Why are Baptist denominations regional?

[GodLovesCats]

American Baptist Churches are mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. Very few churches on the ABC map are farther south than Colorado or in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

The name Southern Baptist Church is almost self-explanatory, despite its popularity elsewhere. If you live in the Gulf Coast region (especially Mississippi), you probably are a Southern Baptist.

There also is an area known as the "Bible Belt" that includes Tennessee and Virginia, which I am sure is heavily Baptist. During a trip to Massachusetts years ago, I saw more Baptist churches than any of the other denominations. But I could not tell which Baptist subgroup they are in.

I don't know if most Baptist churches in north-central Florida are fundamental but it is popular.

Can someone explain the disparity in Baptist church subgroups among U.S. regions?

 

[Basil the Great]

My great aunt used to work at an American Baptist Seminary in Southern California, so there must be a fair number of American Baptist churches in California.

 

[GodLovesCats]

My great aunt used to work at an American Baptist Seminary in Southern California, so there must be a fair number of American Baptist churches in California.

I am near the opposite end of I-10.

 

[SkyWriting]

And there are the Northern Baptists. As many people have differing beliefs, so there are that many churches and nearly that many denominations. I grew up just miles from the Northern Baptist Seminary so they were part of my neighborhood growing up.

 

[GodLovesCats]

And there are the Northern Baptists. As many people have differing beliefs, so there are that many churches and nearly that many denominations. I grew up just miles from the Northern Baptist Seminary so they were part of my neighborhood growing up.

What is the difference between Northern and Southern Baptists besides geography?

 

[SkyWriting]

What is the difference between Northern and Southern Baptists besides geography?

Northern are progressive and Southern are conservative. Northerns could be considered radical.

 

[Lavaduder]

The very foundation of Baptist is rooted in separation. Each church is designed to be it's own community. Major lines of churches(Corporate churches/whatever you want to call 'em.) often happen in cities. Mid-west, north-east, south, bible belt, etc. All share knowledge, and beliefs with each other. We even rebuke each other.

 

[9Rock9]

What is the difference between Northern and Southern Baptists besides geography?

The two split over the issue of slavery. Of course, the modern Southern Baptist Convention now condemns slavery, but the two now vary on other issues.

IIRC, the Nothern Baptists became known as American Baptists, and on paper, they are still conservative in doctrine, but in practice many of their churches are progressive. The Southern Baptists experience a drift towards liberalism, but the Conservative Resurgence pushed it back towards, well, conservative doctrine.

Southern Baptists are evangelical, while Northern/American Baptists are mainline.

 

[BobRyan]

The two split over the issue of slavery. Of course, the modern Southern Baptist Convention now condemns slavery, but the two now vary on other issues.

IIRC, the Nothern Baptists became known as American Baptists, and on paper, they are still conservative in doctrine, but in practice many of their churches are progressive. The Southern Baptists experience a drift towards liberalism, but the Conservative Resurgence pushed it back towards, well, conservative doctrine.

Southern Baptists are evangelical, while Northern/American Baptists are mainline.

And how do "General Baptists" fit into it?

"The original national Baptist association formed in 1814 was called the "General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign Missions". The SBC was formed in 1845 in part over the usually regional differences in perspectives within this association regarding slavery."

Is that what is meant by "General Baptist"?

 

[9Rock9]

And how do "General Baptists" fit into it?

"The original national Baptist association formed in 1814 was called the "General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign Missions". The SBC was formed in 1845 in part over the usually regional differences in perspectives within this association regarding slavery."

Is that what is meant by "General Baptist"?

When the Baptist faith first began, there were only two types of Baptists: General and Particular. General Baptists believe in unlimited atonement, while Particular Baptists accept limited atonement.

In the case of the General Missionary Convention, I think it was just the largest Baptist denomination prior to the split between Northern and Southern Baptists. While they disagreed over slavery, they were otherwise very similar to each other in doctrine.

 

[actionsub]

When the Baptist faith first began, there were only two types of Baptists: General and Particular. General Baptists believe in unlimited atonement, while Particular Baptists accept limited atonement.

In the case of the General Missionary Convention, I think it was just the largest Baptist denomination prior to the split between Northern and Southern Baptists. While they disagreed over slavery, they were otherwise very similar to each other in doctrine.

That is correct. There is, however, a denomination called "General Baptists", who are distinguished by being one of the few Baptist groups that teaches that you can lose your salvation. They are much like Freewill Baptists, though a little more moderate.
They are largely Midwestern and the upper southern states, with their HQ in Poplar Bluff, MO and their college/seminary in Oakland City, IN (near Evansville).

 

[actionsub]

American Baptist Churches are mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. Very few churches on the ABC map are farther south than Colorado or in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

The name Southern Baptist Church is almost self-explanatory, despite its popularity elsewhere. If you live in the Gulf Coast region (especially Mississippi), you probably are a Southern Baptist.

There also is an area known as the "Bible Belt" that includes Tennessee and Virginia, which I am sure is heavily Baptist. During a trip to Massachusetts years ago, I saw more Baptist churches than any of the other denominations. But I could not tell which Baptist subgroup they are in.

I don't know if most Baptist churches in north-central Florida are fundamental but it is popular.

Can someone explain the disparity in Baptist church subgroups among U.S. regions?

As for the original "regional" disparity, in the early-mid 20th century the Northern (aka American) Baptists and Southern Baptists ginned up a sort of "gentleman's agreement" which was something like the SBC would claim the ground south of the Ohio River (with the possible exception of southern Illinois) and the Northern Baptists would take the states north of the Ohio.
The Southern Baptists quickly proceeded to throw that under the bus and plant churches nationwide, especially after the Depression when many Southerners came north to industrial cities like Detroit and St. Louis for work. These southern Baptists wanted a church like the one back home and the existing Baptist churches just didn't quite satisfy them. So they decided to form their own congregations, finding one of their own who had some preaching credentials, and the SBC grew beyond their "region". By the 1960s, it was clear that "Southern" Baptist was a misnomer, and the first of many attempts to find a more inclusive name began. The Northern Baptists, however, beat them to the punch and took the "American Baptist" name.

 

[JM]

American Baptist Churches are mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. Very few churches on the ABC map are farther south than Colorado or in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

The name Southern Baptist Church is almost self-explanatory, despite its popularity elsewhere. If you live in the Gulf Coast region (especially Mississippi), you probably are a Southern Baptist.

There also is an area known as the "Bible Belt" that includes Tennessee and Virginia, which I am sure is heavily Baptist. During a trip to Massachusetts years ago, I saw more Baptist churches than any of the other denominations. But I could not tell which Baptist subgroup they are in.

I don't know if most Baptist churches in north-central Florida are fundamental but it is popular.

Can someone explain the disparity in Baptist church subgroups among U.S. regions?

They are not denominations but conventions.