD was a private one. Government should have nothing to do with it. The Baptists had their greatest success in the North American colonies of Great Britain and, after the Revolutionary War, in the United States. Several distinct movements have shaped the American Baptist churches. These include evangelism, abolitionism, modernism, and FUNDAMENTALISM. In the 18th century the Baptist churches embraced the evangelistic movement (see EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY and FUNDAMENTALISM, CHRISTIAN). This movement sought to instill in people a fervent, heartfelt faith in Jesus. It emphasized the need for conversion and a personal experience of SALVATION. In order to reach the people who most needed to hear this message, preachers left church buildings behind and held public meetings known as revivals. Baptists adopted these methods enthusiastically. As a result, they found many adherents, especially in the Old South and on the frontiers. In addition, they attracted a large number of African Americans, both free and slave. In the mid-19th century, the Baptist churches split over the issue of slavery. They formed two major "Conventions," the Northern, which favored abolishing slavery, and the Southern, which favored keeping it. For a variety of reasons, the Southern Baptist Convention was more successful. Today Southern Baptists outnumber any other Baptist group. Toward the end of the 19th century North Americans became aware of a movement called modernism. This movement applied critical methods to the study of the BIBLE. It also generally favored an active agenda of social reform. Several prominent Baptists, such as the preacher Harry Emerson Fosdick and the biblical scholar Shailer Matthews, assumed leadership roles in the modernist movement. At the beginning of the 20th century a reaction to modernism set in. Several groups advocated what they called the "fundamentals" of Christianity, including the view that every word of the Bible is literally true. In the fi rst half of the 20th century controversies between modernists and fundamentalists rocked the Northern Baptists. Toward the end of the 20th century similar controversies erupted in the Southern Baptist Convention. TEACHINGS Baptists recognize no CREEDS or statements of faith. For them, the Bible is the fi nal and ultimate authority. As a result, the beliefs and teachings of different groups of Baptists differ widely. For example, some Baptists emphasize that people are predestined for salvation. Others are "free will Baptists." Baptists agree, however, that the Bible is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith. They generally conceive of the religious life in terms that derive from the evangelistic movement: An individual must recognize her or his sinful condition, accept God's gift of salvation, and be born again in order to be saved. As a result, Baptists emphasize that the church is a voluntary association. PRACTICES Baptist churches are nonliturgical. That is, they do not use the LITURGY or mass, which centers on the EUCHARIST, that the Orthodox and Catholic churches developed. The centerpiece of Baptist worship is the sermon (see PREACHING). Besides the sermon, Baptist services include music performed by soloists and choirs, hymns sung by the congregations, and prayers. Baptists continue to use the revival meetings that developed during the 18th century. They have also made effective use of mass media, for example, radio and television. Baptists take their name from the practice of baptizing only believers, that is, people old enough to choose Christianity. Early on in their history they adopted the practice of baptizing by total immersion. Baptists also celebrate the eucharist or communion. But while Catholic and Orthodox Christians celebrate communion every Sunday, Baptists may celebrate it once a month. Instead of approaching an altar to receive communion, members of Baptist churches receive it where they are sitting. ORGANIZATION Baptists accept the NEW TESTAMENT teaching of the priesthood of all believers. For them, this teaching means that any person is qualifi ed to minister to any other. But individual congregations appoint persons to perform the functions of pastor and deacon. Baptists also strongly emphasize the independence of individual congregations. Some Baptist churches have remained isolated, but most have joined with other Baptist churches in regional and national associations. Representatives of the individual congregations make decisions about joint activities at meetings of these larger associations. In principle, however, the larger bodies have no authority over the individual congregations. SIGNIFICANCE Baptists have been actively involved in foreign missions, but they are sparsely represented outside of the United States. Within the United States, however, Baptists comprise the largest group of Protestants. Historically they were important in helping to separate church and state in American law. Through public fi gures like Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson, they continued to infl uence American public life in the latter part of the 20th century. Although some devout Baptists, like President Clinton, were moderate or liberal, many Baptists have been associated with conservative causes, such as opposition to abortion.