Baptist Origins

[Gold Dragon]

I recently updated the entry for Baptist in Wikipedia.org and made some claims about the acceptance of different Baptist origin theories within the Baptist church. I was hoping a poll here would confirm or reject my claims so that I could update the page accordingly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist

 

[@@Paul@@]

John the Baptist?

 

[Gold Dragon]

John the Baptist?

Would you please clarify? Thanks.

If your reponse is to say Jesus instead of John the Baptist, I think that falls under the early church which is either option 1 or 2.

 

[@@Paul@@]

Would you please clarify? Thanks.

If your reponse is to say Jesus instead of John the Baptist, I think that falls under the early church which is either option 1 or 2.

There is nothing really to clarify - I just think it's odd that some believe John the Baptist was the beginning of the "Baptist Church".

 

[Sword-In-Hand]

I think it's odd also because John the Baptist had nothing to do with the Baptist faith.

 

[bleechers]

I always like the opportunity to clarify the "Baptist faith" (a convenient term that is OK because what we know what it means here) is actually the combination of core New Testament essentials with a thin veneer of Baptist distinctives.

"The faith" always supercedes any distinctives. We feel as though we best practice the commands of "the faith" in what is termed a "Baptist" structure.

There is but one church. Christ is the head. As local churches, we try our best to function as the church was doctrinally formed in the epistles. We need not the witness of history, nor a "building", nor A central governing body, nor a list of "succession" to be able to read the epistles and teach the truth.

Therefore, the question is moot in terms of the origin of "the faith".

You can trace the various groupings of Baptists to certain origins, but such beginnings are meaningless, since none of those groups pretend that its own formation is the "beginning" of "the faith"... they are merely beginnings of organizations built upon "the faith" that preceded them and that will survive after them.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks today is the very concept of "the church".



If a missionary in Namibia preaches the gospel, he does not need a list of succession to prove its validity. The Bible validates the message, succession does not validate the Bible.

 

[Gold Dragon]

I always like the opprotunity to clarify the "Baptist faith" (a convenient term that is OK because what we know what it means here) is actually the combination of core New Testament essentials with a thin veneer of Baptist distinctives.

"The faith" always supercedes any distinctives. We feel as though we best practice the commands of "the faith" in what is termed a "Baptist" structure.

There is but one church. Christ is the head. As local churches, we try our best to function as the church was doctrinally formed in the epistles. We need not the witness of history, nor a "building", nor a list of "succession" to be able to read the epistles and teach the truth.

Therefore, the question is moot in terms of the origin of "the faith".

You can trace the various groupings of Baptists to certain origins, but such beginnings are meaningless, since none of those groups pretend that its own formation is the "beginning" of "the faith"... they are merely beginnings of organizations built upon "the faith" that preceeded them and that will survive after them.

Thanks for your reply. What do you feel are the distinctives of the Baptist faith (as opposed to a more general Christian faith) and where those distinctives originated from? This is not a question of authority or legitimacy but simply a question of what the opinion of Baptists are.

 

[BT]

Thanks for your reply. What do you feel are the distinctives of the Baptist faith (as opposed to a more general Christian faith) and where those distinctives originated from? This is not a question of authority or legitimacy but simply a question of what the opinion of Baptists are.

There are 7 Baptist distinctives (let's see if I can remember them off hand)

B - Bible is the SOLE authority
A - Autonomy
P - Priesthood of the believer
T - Two offices in the church pastor and deacon
I - Individual soul liberty
S - Seperation of church and state
T -

Ok I have to look up the last one.. so sue me

 

[Gold Dragon]

Thanks BT. I guess the question of this poll is really where you felt they originated from.

T - Two Ordinance : Baptism and Communion

 

[BT]

Thanks BT. I guess the question of this poll is really where you felt they originated from.

T - Two Ordinance : Baptism and Communion

Hrmmm.. Now that is something that I'll have to look up. What part of the Great White North are you from? I'm in Waterloo Ont.

 

[Gold Dragon]

Hrmmm.. Now that is something that I'll have to look up. What part of the Great White North are you from? I'm in Waterloo Ont.

Not far away in Toronto.

 

[bleechers]

Not far away in Toronto.

Oughtn't you fellas be getting the snow tires on by now?... I mean, it's almost September!

-bleechers
Alabama
USA

 

[Gold Dragon]

Oughtn't you fellas be getting the snow tires on by now?... I mean, it's almost September!

-bleechers
Alabama
USA

You guys in 'bama would think it was winter all-year round here with the summer we are getting in Ontario this year. It has been the coldest summer in Toronto for as long as I can remember, and I love it!

 

[BT]

You guys in 'bama would think it was winter all-year round here with the summer we are getting in Ontario this year. It has been the coldest summer in Toronto for as long as I can remember, and I love it!

Yeah and I live in the snow-belt which is only about 45 minutes from TO. Actually I work in TO so I'm there everyday... anyway here in Wloo we get a good dumpin of snow often as early as October.. but yeah it's been a chilly summer for sure... At least I'm saving money on my Central Air.

 

[bleechers]

We're experiencing a cold snap this week too. Tomorrow it's only going to reach 88.

Friday, we're looking at 83! Now where did I put those earmuffs?

That's 31 and 28 centigrade, respectively...

 

[@@Paul@@]

Cold belt here too, I'm gonna have to dig out my winter gear already..

Today: 87
Friday: 80

 

[Ave Maria]

I voted other because I believe that Baptists originated with the Apostles. But then again, I may be wrong. I believe the Baptist denomination comes from a continuous line since the Apostle's time or the early church.

 

[bleechers]

I voted other because I believe that Baptists originated with the Apostles. But then again, I may be wrong. I believe the Baptist denomination comes from a continuous line since the Apostle's time or the early church.

"The faith" was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3) and has been passed down one individual at a time.

 

[Gold Dragon]

I voted other because I believe that Baptists originated with the Apostles. But then again, I may be wrong. I believe the Baptist denomination comes from a continuous line since the Apostle's time or the early church.

Your selection should have been option one but thanks for your vote.

 

[Gold Dragon]

"The faith" was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3) and has been passed down one individual at a time.

bleechers, are you the other "other" vote? If so, it sounds like you would agree to Holly's description and I would consider both your votes as option #1. Is that ok?

I'm just trying to get an accurate idea of the acceptance of these different theories and I don't want my confusing description of option #1 to interfere with the data.