Baptists form a major branch of evangelical Protestantism distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers, and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul competency, sola fide, sola scriptura and congregationalist church government. Baptists generally recognize two ordinances: baptism and communion.
The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a Baptist Christian denomination established in 1907 originally as the Northern Baptist Convention, and from 1950 to 1972 as the American Baptist Convention. It traces its history to the First Baptist Church in America (1638) and the Baptist congregational associations which organized the Triennial Convention in 1814. Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, ABCUSA is usually considered mainline, although varying theological and mission emphases may be found among its congregations, including modernist, charismatic and evangelical orientations.
Reformed Baptists, Particular Baptists and Calvinistic Baptists, are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology. Depending on the denomination, Calvinistic Baptists adhere to varying degrees of Reformed theology, ranging from simply embracing the Five Points of Calvinism, to accepting a modified form of federalism; all Calvinistic Baptists reject the classical Reformed teaching on infant baptism as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. The first Calvinistic Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is a significant summary of the beliefs of Reformed Baptists. The name "Reformed Baptist" dates from the latter part of the 20th century to denote Baptists who retained Baptist ecclesiology, but adopted elements of Reformed doctrine, such as covenant theology.
The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is an international Baptist Christian association of churches with an estimated 51 million people in 2023 with 253 member bodies in 130 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA accounts for about half the Baptists in the world. It is the 8th largest Christian communion.
The Baptist Union of Scotland is a Baptist Christian denomination in Scotland. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Glasgow.
General Baptists are Baptists who hold the general or unlimited atonement view, the belief that Jesus Christ died for the entire world and not just for the chosen elect. General Baptists are theologically Arminian, which distinguishes them from Reformed Baptists.
Baptists Together, formally the Baptist Union of Great Britain, is a Baptist Christian denomination in England and Wales. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and Churches Together in England. The headquarters is in Didcot.
The Union of French Baptist Churches in Canada is a Baptist Christian association of churches for French-speaking Canadians. Headquarters is in Fulford, Quebec. The union is one of four regions of Canadian Baptist Ministries and is a member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
The Association of Baptist Churches in Israel (ABCI) is a Baptist Christian association of churches in Israel. It is a member of the European Baptist Federation, the Baptist World Alliance and the Evangelical Alliance of Israel.
Baptist successionism is one of several theories on the origin and continuation of Baptist churches. The theory postulates an unbroken lineage of churches which have held beliefs similar to those of current Baptists. Groups often included in this lineage include the Montanists, Paulicians, Cathari, Waldenses, Albigenses, Lollards, and Anabaptists. However most scholars agree that the Baptists originated within 17th-century puritanism, meaning it is not accepted by scholars as factual.
Beginning in 1979, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) experienced an intense struggle for control of the organization. Its initiators called it the conservative resurgence while its detractors labeled it the fundamentalist takeover. It was launched with the charge that the seminaries and denominational agencies were dominated by liberals. The movement was primarily aimed at reorienting the denomination away from a liberal trajectory.
The Triennial Convention was the first national Baptist denomination in the United States. Officially named the General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign Missions, it was formed in 1814 to advance missionary work and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In a dispute over slavery and missions policy, Baptist churches in the South separated from the Triennial Convention and established the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845. This split left the Triennial Convention largely Northern in membership. In 1907, the Triennial Convention was reorganized into the Northern Baptist Convention, which was renamed American Baptist Churches USA in 1972.
The Baptist Centre is a building which houses the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland (ABC), its departments and the Baptist Theological Centre which includes the Irish Baptist College (IBC), the Irish Baptist College Library and the Irish Baptist Historical Society Archives.
Alexander Carson was an Irish Baptist minister. He was known as an author, pastor-teacher and theologian.
David Samuel Dockery is the President of the International Alliance for Christian Education. He is also Distinguished Professor of Theology and on April 19, 2023 was elected the 10th President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Formerly he served as Trinity International University's 15th president. He was elected to that presidency on February 28, 2014.
The Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, formerly the Baptist Union of Western Canada, is a moderate Baptist Christian association of churches in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Headquarters is in Calgary, Alberta. The union is one of four components of Canadian Baptist Ministries.
The Arizona Southern Baptist Convention (ASBC) is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern/Great Commission Baptists.
The Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Formed in 1836, it was one of the original nine state conventions to send delegates to the first Southern Baptist Convention, organized in 1845.
The Jamaica Baptist Union is a Baptist Christian denomination, affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1849 in Jamaica. The headquarters is in Kingston, Jamaica. The president of the union is Rev. Dr. Glenroy Lalor.
