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Baptist Multisite Churches
Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul competency (the responsibility and accountability of every person before God), ''sola fide'' (salvation by faith alone), '' sola scriptura'' (the Bible is the sole infallible authority, as the rule of faith and practice) and congregationalist church government. Baptists generally recognize two ordinances: baptism and communion. Diverse from their beginning, those identifying as Baptists today may differ widely from one another in what they believe, how they worship, their attitudes toward other Christians, and their understanding of what is important in Christian discipleship. Baptist missionaries have spread various Baptist churches to every continent. The largest Baptist communion of churches is the Baptist World Alliance, and there ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christian Denomination
A Christian denomination is a distinct Religion, religious body within Christianity that comprises all Church (congregation), church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theology, theological doctrine, worship style and, sometimes, a founder. It is a secular and neutral term, generally used to denote any established Christian church. Unlike a cult or sect, a denomination is usually seen as part of the Christian religious mainstream. Most Christian denominations refer to themselves as ''churches'', whereas some newer ones tend to interchangeably use the terms ''churches'', ''assemblies'', Koinonia, ''fellowships'', etc. Divisions between one group and another are defined by authority and doctrine; issues such as the Christology, nature of Jesus, the authority of apostolic succession, biblical hermeneutics, Christian theology, theology, ecclesiology, Christian eschatology, eschatology, and papal primacy m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English Dissenters
English Dissenters or English Separatists were Protestants who separated from the Church of England in the 17th and 18th centuries. English Dissenters opposed state interference in religious matters and founded their own churches, educational institutions and communities. They tended to see the established church as too Catholic, but did not agree on what should be done about it. Some Dissenters emigrated to the New World, especially to the Thirteen Colonies and Canada. Brownists founded the Plymouth Colony. The English Dissenters played a pivotal role in the religious development of the United States and greatly diversified the religious landscape. They originally agitated for a wide-reaching Protestant Reformation of the established Church of England, and they flourished during the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell. King James I had said "no bishop, no king", emphasising the role of the clergy in justifying royal legitimacy. Cromwell capitalised on that phrase, abol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom Of Religion
Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the right not to profess any religion or belief or "not to practice a religion" (often called freedom ''from'' religion). The concept of religious liberty includes, and some say requires, secular liberalism, and excludes authoritarian versions of secularism. Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most nations to be a fundamental rights, fundamental human right. Freedom of religion is protected in all the most important international human rights treaty, conventions, such as the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Na ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baptists In The History Of Separation Of Church And State
The separation of church and state is a philosophical concept that Baptists, since the early days in the Church of England, together with other Puritans, have originally defended in the secular civic sphere. History Historically, Baptists supported the separation of the Church from state control in England and America. Some important figures in the struggle were John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, Leonard Busher, Roger Williams, John Clarke, Isaac Backus, and John Leland. English Baptists In 1612 John Smyth wrote, "the magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience". That same year, Thomas Helwys wrote that the King of England could "command what of man he will, and we are to obey it," but, concerning the church—"with this Kingdom, our lord the King hath nothing to do." In 1614, Leonard Busher wrote what is believed to be the earliest Baptist treatise dealing exclusively with the subject of religious liberty. American Baptists The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Helwys
Thomas Helwys (c. 1575 – 1616) was an English barrister (lawyer), Puritan leader, and theologian. His theological beliefs is one of the forming basis of the Baptist tradition. In the early 17th century, Helwys was the principal formulator of a demand that the Church and the state be kept separate in matters of law, so that individuals might have freedom of religious conscience. This advocacy of religious liberty being held could be dangerous at that time. He died in prison as a consequence of the religious persecution of early Puritan Dissenters under King James I, and is considered a martyr. Early life Helwys was born in Gainsborough, England, to Edmund and Margaret Helwys who were descendants of an old Norman family. Edmund had sold his land in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and had taken a lease on Broxtowe Hall in Bilborough parish. In 1590 when his father died, Helwys assumed control of the estate, but in 1593 he temporarily left the care of the estate in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Election In Christianity
In Christianity, particularly within the theological framework of Calvinism, election involves God choosing a particular person or group of people to a particular task or relationship, especially eternal life. Election to eternal life is viewed by some as conditional on a person's faith, and by others as unconditional. According to Calvinist theology, before the foundation of the world, God chose certain individuals, known as the "elect", to receive his saving grace and be predestined for eternal salvation; Calvinists view this election as unconditional, based not on human merit or works but solely on God's sovereign will and purpose. In the Old Testament The Old Testament applies the term "elect" (; ) to the Israelites insofar as they are called to be the chosen people, people of God, or faithful to their divine call. The idea of such an election is common in Deuteronomy and in Isaiah 40-66. In the New Testament The New Testament transfers the meaning of the term from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reformed Baptists
Reformed Baptists, also called Particular Baptists, or Calvinist Baptists, are Baptists that hold to a Calvinism, Calvinist soteriology (salvation belief teached by John Calvin). The name "Reformed Baptist" dates from the latter part of the 20th century to denote Baptists who retained a Baptist ecclesiology, and reaffirmed Reformed biblical theology, such as Covenant theology. Calvinist Baptists adhere to varying degrees of Calvinism, Reformed theology, ranging from simply embracing the Calvinism#Five_Points_of_Calvinism, Five Points of Calvinism, to accepting the Baptist covenant theology; all Reformed Baptists reject the classical Reformed teaching on infant baptism, meaning that they reject infants as the proper subjects of baptism. The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. Reformed Baptists have produced two major confessions of faith as summary of their beliefs: The ''1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, Second London Confession of Faith'' (1689) and the ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unlimited Atonement
Unlimited atonement (sometimes called general atonement or universal atonement) is a doctrine in Protestant Christianity that states Jesus died as a propitiation for the benefit of all humans without exception. It is normally associated with Amyraldism (four-point Calvinism), as well as Arminianism and other non-Calvinist traditions. It is a doctrine distinct from other elements of the Calvinist acronym TULIP and is contrary to the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement. A doctrinal issue that divides Christians is the question of the extent of the atonement. This question typically goes as follows: "Did Christ bear the sins of the elect alone on the cross, or did his death expiate the sins of all human beings?" Those who take this view read scriptures such as John 3:16; ; ; ; to say that the Bible teaches ''unlimited'' atonement. Historical background In response to the Remonstrants' Five articles of Remonstrance, the Synod of Dort published the Canons of Dort whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General Baptists
General Baptists, also called Arminian Baptists, are Baptists that hold to the doctrine of general atonement (belief that Jesus Christ died for all humanity and not only for the elect). General Baptist soteriology initially was not Arminian, but over time they embraced some distinctive Arminian doctrines until completely adopting the Five Points of Arminianism, while still maintaining strong Calvinistic language and other Reformed doctrines. General Baptists have produced two major confessions of faith: The '' Standard Confession of Faith'' (1660), and the '' Orthodox Creed'' (1679). Henry Denne, Thomas Grantham and Daniel Taylor were some of the greatest theological figures for the General Baptist strand in England. Together with the Particular Baptists, the second strand, they form the Baptist tradition. Historical Background In the late 16th century and early 17th century, Puritan activity was strong in the English Midlands. In this period, a Puritan church gather ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infant Baptism
Infant baptism, also known as christening or paedobaptism, is a Christian sacramental practice of Baptism, baptizing infants and young children. Such practice is done in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, various Protestant denominations, and also in other denominations of Christianity.Brasher, B. (Ed.). (2001). ''Encyclopedia of fundamentalism: Volume 3 of religion & society'' (p. 47). Berkshire Publishing Group. The practice involves baptizing infants born to believing parents as a means of initiating them into the Christian faith. Supporters of infant baptism cite biblical references to the baptism of entire households in the New Testament, as well as Jesus’ teachings on welcoming children, as justification for this approach. In contrast, Believer's baptism, believers' baptism (credobaptism) is based on the premise that baptism should be administered only to individuals who can personally profess their faith. Those who support this view ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Testament
The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianity. The New Testament's background, the first division of the Christian Bible, is called the Old Testament, which is based primarily upon the Hebrew Bible; together they are regarded as Sacred Scripture by Christians. The New Testament is a collection of 27 Christianity, Christian texts written in Koine Greek by various authors, forming the second major division of the Christian Bible. It includes four Gospel, gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, epistles attributed to Paul the Apostle, Paul and other authors, and the Book of Revelation. The Development of the New Testament canon, New Testament canon developed gradually over the first few centuries of Christianity through a complex process of debate, rejection of Heresy, heretical texts, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Region of Amsterdam, urban area and 2,480,394 in the Amsterdam metropolitan area, metropolitan area. Located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, Dutch province of North Holland, Amsterdam is colloquially referred to as the "Venice of the North", for its canals of Amsterdam, large number of canals, now a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amsterdam was founded at the mouth of the Amstel River, which was dammed to control flooding. Originally a small fishing village in the 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse. Amsterdam was the leading centre for finance and trade, as well as a hub of secular art production. In the 19th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
