Baptist History • Free Forever

: Early Baptists divided into two theological streams:

: In 1609, John Smyth , an English Separatist in Amsterdam, became convinced that infant baptism was unscriptural. He baptized himself and then his followers, forming the first identifiable Baptist congregation. baptist history

: Emerged in the 1630s with a Calvinist perspective, believing Christ died only for the elect ("particular" atonement). : Early Baptists divided into two theological streams:

: Following the Act of Toleration, Particular Baptists formally adopted this confession, which remains a foundational document for many Reformed Baptists today. The "Successionist" Theory (Trail of Blood) : Following the Act of Toleration, Particular Baptists

: Proponents argue that Baptist-like churches have existed continuously since the time of Christ, often identifying groups like the Anabaptists, Waldensians, and Lollards as their spiritual ancestors.

: Most modern scholars view this as a theological rather than a strictly historical claim, noting that many of these early groups held diverse beliefs that do not perfectly align with modern Baptist doctrine. Growth in the New World

Baptist history is a complex narrative shaped by a commitment to individual conscience, local church autonomy, and the practice of believer's baptism. While some traditionalists argue for an "unbroken succession" back to the New Testament, most historians trace the formal emergence of the Baptist movement to . Origins and Early Development