Who founded the Baptist?

Answer 1

There are 2 main philosophies of the origin of the Baptists. 17th Century Reform The first Baptists as a distinct denomination developed about 1606 in England out of a group of Seperatists/Puritans. These people had several leaders: John Smyth, Thomas Helwys and John Murton. They emigrated to the Netherlands to escape religious persecution. Believing that Christ died for everyone, they were called General Bapitsts. A second group called the Particular Baptists believed that Christ died only for the Elect-those chosen by God to be saved. They came from English Congregationalists/Independents in the 1640's. A third group developed in the 1650's who were called Seventh Day Baptists, because they believed in keeping the traditional Sabbath on the last day of the week. There were still other groups that developed separately, such as the slaves in Virginia, US in 1740's who founded the Black Baptist movement. Baptist Perpetuity/Succession Some Baptists believe that modern Baptists are simply a continuation (perpetuity) of the early New Testament church. They see themselves separate from Catholicism, other denominations and do not even see themselves as part of the Protestant Reformation, since they believe they are simply part of the original Christian church, founded by Jesus Himself. In the successionist view, the Montanists, Novatianists, Donatists, Paulicans, Albigensians, Catharists, Waldenes and Anabaptists were predecessors to contemporary Baptists. This view holds that the true church was passed down from one church to the next, up to Baptists today.

Answer 2

John