Baptists

==Beliefs==
{{Main|Baptist beliefs|List of Baptist confessions of faith}}Since the early days of the Baptist movement, various associations have adopted common confessions of faith as the basis for cooperative work among churches.<ref name="William H. Brackney 2020, p. 160-161">William H. Brackney, ''Historical Dictionary of the Baptists'', Scarecrow Press, US, 2020, p. 160–161</ref> Each church has a particular confession of faith and a common confession of faith if it is a member of an association of churches.<ref name="William H. Brackney 2020, p. 160-161"/> Some historically significant Baptist doctrinal documents include the [[Confession of Faith (1689)|1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith]], 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession, the [[New Hampshire Confession of Faith|1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith]], and written [[church covenant]]s which some individual Baptist churches adopt as a statement of their faith and beliefs.

Baptist theology shares many doctrines with [[evangelical theology]].<ref>James Leo Garrett, ''Baptist Theology: A Four-century Study'', Mercer University Press, US, 2009, p. 515</ref> It is based on [[believers' Church]] doctrine.<ref name=WS08>Michael Edward Williams, Walter B. Shurden, ''Turning Points in Baptist History'', Mercer University Press, US, 2008, p. 17</ref> Baptists, like other Christians, are defined by school of thought—some of it common to all orthodox and evangelical groups, and a portion of it distinctive to Baptists.<ref>{{Cite web|author= Nettles, Thomas J |title=A Foundation for the Future: The Southern Baptist Message and Mission |access-date=17 January 2010 |url=http://www.reformedreader.org/baptists.htm}}</ref> Through the years, different Baptist groups have issued confessions of faith—without considering them to be ''[[Creed|creeds]]''—to express their particular doctrinal distinctions in comparison to other Christians as well as in comparison to other Baptists.<ref name="Shurden fragile">{{Cite book|author=Shurden, Walter B |title=The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms |location=Macon, Georgia |publisher=Smyth & Helwys Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=978-1-880837-20-7}}</ref> Baptist denominations are traditionally seen as belonging to two parties, [[General Baptists]] who uphold [[Arminian]] theology, and [[Reformed Baptists|Particular Baptist]]s who uphold Reformed theology (Calvinism).<ref name="Benedict1848" /> During the [[holiness movement]], some General Baptists accepted the teaching of a [[second work of grace]] and formed denominations that emphasized this belief, such as the [[Ohio Valley Association of the Christian Baptist Churches of God]] and the [[Holiness Baptist Association]].<ref name="Lewis2002">{{cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=James R. |title=The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions |date=2002 |publisher=Prometheus Books |isbn=9781615927388 |language=en}}</ref> Most Baptists are evangelical in doctrine, but their beliefs may vary due to the congregational governance system that gives autonomy to individual local Baptist churches.<ref name="Baptist Origins">Buescher, John. "[http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/22329 Baptist Origins] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920071007/http://www.teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/22329 |date=20 September 2015 }}." [http://www.teachinghistory.org/ Teaching History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926205612/https://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/24484 |date=26 September 2018 }}. Retrieved 23 September 2011.</ref> Historically, Baptists have played a key role in encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state.<ref>{{citation|title=Religion Facts |url=http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/baptists.htm |contribution=Baptists |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110123654/http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/baptists.htm |archive-date=10 January 2010 |url-status = dead }}.</ref>

Shared doctrines would include beliefs about one God; the [[virgin birth of Jesus]]; miracles; [[substitutionary atonement]] for sins through the [[Crucifixion of Jesus|death]], [[Burial of Jesus|burial]], and bodily [[Resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]] of [[Jesus in Christianity|Jesus]]; the [[Trinity]]; the need for salvation (through belief in Jesus Christ as the [[Son of God (Christianity)|Son of God]], his death and resurrection); grace; the [[Kingdom of God (Christianity)|Kingdom of God]]; last things ([[Christian eschatology|eschatology]]) (Jesus [[Second Coming|Christ will return]] personally and visibly in glory to Earth; the [[Universal resurrection|dead will be raised]]; and [[Last Judgment|Christ will judge everyone]] in righteousness); and [[evangelism]] and [[Missionary|missions]].

Most Baptists hold that no church or ecclesiastical organization has inherent authority over a Baptist church. Churches can properly relate to each other under this polity only through voluntary cooperation, never by any sort of coercion. Furthermore, this Baptist polity calls for freedom from governmental control.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Pinson William M, Jr |title=Trends in Baptist Polity |publisher=Baptist History and Heritage Society |url=http://www.baptisthistory.org/contissues/pinson.htm |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013130242/http://baptisthistory.org/contissues/pinson.htm |archive-date=13 October 2007 }}</ref> Exceptions to this local form of local governance include a few churches that submit to the leadership of a body of [[Elder (Christianity)#Baptists|elders]], as well as the [[Episcopal Baptists]] who have an [[Episcopal polity|Episcopal system]].

Baptists generally believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ.<ref>William H. Brackney, ''Historical Dictionary of the Baptists'', Scarecrow Press, US, 2009, p. 2-3</ref> Beliefs among Baptists regarding the "end times" include [[amillennialism]], both dispensational and historic [[premillennialism]], with views such as [[postmillennialism]] and [[preterism]] receiving some support.

Some additional distinctive Baptist principles held by many Baptists:<ref name="Newman" />{{rp|2}}
* The supremacy of the canonical Scriptures as a norm of faith and practice. For something to become a matter of faith and practice, it is not sufficient for it to be merely ''consistent with'' and not contrary to scriptural principles. It must be something ''explicitly'' ordained through command or example in the Bible. For instance, this is why Baptists do not practice infant baptism: they say the Bible neither commands nor exemplifies infant baptism as a Christian practice. More than any other Baptist principle, this one when applied to infant baptism is said to separate Baptists from other evangelical Christians.
* Baptists believe that faith is a matter between God and the individual (religious freedom). To them it means the advocacy of absolute liberty of conscience.
* Insistence on immersion believer's baptism as the only mode of baptism. Baptists do not believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. Therefore, for Baptists, baptism is an [[Ordinance (Christianity)|ordinance]], not a [[sacrament]], since in their view it imparts no saving grace.<ref name="Newman">{{Cite book|last=Newman|first =Albert Henry |title=A History of the Baptist Churches in the United States |edition=3rd |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=F38uAAAAYAAJ |year=1915 |publisher=Christian Literature |isbn=978-0-7905-4234-8}}</ref>

===Beliefs that vary among Baptists===
{{See also|General Baptists|Bapticostal movement|Regular Baptists}}
[[File:KJV 1611 Rice Baptist Church New Market Alabama 2012-06-13.jpg|thumb|Church sign indicating that the congregation uses the [[Authorized King James Version]] of the Bible of 1611]]

Since there is no hierarchical authority and each Baptist church is autonomous, there is no official set of Baptist theological beliefs.<ref>{{citation|last1=Hammett|first1=John S|quote=One thing that all Baptists have in common is that everything is built upon the Bible.|title=Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology |publisher= Kregel Publications|year=2005|isbn= 978-0-8254-2769-5}}.</ref> These differences exist among associations and even among churches within the associations. Some doctrinal issues on which there is widespread difference among Baptists are:

* [[Eschatology]]
* Arminianism versus Calvinism (General Baptists uphold Arminian theology while Particular Baptists teach Calvinist theology).<ref name="Benedict1848"/> 
* The [[doctrine of separation]] from "the world" and whether to associate with those who are "of the world"
* Belief in a [[second work of grace]], i.e. [[entire sanctification]] (held by General Baptists in the Holiness tradition)
* [[Glossolalia|Speaking-in-tongues]] and the operation of other [[Spiritual gift|charismatic gifts]] of the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] in the charismatic churches<ref>{{citation|contribution=Position Paper Concerning the IMB Policy on Glossolalia |title=Florida Baptist Witness |access-date=18 March 2010 |url=http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=5592 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728000657/http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=5592 |archive-date=28 July 2011 }}.</ref>
* How the Bible should be interpreted ([[hermeneutics]])
* The extent to which missionary boards should be used to support missionaries
* The extent to which non-members may participate in the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]] services
* Which translation of Scripture to use (e.g., [[King James Only movement]])<ref>{{citation|title=An Introduction to Bible Translations|publisher=Trinity Baptist Church Discipleship Training|date=April 2005|access-date =18 March 2010|url = https://versefortheday.com/bible-translations/}}.</ref>
* [[Dispensationalism]] versus [[Covenant theology]]
* The role of [[Christian views on marriage|women in marriage]]
* The [[Ordination of women in Protestant denominations#Baptist|ordination of women]] as deacons or pastors.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Beck|first=Rosalie (Response to 'The Ordination of Women Among Texas Baptists' by Ann Miller)|title=Perspectives in Religious Studies|journal=Journal of the NABPR|access-date=18 March 2010|url=http://www.bgct.org/texasbaptists/Document.Doc?&id=3338|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613080148/http://www.bgct.org/texasbaptists/Document.Doc?&id=3338|archive-date=13 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Attitudes to and involvement in the [[Ecumenism|ecumenical movement]].
* The role of repentance in salvation ([[Lordship salvation controversy]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lazar |first=Shawn |date=2014-01-01 |title=Free Grace for Baptists – Grace Evangelical Society |url=https://faithalone.org/grace-in-focus-articles/free-grace-for-baptists/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilkin |first=Bob |date=2022-02-11 |title=What Denominations Hold to Free Grace? – Grace Evangelical Society |url=https://faithalone.org/blog/what-denominations-hold-to-free-grace/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Stanley |first=Charles F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hmMK2HRDgdIC |title=Eternal Security: Can You be Sure? |date=1990 |publisher=Oliver-Nelson Books |isbn=978-0-8407-9095-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Grudem |first=Wayne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTC6DAAAQBAJ |title="Free Grace" Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel |date=2016-07-18 |publisher=Crossway |isbn=978-1-4335-5117-8 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Excommunication]] may be used as a last resort by some denominations and churches for members who do not want to repent of beliefs or behavior at odds with the confession of faith of the community. When an entire congregation is excluded, it is often called disfellowship.<ref>William H. Brackney, ''Historical Dictionary of the Baptists'', Scarecrow Press, US, 2009, p. 183</ref>