Wesleyan vs Baptist: What's the Difference in Their Beliefs?

[California Dreamin']

I am trying to find the difference between Baptists (Atlantic Canada) and Wesleyans? I used to attend a Wesleyan church and then went to Baptist. Now we're back at the Wesleyan church. I have been trying to research the histories.

 

[DeaconDean]

I am trying to find the difference between Baptists (Atlantic Canada) and Wesleyans? I used to attend a Wesleyan church and then went to Baptist. Now we're back at the Wesleyan church. I have been trying to research the histories.

Just like there are several varities or flavors of Baptists, there are also several varities of Wesleyans.

There are the Wesleyans who side with the Methodists.

There are the Wesleyans who side with Baptists.

There are Wesleyans who side with Pentcostal/Charsmatics.

And there are just plain Wesleyans.

Basically, Wesleyans got their start from John and Charles Wesley which came out of the Angelican church.

There is a starting point to search.

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[bbbbbbb]

There are several major strands of Baptists, as well. The Anabaptists of the Reformation survive in such groups as the Dunkard Brethren, Grace Brethren, United Brethren, etc. They are also theologically related to the Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Christian Churches. The English Baptists developed in America first in Rhode Island. Their denominational descendants include the American Baptist Church and the Southern Baptist Church. There are several African-American Baptist denominations which stem from the same root. The General Baptist Convention is of Scandinavian origin. Free-Will Baptists (which are theologically related to Wesleyans) are at one extreme with the General Association of Regular Baptists at the other. Other than having adult baptism in common, I think Baptists can be found holding every other possible theological viewpoint.

 

[California Dreamin']

The Baptist church we attended was part of the Atlantic Baptist Convention, I think that's what it's called. It's in Atlantic Canada.

 

[Christ's Armor Bearer]

The biggest difference between Wesleyans and Baptists is roughly the age old debate of Calvinism versus Arminians. Most modern Baptists (except Free Will) hold to a Calvinistic perpective, predominantly the controversial doctrine of unconditional eternal security also known as "once saved always saved" which is the idea that once you have accepted Jesus into your heart no sin you commit can cause you to lose your salvation.

The vast majority of Wesleyans hold to an Arminian perspective which completely disregards the doctrine of John Calvin as heretical. While Wesleyans do believe in eternal security, they do not believe that salvation is entirely unconditional and feel that once saved always saved is nothing more than a man made doctrine of compromise created by John Calvin as a license to sin. Wesleyans also disregard Calvin's assumptions on predestination.

 

[Nova Scotian Boy]

It really does come down to Arminian vs Calvinism. Besides that you will see very few differences. And when it comes down to Atlantic Baptist Convention they were started with merger between Free Will Baptist (Arminian) and Regular Baptist (Calvinists) so both ideas are found in that Convention.

 

[California Dreamin']

It really does come down to Arminian vs Calvinism. Besides that you will see very few differences. And when it comes down to Atlantic Baptist Convention they were started with merger between Free Will Baptist (Arminian) and Regular Baptist (Calvinists) so both ideas are found in that Convention.

Hi, this is Kelly

 

[Mr Dave]

The main difference is about Arminianism v. Calvinism. John Wesley was of the Arminian school of thought of the Church of England so all denominations descended through him (Methodists, Free Methodists, Nazarenes, Holiness Pentecostal, Salvation Army) tend to also hold to this view point.
Methodism (I can't speak on behalf of the other Wesleyan groups but I reckon they'd be the same) holds to the traditional view that an individual can only be baptised by water once in their life, and so has confirmation for those who want to make a public declaration of faith who were baptised as infants. Under no circumstances will a Methodist church re-baptise someone. Baptism can be by total immersion or it can be by sprinkling someone with water, or by dipping the person in water.
Baptists only baptise adults, and only baptise by total immersion. As far as I'm aware, they are prepared to baptise an adult even if they were baptised as a child in a different denomination (some baptise you again even if you were baptised as an adult), and so don't hold to the view that you can only be baptised once.

 

[Mr Dave]

Baptists hold to sola scriptura, whereas Wesleyans hold to prima scriptura.
Baptists believe in the local church and although can be part of a larger baptist grouping are congregationally based. Methodists (and most Wesleyans) believe the local church is important but so is the wider church that you're in, so is connexionally based, with every congregation strongly linked to all others in the region/nation.

 

[GraceSeeker]

I am trying to find the difference between Baptists (Atlantic Canada) and Wesleyans? I used to attend a Wesleyan church and then went to Baptist. Now we're back at the Wesleyan church. I have been trying to research the histories.

Despite all that has been said above about the (supposed) dfferences between Baptists and Wesleyans, if you're attending or have attended these churches and don't see a difference between them, perhaps in the case of these actual churches there simply isn't a difference worth noting.

 

[lucaspa]

Baptists hold to sola scriptura, whereas Wesleyans hold to prima scriptura.

Yes. Or hold with the original meaning of sola scriptura, not what the words are used for now.'

Baptists believe in the local church and although can be part of a larger baptist grouping are congregationally based. Methodists (and most Wesleyans) believe the local church is important but so is the wider church that you're in, so is connexionally based, with every congregation strongly linked to all others in the region/nation.

I was wondering when someone was going to get around to church organization and governence! Part of the congregational basis of Baptists is how ministers are chosen and a "heirarchy". In Methodism, the District has a large say in who will be pastor for a particular church and how long. In Baptists, it is the individual congregation that decides by "calling" a minister and keeping them until the congregation decides it wants a new minister.

Graceseeker, there may not be much day-to-day difference between those particular churches, which implies that the Canadian Baptist church is more liberal than we generally encounter in the States with Southern Baptists. Perhaps a long and brutal winter has more effect on theology than we generally think.