Baptists

context: Baptists are individuals who comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers (believer's baptism, as opposed to infant baptism), and that it must be done by complete immersion (as opposed to affusion or sprinkling). Other tenets of Baptist churches include soul competency (liberty), salvation through faith alone, Scripture alone as the rule of faith and practice, and the autonomy of the local congregation. Baptists recognize two ministerial offices, elders and deacons. Baptist churches are widely considered to be Protestant churches, though some Baptists disavow this identity.
qas: answers: Baptists
question: What individuals subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers?

answers: tenets of Baptist churches
question: Soul competency (liberty), salvation through faith alone, Scripture alone as the rule of faith and practice, and the autonomy of the local congregation what examples of what?

answers: elders and deacons
question: What two ministerial offices do Baptists recognize?

answers: Protestant churches
question: Baptist churches are widely considered to be what?

context: Historians trace the earliest church labeled "Baptist" back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with English Separatist John Smyth as its pastor. In accordance with his reading of the New Testament, he rejected baptism of infants and instituted baptism only of believing adults. Baptist practice spread to 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. In 1638, Roger Williams established the first Baptist congregation in the North American colonies. In the mid-18th century, the First Great Awakening increased Baptist growth in both New England and the South. The Second Great Awakening in the South in the early 19th century increased church membership, as did the preachers' lessening of support for abolition and manumission of slavery, which had been part of the 18th-century teachings. Baptist missionaries have spread their church to every continent.
qas: answers: 1609
question: When was the earliest church labeled "Baptist" traced to?

answers: Amsterdam
question: Where was the earliest church labeled "Baptist" traced to?

answers: John Smyth
question: Who was the pastor of the earliest church labeled "Baptist"?

answers: Particular Baptists
question: Who believed Christ's atonement only extended to the elect?

answers: 1638
question: When did Roger Williams established the first Baptist congregation in the North American colonies?

context: Baptist historian Bruce Gourley outlines four main views of Baptist origins: (1) The modern scholarly consensus that the movement traces its origin to the 17th century via the English Separatists, (2) the view that it was an outgrowth of Anabaptist traditions, (3) the perpetuity view which assumes that the Baptist faith and practice has existed since the time of Christ, and (4) the successionist view, or "Baptist successionism", which argues that Baptist churches actually existed in an unbroken chain since the time of Christ.
qas: answers: Bruce Gourley
question: Who outlined the four main views of Baptist origins?

answers: Anabaptist traditions
question: Baptist origins were viewed as an outgrowth of what?

answers: that the Baptist faith and practice has existed since the time of Christ
question: What does the perpetuity view assume?

answers: that Baptist churches actually existed in an unbroken chain since the time of Christ.
question: What does the successionist view assume?

context: Modern Baptist churches trace their history to the English Separatist movement in the century after the rise of the original Protestant denominations. This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted. Adherents to this position consider the influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists to be minimal. It was a time of considerable political and religious turmoil. Both individuals and churches were willing to give up their theological roots if they became convinced that a more biblical "truth" had been discovered.[page needed]
qas: answers: English Separatist movement
question: Modern Baptist churches trace their history to what movement?

answers: minimal
question: Adherents to this position consider the influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists to be what?

answers: original Protestant denominations
question: Modern Baptist churches trace their history to the English Separatist movement in the century after the rise of what?

context: During the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England (Anglicans) separated from the Roman Catholic Church. There were some Christians who were not content with the achievements of the mainstream Protestant Reformation. There also were Christians who were disappointed that the Church of England had not made corrections of what some considered to be errors and abuses. Of those most critical of the Church's direction, some chose to stay and try to make constructive changes from within the Anglican Church. They became known as "Puritans" and are described by Gourley as cousins of the English Separatists. Others decided they must leave the Church because of their dissatisfaction and became known as the Separatists.
qas: answers: During the Protestant Reformation
question: When did the Church of England separate from the Roman Catholic Church?

answers: the Church of England
question: Who separated from the Roman Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation?

answers: the Roman Catholic Church
question: During the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England (Anglicans) separated from who?

answers: cousins of the English Separatists
question: Puritans are described by Gourley as what?

answers: Separatists
question: Others decided they must leave the Church because of their dissatisfaction and became known as what?

context: Historians trace the earliest Baptist church back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with John Smyth as its pastor. Three years earlier, while a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, he had broken his ties with the Church of England. Reared in the Church of England, he became "Puritan, English Separatist, and then a Baptist Separatist," and ended his days working with the Mennonites. He began meeting in England with 60–70 English Separatists, in the face of "great danger." The persecution of religious nonconformists in England led Smyth to go into exile in Amsterdam with fellow Separatists from the congregation he had gathered in Lincolnshire, separate from the established church (Anglican). Smyth and his lay supporter, Thomas Helwys, together with those they led, broke with the other English exiles because Smyth and Helwys were convinced they should be baptized as believers. In 1609 Smyth first baptized himself and then baptized the others.
qas: answers: 1609
question: Historians trace the earliest Baptist church back to when?

answers: Amsterdam
question: Historians trace the earliest Baptist church back to where?

answers: John Smyth
question: Who was the pastor of the earliest Baptist church?

answers: Church of England
question: John Smyth broke his ties with what church?

answers: Amsterdam
question: Where did John Smyth go into exile?

context: In 1609, while still there, Smyth wrote a tract titled "The Character of the Beast," or "The False Constitution of the Church." In it he expressed two propositions: first, infants are not to be baptized; and second, "Antichristians converted are to be admitted into the true Church by baptism." Hence, his conviction was that a scriptural church should consist only of regenerate believers who have been baptized on a personal confession of faith. He rejected the Separatist movement's doctrine of infant baptism (paedobaptism). Shortly thereafter, Smyth left the group, and layman Thomas Helwys took over the leadership, leading the church back to England in 1611. Ultimately, Smyth became committed to believers' baptism as the only biblical baptism. He was convinced on the basis of his interpretation of Scripture that infants would not be damned should they die in infancy.
qas: answers: "The Character of the Beast," or "The False Constitution of the Church."
question: Smyth wrote a tract titled what?

answers: infants are not to be baptized
question: What was his first proposition?

answers: Antichristians converted are to be admitted into the true Church by baptism
question: What was his second proposition?

answers: baptized on a personal confession of faith
question: Smyth believed a scriptural church should consist only of regenerate believers who have been what?

answers: infant baptism
question: What is paedobaptism?

context: Smyth, convinced that his self-baptism was invalid, applied with the Mennonites for membership. He died while waiting for membership, and some of his followers became Mennonites. Thomas Helwys and others kept their baptism and their Baptist commitments. The modern Baptist denomination is an outgrowth of Smyth's movement. Baptists rejected the name Anabaptist when they were called that by opponents in derision. McBeth writes that as late as the 18th century, many Baptists referred to themselves as "the Christians commonly—though falsely—called Anabaptists."
qas: answers: Smyth
question: Who thought their self-baptism was invalid?

answers: the Mennonites
question: Smyth applied for membership with who?

answers: The modern Baptist denomination
question: What is an outgrowth of Smyth's movement?

answers: Anabaptist
question: What name did Baptists reject?

answers: McBeth
question: Who wrote that Baptists referred to themselves as "the Christians commonly—though falsely—called Anabaptists?"

context: Another milestone in the early development of Baptist doctrine was in 1638 with John Spilsbury, a Calvinistic minister who helped to promote the strict practice of believer's baptism by immersion. According to Tom Nettles, professor of historical theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, "Spilsbury's cogent arguments for a gathered, disciplined congregation of believers baptized by immersion as constituting the New Testament church gave expression to and built on insights that had emerged within separatism, advanced in the life of John Smyth and the suffering congregation of Thomas Helwys, and matured in Particular Baptists."
qas: answers: 1638
question: When did John Spilsbury promote the strict practice of immersion?

answers: John Spilsbury
question: Who promoted strict immersion baptism?

answers: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
question: Tom Nettles was a professor at what seminary?

answers: historical theology
question: What was Tom Nettles a professor of?

context: A minority view is that early seventeenth-century Baptists were influenced by (but not directly connected to) continental Anabaptists. According to this view, the General Baptists shared similarities with Dutch Waterlander Mennonites (one of many Anabaptist groups) including believer's baptism only, religious liberty, separation of church and state, and Arminian views of salvation, predestination and original sin. Representative writers including A.C. Underwood and William R. Estep. Gourley wrote that among some contemporary Baptist scholars who emphasize the faith of the community over soul liberty, the Anabaptist influence theory is making a comeback.
qas: answers: early seventeenth-century Baptists
question: Who was thought to be influenced by continental Anabaptists?

answers: continental Anabaptists
question: Early seventeenth-century Baptists were thought to be influenced by who?

answers: Dutch Waterlander Mennonites
question: General Baptists shared similarities with who?

answers: A.C. Underwood and William R. Estep. Gourley
question: Who are two representative writers?

answers: one of many Anabaptist groups
question: What were the Dutch Waterlander Mennonites?

context: Both Roger Williams and John Clarke, his compatriot and coworker for religious freedom, are variously credited as founding the earliest Baptist church in North America. In 1639, Williams established a Baptist church in Providence, Rhode Island, and Clarke began a Baptist church in Newport, Rhode Island. According to a Baptist historian who has researched the matter extensively, "There is much debate over the centuries as to whether the Providence or Newport church deserved the place of 'first' Baptist congregation in America. Exact records for both congregations are lacking."
qas: answers: Roger Williams and John Clarke
question: Who founded the earliest Baptist church in North America?

answers: 1639
question: When was the first American Baptist church established?

answers: Providence, Rhode Island
question: Where did Roger Williams establish a Baptist church?

answers: Newport, Rhode Island
question: Where did John Clarke establish a Baptist church?

answers: his compatriot and coworker for religious freedom
question: Clarke was what to Williams?

context: Baptist missionary work in Canada began in the British colony of Nova Scotia (present day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) in the 1760s. The first official record of a Baptist church in Canada was that of the Horton Baptist Church (now Wolfville) in Wolfville, Nova Scotia on 29 October 1778. The church was established with the assistance of the New Light evangelist Henry Alline. Many of Alline's followers, after his death, would convert and strengthen the Baptist presence in the Atlantic region.[page needed] Two major groups of Baptists formed the basis of the churches in the Maritimes. These were referred to as Regular Baptist (Calvinistic in their doctrine) and Free Will Baptists.
qas: answers: Nova Scotia
question: Missionary work began in what Canadian colony?

answers: 1760s
question: When did missionary work begin in Canada?

answers: Horton Baptist Church
question: What was the first Baptist church in Canada?

answers: Wolfville, Nova Scotia
question: Where was the first Baptist church located in Canada?

answers: 29 October 1778
question: When was the first Canadian Baptist church established?

context: In May 1845, the Baptist congregations in the United States split over slavery and missions. The Home Mission Society prevented slaveholders from being appointed as missionaries. The split created the Southern Baptist Convention, while the northern congregations formed their own umbrella organization now called the American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA). The Methodist Episcopal Church, South had recently separated over the issue of slavery, and southern Presbyterians would do so shortly thereafter.
qas: answers: May 1845
question: When did Baptist congregations split over slavery?

answers: over slavery and missions
question: Why did American Baptist congregations split?

answers: missionaries
question: Slaveholders were prevented from being appointed as what?

answers: Home Mission Society
question: Who prevented slaveholders from being appointed missionaries?

answers: American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA)
question: Northern congregations formed what organization?

context: Many Baptist churches choose to affiliate with organizational groups that provide fellowship without control. The largest such group is the Southern Baptist Convention. There also are a substantial number of smaller cooperative groups. Finally, there are Baptist churches that choose to remain autonomous and independent of any denomination, organization, or association. It has been suggested that a primary Baptist principle is that local Baptist Churches are independent and self-governing, and if so the term 'Baptist denomination' may be considered somewhat incongruous.
qas: answers: Southern Baptist Convention
question: What is the largest fellowship without control?

answers: independent and self-governing
question: It has been suggested that a primary Baptist principle is that local Baptist Churches are what?

answers: Baptist denomination
question: What term is considered somewhat incongrous is a self-governing church?

context: Baptists, like other Christians, are defined by doctrine—some of it common to all orthodox and evangelical groups and a portion of it distinctive to Baptists. Through the years, different Baptist groups have issued confessions of faith—without considering them to be creeds—to express their particular doctrinal distinctions in comparison to other Christians as well as in comparison to other Baptists. Most Baptists are evangelical in doctrine, but Baptist beliefs can vary due to the congregational governance system that gives autonomy to individual local Baptist churches. Historically, Baptists have played a key role in encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state.
qas: answers: doctrine
question: Baptists are defined by what?

answers: confessions of faith
question: Baptists have issued what without considering them to be creeds?

answers: evangelical
question: Most Baptists are what in doctrine?

answers: encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state.
question: Baptists have played a key role in what?

context: Shared doctrines would include beliefs about one God; the virgin birth; miracles; atonement for sins through the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus; the Trinity; the need for salvation (through belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, his death and resurrection, and confession of Christ as Lord); grace; the Kingdom of God; last things (eschatology) (Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge everyone in righteousness); and evangelism and missions. Some historically significant Baptist doctrinal documents include the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession, the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message, and written church covenants which some individual Baptist churches adopt as a statement of their faith and beliefs.
qas: answers: Shared doctrines
question: Beliefs about one God; the virgin birth; miracles; atonement for sins through the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus are examples of what?

answers: 1689
question: When was the London Baptist Confession of Faith created?

answers: 1742
question: When was the Philadelphia Baptist Confession created?

answers: 1833
question: When was the New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith created?

context: Baptists have faced many controversies in their 400-year history, controversies of the level of crises. Baptist historian Walter Shurden says the word "crisis" comes from the Greek word meaning "to decide." Shurden writes that contrary to the presumed negative view of crises, some controversies that reach a crisis level may actually be "positive and highly productive." He claims that even schism, though never ideal, has often produced positive results. In his opinion crises among Baptists each have become decision-moments that shaped their future. Some controversies that have shaped Baptists include the "missions crisis", the "slavery crisis", the "landmark crisis", and the "modernist crisis".
qas: answers: to decide
question: "Crisis" comes from a Greek word meaning what?

answers: Walter Shurden
question: Who wrote that some controversies reach a crisis level may actually be "positive and highly productive?"

answers: controversies that have shaped Baptists
question: What did Shurden claim was never ideal, has often produced positive results?

answers: "missions crisis", the "slavery crisis", the "landmark crisis", and the "modernist crisis"
question: What are some controversies that have shaped Baptists?

context: Leading up to the American Civil War, Baptists became embroiled in the controversy over slavery in the United States. Whereas in the First Great Awakening, Methodist and Baptist preachers had opposed slavery and urged manumission, over the decades they made more of an accommodation with the institution. They worked with slaveholders in the South to urge a paternalistic institution. Both denominations made direct appeals to slaves and free blacks for conversion. The Baptists particularly allowed them active roles in congregations. By the mid-19th century, northern Baptists tended to oppose slavery. As tensions increased, in 1844 the Home Mission Society refused to appoint a slaveholder as a missionary who had been proposed by Georgia. It noted that missionaries could not take servants with them, and also that the Board did not want to appear to condone slavery.
qas: answers: Leading up to the American Civil War
question: When did Baptists become embroiled in the controversy over slavery in the United States?

answers: the First Great Awakening
question: When did Methodist and Baptist preachers oppose slavery and urge manumission?

answers: paternalistic institution
question: They worked with slaveholders in the South to urge what?

answers: The Baptists
question: What denomination allowed blacks active roles in the congregation?

answers: the Home Mission Society
question: What refused to appoint a slaveholder as a missionary?

context: As early as the late 18th century, black Baptists began to organize separate churches, associations and mission agencies, especially in the northern states. Not only did blacks set up some independent congregations in the South before the American Civil War, freedmen quickly separated from white congregations and associations after the war. They wanted to be free of white supervision. In 1866 the Consolidated American Baptist Convention, formed from black Baptists of the South and West, helped southern associations set up black state conventions, which they did in Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. In 1880 black state conventions united in the national Foreign Mission Convention, to support black Baptist missionary work. Two other national black conventions were formed, and in 1895 they united as the National Baptist Convention. This organization later went through its own changes, spinning off other conventions. It is the largest black religious organization and the second largest Baptist organization in the world. Baptists are numerically most dominant in the Southeast. In 2007, the Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Survey found that 45% of all African-Americans identify with Baptist denominations, with the vast majority of those being within the historically black tradition.
qas: answers: As early as the late 18th century
question: When did black Baptists began to organize separate churches, associations and mission agencies?

answers: freedmen
question: Who separated from white congregations and associations after the war?

answers: freedmen
question: Who wanted to be free from white submission?

answers: Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky
question: What states setup black conventions?

answers: 45%
question: What percentage of all African-Americans identify with Baptist denominations?

context: Elsewhere in the Americas, in the Caribbean in particular, Baptist missionaries took an active role in the anti-slavery movement. In Jamaica, for example, William Knibb, a prominent British Baptist missionary, worked toward the emancipation of slaves in the British West Indies (which took place in 1838). Knibb also protagonised the creation of "Free Villages"; rural communities centred around a Baptist church where emancipated slaves could farm their own land. Baptists were likewise active in promoting the education of former slaves; for example, Jamaica's Calabar High School, named after the slave port of Calabar, was formed by Baptist missionaries. At the same time, during and after slavery, slaves and free formed their own Spiritual Baptist movements - breakaway spiritual movements which often expressed resistance to oppression.
qas: answers: the Caribbean
question: Where did Baptist missionaries take an active role in the anti-slavery movement?

answers: William Knibb
question: Who was a prominent British Baptist missionary in Jamaica?

answers: the British West Indies
question: Where did William Knibb work toward the emancipation of slaves?

answers: Free Villages
question: Knibb also protagonised the creation of what?

answers: Jamaica's Calabar High School
question: What was named after the slave port of Calabar?

context: On 20 June 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to adopt a resolution renouncing its racist roots and apologizing for its past defense of slavery. More than 20,000 Southern Baptists registered for the meeting in Atlanta. The resolution declared that messengers, as SBC delegates are called, "unwaveringly denounce racism, in all its forms, as deplorable sin" and "lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest." It offered an apology to all African-Americans for "condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime" and repentance for "racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously or unconsciously." Although Southern Baptists have condemned racism in the past, this was the first time the predominantly white convention had dealt specifically with the issue of slavery.
qas: answers: 20 June 1995
question: When did the Southern Baptist Convention vote to adopt a resolution renouncing its racist roots?

answers: More than 20,000
question: How many Baptists registered for the meeting in Atlanta?

answers: messengers
question: SBC delegates are called what?

context: Southern Baptist Landmarkism sought to reset the ecclesiastical separation which had characterized the old Baptist churches, in an era when inter-denominational union meetings were the order of the day. James Robinson Graves was an influential Baptist of the 19th century and the primary leader of this movement. While some Landmarkers eventually separated from the Southern Baptist Convention, the influence of the movement on the Convention continued into the 20th century. Its influence continues to affect convention policies. In 2005, the Southern Baptist International Mission Board forbade its missionaries to receive alien immersions for baptism.
qas: answers: Southern Baptist Landmarkism
question: What sought to reset the ecclesiastical separation which had characterized the old Baptist churches?

answers: James Robinson Graves
question: Who was an influential Baptist of the 19th century and the primary leader of this movement?

answers: In 2005
question: When did the Southern Baptist International Mission Board forbade its missionaries to receive alien immersions for baptism?

context: Following similar conflicts over modernism, the Southern Baptist Convention adhered to conservative theology as its official position. Two new Baptist groups were formed by moderate Southern Baptists who disagreed with the direction in which the Southern Baptist Convention was heading: the Alliance of Baptists in 1987 and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 1991. Members of both groups originally identified as Southern Baptist, but over time the groups "became permanent new families of Baptists."
qas: answers: conservative theology
question: The Southern Baptist Convention adhered to what as its official position?

answers: the Alliance of Baptists in 1987 and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 1991
question: What groups were formed by moderate Southern Baptists?

answers: 1987
question: When was the Alliance of Baptists formed?

answers: 1991
question: When was the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship formed?

answers: Southern Baptist Convention
question: Conservative theology was the official position of what?