Rise of the English Baptists

Rise of the English Baptists

Introduction and origins

Reasons for the emergence of the Baptists

The early Baptists: The General and Particular.

different views.

Introduction and origins

The rise and growth of the English Baptist Church is generally seen as a response to the dominance and perceived false doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. While there are divergent views and debate among scholars about the actual origins and emergence of the Baptists, yet there is general agreement on central aspects, such as their origins in the Separatist Movement of religious dissenters. These dissenters disagreed with the dominant faith of the time- the Catholic Church.

The term Baptist...is directed to the development of the religious sect that grew out of the English Separatist movement and the merging of certain religious tenets in Holland during the period from 1600-1612. Primary to this development was a former English clergyman John Smyth.

English Dissenters)

The Baptist movement is also related to the causes and the events of the Reformation during the 16th century. One of the central ways in which the Baptists differed from accepted Catholic doctrine was the issue of the alliance between church and state. This was a central element in the formation and origins of the English Baptists as they "... rejected the union of Church and State and most gathered in separate communities and had nothing to do with the established government." (BAPTIST CONNECTIONS)

These early dissenting groups gave rise to the Mennonites, the Amish, the Hutterites, and the Moravians. These groups were to have a significant influence on the rise of the English Baptists. (ibid)

Another Catholic doctrine that was questioned and largely rejected by the Baptists was the practice of infant baptism. This issue was an important part of the religious debate during the Reformation. Some of the important reformers such as Luther and Calvin tended to accept the doctrine and practice of infant baptism but this was later rejected Anabaptists. These Baptists cited the New Testament as the foundation of their views. "The validity of all infant baptism was called into question based on their interpretation of the Scriptures. (English Dissenters)

This also points to another important aspect of Baptist doctrine that was to develop. This was the crucial emphasis on Biblical doctrine as the crux and centre of their faith. It should also be borne in mind that many Baptists view their origins as directly related to and beginning from the time of Christ.

A at one time all Baptists believed that we sprang from the first church established by Jesus Christ while He was on this earth. The greatest theological minds among Baptists have always taught that the first church was a Baptist church; that all early apostolic churches were Baptist churches; and that originally all churches and Christians were Baptists

Landis H.)

Some of the greatest Baptist scholars have asserted that the Baptist Church was originally established by Jesus and his disciples and the foundations laid by John the Baptist. (ibid)

Though called by other names (i.e. Waldenisians, Novationists, Dontatists, Montanists, Paterines, Cathari, Paulicians, Arnoldists, Henricians, Albigenses, etc.), true Baptists subscribe to the idea that originally all churches were Baptist churches. (ibid)

2. Reasons for the Emergence of the Baptists

The modern Baptist denomination had its origins in England and in Holland in the seventeenth century. In the sixteenth century two groups emerges that are the antecedents of the modern Baptist movement in England, These two groups are known as General and Particular Baptists. (Traffanstedt C.)

However it was the Restoration which provided the impetus for the Baptist movement in these regions. Martin Luther's objection to the use of indulgences in the Church was the beginning of a debate that would result in a radical questioning and redefinition of Christianity in Europe. Luther had objected to the payment of indulgences which were a form of payment for the pardoning of sins to the church. " Luther saw these payments as an abomination to the forgiving work of Christ." (ibid)

This led scholars and theologians like Luther to scrutinize and question many of the churches' common practices. This scrutiny led to the Reformation of reform movement which sought to go back to Biblical teaching and scriptures which it was felt that the Roman Catholic Church had perverted or added aspects that could not be substantiated by the Bible. This movement had a profound effect on the rise of the Baptist movement in England. " With the spread of the Reformation through the work of Calvin and Knox, we see the next great impact of the Gospel in 17th century England. It is here that we begin to see the seed bed of the Baptist movement." (ibid)

In attempting to understand the development of the Baptist movement in England it becomes imperative to place this movement in its historical context.

With the rise of King Edward VI who came to the throne in 1547, there was a movement within the country towards more Protestant views. This can partly be ascribed to the fact the Edward was trained by Protestant advisers. This led to a gradual but assertive growth of Protestantism. (ibid)

This was all to change with Edward's death which brought Mary Tudor to the English throne in 1553. She was a staunch Catholic and began to restore the Catholic doctrine and ideology and at the same time attempted to decrease the number of Protestants in England. She was very active and cruel in her attack on those of the Protestant faith and she earned herself the title "Bloody Mary" for her actions.

Mary was succeeded by Elizabeth Tudor in 1559. She was less harsh on Protestants and accepted their faith. England once again began to move towards a Protestant view of theology. Elizabeth even drew up an agreement of compromise between the Catholics and Protestants known as the "Elizabethan Settlement." This was intended to stop all religious wars in the country. However the call for more religious reforms grew louder in England. This desire to reform the church resulted in the development of Puritan movement in the country. The Puritans were concerned with the Bible as the centre of faith and religion. "The Puritans wanted to see real biblical reform come to the Church. These early Puritans were led by Bishop Hooker and Thomas Cartwright and they began to call for a "pure" Church." (ibid)

Both the Queen and the Church of England saw the Puritans as dissenters and acted against them. From the Puritan revolt against orthodox religion the Separatist movement developed - which was the precursor of the Baptist moment. The Separatists championed the separation of church and state and the freedom of the church form the rule of the state. The Separatists also worked for a complete transformation of the Church in England. Their emphasis was also on close adherence to Biblical teaching." The Separatists took the Bible seriously and they were determined to order their lives by its teachings. They stressed that the Church was only for those who were the redeemed...." (ibid)

Secondly, the Separatists denied that the Church should have a hierarchical structure. In other words the hierarchical structure that they opposed was the dominance and rule from above. They were of opinion that people should not be dictated to by authorities. This they felt this was counter to the teachings of the New testament which stressed that the true Christian Church should be based on the needs of the people.

They refused to believe that the Bible taught a hierarchical church government (rule from top down), instead calling for a church government that had some form of participation from the people (rule from the grass levels). " (ibid)

The Baptist Church in England developed from the Separatists call for purity of worship and the return to a focus on the Bible and the New Testament. The English Baptists, in general, developed the foundation of their Church on the Separatist motifs of the Bible as sole authority and the rejection of "every thing in the worship of God which was not found in the sacred oracles." (ibid)

3. The early Baptists: The General and Particular.

The two primary Baptist traditions in England were the General Baptists and the Particular Baptists. Both these groups emerged, as indicated above, from the Separatist movement and shared many aspects and beliefs. They generally differed however on the issue of atonement. (English Dissenters)

The General Baptists believed in a 'general' atonement. This means essentially that Christ had died for all people, including those who had lived or would live. The two founders of this movement were John Smyth and Thomas Helwys.

The Particular Baptist doctrine, which emerged from the Separatist movement in the 1630's, on the other hand was influenced by the reformer John Calvin and held the view of particular atonement. Particular atonement relates to the concept that atonement is limited to those of the Christian faith. The difference between these two points-of-view is clearly expressed in the following quotation.

The universalist believes that Jesus died for all mankind and that everyone will be saved and go to heaven, even Esau, Judas, and Hitler. But the Bible is clear that Esau, Judas, and anyone else who does not believe in Jesus Christ is condemned to an eternity in hell, separated from God forever, never to be redeemed. (Himes R.)

The Particular Movement was founded by Henry Jacob (1563-1624). Although he never in fact became a Baptist his views strongly influenced the development of the Separatist Movement. Jacob also attempted to reform the Church of England rather than condemning the Church outrightly. At this time there was a distinct and sharp difference between the particular and general Baptists.

Being stern Calvinists, the Particular Baptists reject any relationship with John Smyth, or the early General Baptists who advocated Arminian or "free will" theology with its popish overtones. The early Particular Baptists rejected any historical relationship with John Smyth and his movement. Some early Baptist authors even postulated a historical tradition in Britain dating as far back as the New Testament. (ibid)

However scholars also point out that the distinction between General and Particular Baptists was not a critical division but rather a difference in point-of-view which did not divide the Baptist movement.

Yes, it is true that the two groups held differing views on atonement and doctrine in general, but they did not divide. Rather, they emerged as two separate groups. As with the General Baptists, the Particular Baptists came out of the Separatist movement. (a Primer on Baptist History) it has also been asserted that modern Baptists Churches have theoir origins in the Particular movement rather than in the General. (ibid)