Baptists are a peculiar and special denomination

I was born into a Baptist family. Being a Baptist seems as natural as breathing, eating and sleeping. Even though Baptists are numerous in America, they are peculiar to most other groups of Christians worldwide. Baptist roots are found in central Europe and they are deep. The Baptist’s closest European kin are Amish and Mennonites. Other Baptist cousins in faith go by a wide range of names. Those with whom I grew up called themselves Apostolic Christians. Baptists come from the Reformation era but were never a part of the larger bodies of reformers that made painful breaks from the dominant Roman Catholic Church. The Baptist forbearers in fact were called Anabaptists. They were called that because they did not recognize infant baptism and regularly re-baptized those who had been baptized as infants. One of the marks of Baptists from the beginning was that baptism was received only at the request of a believer. Anabaptists believed that a person became a Christian only by a clear commitment of a believer. A person was never “saved” by a sacrament of a church. A person was a Christian by personal decision.

The American version of Baptists traces its history to England. English Baptists were a split from Congregationalists. The Congregationalists had split from the Church of England over the power of Bishops. The Congregationalists believed that the local membership of a church should control church life. When they left the Church of England, they left the power of bishops behind as well. A split then took place over infant baptism and creeds. A breakaway group adopted the ways of European Anabaptists, embraced congregational independence, abandoned all creeds and embraced salvation by personal decision. They disavowed any baptism except immersion of persons who had reached an age of accountability, then only at the request of a believer, never the requirement of a church. The bread and grape juice used in the communion service were “bare” memorials and could be served by anyone. The only priesthood was a priesthood of all believers. Power to ordain a particular believer for a particular task was an act of a local church, never a church hierarchy. They called themselves Baptists.

English Baptist practices were the last step in a process of denying the power of a Roman pope and placing power in the mind, heart and hands of the individual believer. This kind of religious libertarianism was a perfect fit for the developing American frontier.

This brief historical sketch falls far short of the whole story of Baptists but tells enough to give a glimpse of this march to religious liberties.

In American history, the story of religion is a tale of Baptist victories. It began with a very small number of Baptists. No nation had ever tried what was adopted in the First Amendment to our Constitution. Religion was set free and government interference in religion was forever banned. Baptist approach to religion was made the law of the land.

Baptists in America have evolved and have embraced certain freedoms. Baptists insist on being free from any governmental interference. A local Baptist congregation is free from any denominational hierarchy. A Baptist believer is free to read and interpret the Bible for himself/herself. A Baptist believer is free to approach God without help or interference of a priest, minister or religious hierarchy. A local Baptist congregation is free to run its own affairs.

These freedoms have facilitated diversity that is not always appreciated or understood.

Some Baptist churches have organized for common purposes. Many Baptist churches are completely independent and have no affiliations with other churches. Often theological differences flourish within a Baptist church. One never knows what is believed in a Baptist church without going to a service and listening. The word Baptist tells the public very little beyond the fact that they run their own affairs.

Any Baptist believer is free to start a church and call it Baptist. There are more different kinds of Baptists than can be tabulated because change is constant.

There are certain things that Baptist life has produced. I would argue that Baptists sing better than any other body of believers. They produce singable music and singing is central to their worship.

Baptists have produced many marvelous preachers. Baptist preaching when done correctly is an art form. I never tire of hearing a sermon with good material preached without a manuscript or notes. There are lots of Baptist preachers who know how to do it.

Baptists have a record of doing good for the benefit of all. Baptists have a commendable record of building hospitals, colleges and universities, and services agencies of many kinds. Baptists have produced leaders. Walter Rauschenbusch, father of the social gospel, was a Baptist. Billy Graham was a Baptist. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist. In my lifetime, Harry Truman, Linden Johnson, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton were all Baptists.

Baptist churches and preachers have been masters of the “invitation” at the end of a sermon. Invitations challenge people to be something for God and his kingdom. Baptist individuality often responds to the question “what are you going to do about it?” That is how I became a minister. I responded to a well-preached sermon. I walked the aisle and headed for seven years of college and seminary. No regrets. I love being a Baptist.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.