Do Baptists come from the Anabaptist movement?

Where did Baptists come from? Did they arise from the radical Anabaptist movement of the sixteenth century? From one of our Ask Ligonier live events, W. Robert Godfrey contrasts the origins of these groups within the broader history of the Reformation.

[asahelnettleton]

He nailed it, if succinctly and without much detail. The modern Baptist churches throughout America, and in England, come from the British baptists of the early 1600s who were part of the separatist movement within the Anglican church, much like the congregationalists. Many of them fled to the European continent during various persecutions and may have interacted somewhat with the Anabaptists there. However, aside from holding credobaptist convictions, the only other similarities between the two groups are autonomous local churches and the necessity of keeping the civil government and church government within separate realms of authority.

Amongst English Baptists, there were General (synergists) and Particular (monergists) Baptists nearly coincidentally, but the General Baptists drifted into Unitarianism by the late 1700s. The Particular Baptists drafted the First London Confession in 1644 (just before the Westminster was completed) in an attempt to distance themselves from Anabaptists and more closely align with the Reformed theology of the Anglican Puritans, Congregationalists, and Presbyterians. The Second London Confession of 1677 (officially published in 1689) drew more comprehensively from the Westminster Confession and the Savoy Declaration. Theologically, they agreed almost completely with the Paedobaptist Reformers, except regarding the proper administration and recipients of baptism, church government, the church/state issue, and nuances of Covenant (Federal) Theology. The modern Baptists in America descend from the Particular Baptists, but over the last 175 or so years most have sadly abandoned the Reformed and Covenant theology of their predecessors, in addition to adopting a more monarchical episcopate church government instead of a multiple elder led church.

[AnabaptistTheology]

As a former Baptist and now Anabaptist, I agree. The Baptist tradition incorporates some Anabaptist elements, but it primarily descends from Protestantism. Church history doesn't have the uniform divisions that many of us desire, but just because a branch of Protestantism adopted the doctrine of creedal baptism does not mean they were connected to the original "re-baptizers" or Anabaptists. The distinction between a disciplined life and theological understanding is a trait that separates the groups, yet both sides should have moved toward the center. Anabaptists should have valued the treasure of solid theology and inner spiritual growth. At the same time, reformers should have recognized the gospel's power to transform a person, expressing that power in them to live like Jesus and obey Scriptural teachings.

[gingrichpianostudio]

I'm uncertain about the historical connections between the two movements, but I'd note that this brief clip (a) does not actually address the question of historical links between the movements and (b) seems motivated by Mr. Godrey's desire to distance himself from the Anabaptists and his understanding of their theology.

For a more balanced perspective on Anabaptist theology, I recommend Timothy George's book The Theology of the Reformers, which includes a good chapter on the theology of Menno Simons. Here is some of what George says about Menno Simons' understanding of conversion:

"As long ago as 1848, the historian Max Göbel recognized that “the essential and distinguishing characteristic of this [Anabaptist] church is its great emphasis upon the actual personal conversion and regeneration of every Christian through the Holy Spirit.”2 Although Luther described himself as “born again, ” and both Zwingli and Calvin commented on Jesus’ words to Nicodemus, Menno placed the greatest emphasis on the necessity for the new birth: “If now you desire to have your wicked nature cleared up, and desire to be free from eternal death and damnation . . . then you must be born again.”" (Kindle Locations 6029-6034)

Conversion involved both faith and repentance:

"Faith was the inward appropriation of the gospel, which Menno defined as “the blessed announcement of the favor and grace of God to us, and of forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus.”" (Kindle Locations 6034-6036)

God radically transforms such a believing heart! But faith

"was incomplete without the prior act of repentance… It will not “help a fig, ” he averred, to be called Christians or boast of the Lord’s blood, death, merits, grace, and gospel, as long as believers were not genuinely converted from their wicked, sinful lives." (Kindle Locations 6044-6048)

"If believers had the faith of penitent Zacchaeus, Menno claimed, then… “There would soon be a different and better situation because, it cannot fail, the righteous must live his faith.”" (Kindle Locations 6059-6062).

Grace and peace to all who read this comment.

[raypaget]

There certainly is a connection with Anabaptists and Baptists. The name "anabaptist" was a derogatory term given to a group of Christian separatists who rejected their infant baptism as unscriptural. They, as a result of this position, employed adult baptism or baptism of only those who made a conscious profession of receiving Christ as Savior. Those who identified with the anabaptists repudiated their infant baptism and submitted to being "rebaptized." Their religious critics--many of those who embraced the Reformation--viewed this practice as blasphemous. Our Reformed friends used the power of the civil magistrate to punish and on occasion even put to death these "rebaptizers." As brother Godfrey noted, most of those identifying as Anabaptists today tend to be Amish, Mennonite, Hutterites, etc.

[Kenneth-nVA]

Anabapist was a name given to that particular group. They were also called the radical reformers. I believe that they had biblical orthopraxy but because of their constant persecutions, they rejected certain theological positions and became Arminian

[felixgilberto]

That’s not what I leaned in my church history class. The Arminian Baptist were first and then the Calvinist Particular Baptist arose. To distinguish between the both, the original Arminian Baptists were now called the General Baptists.

[PastorPeter-ur]

The first baptist church first met in a Mennonite Bakers house in Amsterdam - (Zuiderkerkbuurt) And while it might be true we Anabaptists don't over prioritize academic degrees we are not weak on justification by faith alone - actually because of persecution, quite strong on an orthodox understanding of faith.

[IWillHumbleMyself]

I don't know much about the Anabaptists, but I encountered one a handful of times a number of years ago and he was intolerable. All he did was try to start a movement where he'd go around preaching to people urging them to convert to be an Anabaptist, and all he ever preached about was election. No other doctrines. Never the gospel, never Jesus or the cross. Not faith or grace. It left a lasting negative impression on me for sure.

[missionsbibleministry]

That's crazy talk the founder of the Baptist tradition whether we like it or not had their ties with the Anabaptists even informally. The first Baptists were general (Arminian) Baptists, anyone with a Macbeth knows this. I think we have ourselves here a case of bias revisionism

[biblicalworldview]

I would be interested to know what Robert G thinks of:
The Trail of Blood is a 1931 book by American Southern Baptist minister James Milton Carroll, comprising a collection of five lectures he gave on the history of Baptist churches, which he presented as a succession from the first Christians.

[ambercrombie]

I was at a Missionary Baptist Church today. The preacher said that Luther and Zwingli had more Anabaptists murdered than the Roman Catholics. I am trying to find background on this. The preacher is fresh out of college-no seminary- and has told me that his "Association" made him a "bishop" a couple of years ago. // Scholarship is not a big deal with the Missionary Baptists. Please advise.

[ScratchCat-imfe]

There are millions of southern Baptist who still believe they decent from the anabaptist. It’s from a book from the 1930’s that was later debunked by scholars. The evidence is present in the book “Baptist Successionism” written in 1961 I believe. Their preachers are still preaching they’re from the original Anabaptist. A look at their doctrines will show they have very little in common with anabaptist anyway. They’re just a Protestant group branched from Calvinism and they aren’t even that old compared to other Protestants. Baptist are basically a secular denomination pretending to be a traditional church. They then throw “southern” on it as a qualifier and it hits cultural soft spots. They’re essentially a heretic that was rejected by the church of Christ. There is one church and only one. The church Christ founded. And that is the Catholic Church. I was once a Protestant for my entire life, I believed all of the lies told about about the church. I then looked for myself and realized the truth. Look for yourself.

[MrPatdeeee]

"Do Baptists come from the Anabaptist movement?"

Good question kind Sirs...for I was a Baptist...and the preachers adamantly stated...

"We are NOT "Protestants"! Because we were NEVER Roman Catholics. So we go all the way back to Paul!" And I heard it many times. So I believed it; as is usual with MOST Christians with THEIR pastors. Sad, but OH So true.

Because ALL can be wrong. Oh indeed. So since I am not a member of any group today (thank Jesus); I no longer believe those pastors were correct. Although they MAY be right. For one or two Baptist's "Sects".

But I can say this: In untold years of study; I am convinced now; that there is NO credible evidence that any Baptists and any other churches; go back to Paul. I hope the Baptists are. For all of the churches I have studied, The "Southern Baptists" parallels Paul; more than any other Denomination, I know of.

Anyway: on Judgment Day; Jesus will set us all straight from the lies. Praise Jesus' Holy Name...

..In any case kind Sir, Please Pray OFTEN and Praise Jesus OFTEN; for He is the ONLY true "God Almighty"; there will ever have been. And may Jesus bless you and yours always. AMEN!.

[docmitchell]

What is a baptist? What is an anabaptist? Are all baptists alike? Are all anabaptists alike? An entire college course could be taught on this question

[rpc]

Sounds like a rather vague answer to me.

[kevinclint]

SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THIS EARTH . COLOSSIANS 3 : 2 KJV

[RideWithChrist-]

I know He was called John the Baptizer, not John the Catholic, John the Purist, nor John the protestant. Nor was he ever John the Roman Catholic, ha!

[JoshuaLindbergFilms]

The first baptists were literally arminians