...The Baptists are one of the largest Christian denominations. As indicated by their name, the primary Baptist distinctive is their practice of "believer's baptism" instead of infant baptism. Baptist churches tend to be evangelical in doctrine and reformed in worship, but beliefs and practices can vary due to the autonomy of individual Baptist churches. Historically, Baptists have played a key role in encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state. In the United States, the two largest Baptist organizations are the Southern Baptist Churches (SBC) and the American Baptist Churches (ABC). Notable Baptists have included Martin Luther King, Jr., Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan and Billy Graham. My friend, whom I attended a Baptist...
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...Case Study-Friendship Baptist Church-Organizational Diagnosis and Recommendations Friendship Baptist Church is a religious non-profit established in 1976 in the city of Merced, California. Its origin was sparked by an inter-organizational conflict within the Greater St. Matthews Baptist church. With fifteen original members, Friendship Baptist church began. Today, it has a membership of approximately sixty-five (65) members. The Leader of the non-profit is, by default, the Pastor. There has been a total of four pastors including the current pastor. The longest tenue of the leaders has been ten years, so a lack of stability within the leadership has always been an issue. All organizational power has traditionally been in the office of the Pastor....
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...Lutheranism and Baptist doctrines have slightly similar ambitions. Each doctrinarian can be understood as significantly diverse. It is vital to understand what each religion is in terms of historical and current views. Sheehan, Jonathan. All religious doctrine that exists has unique practices of worship and biblical views. The standards that each has is based upon the scriptural evidences. Utilization of different biblical interpretations laid a foundation for religious practice for both canons. Lutheranism began with Martin Luther. Sheehan, Jonathan. He challenged that authority of the Catholic Church in 1517 with his work, the 95 Theses. Many denominations after Lutheranism such as the Anabaptist rejected the authority of the Catholic Church completely. Lutheranism is a chief branch of Christianity in western society. It recognizes with the philosophy of the 16th century German theologian and reformer Martin Luther. Baptist believers are Christians that have theological beliefs of salvation through the acts of faith and baptism by the form of immersion. Sheehan, Jonathan. They hold the bible as an authority. Lutherans embraced the main creeds of Christianity. The Creed of Apostle and the creed of Nicene are of those that had been incorporated. The Baptists avoided the affiliation of creeds and what it represents. The Lutherans embraced the Aramaic and Greek scriptures. In addition of this they also included the study of the Apocrypha as sound sources of doctrine. Baptist firmly...
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...CHRISTIANITY II April 16, 2013 Rev Ramylal Fernando Essay on the Origin of Baptist Denomination “Every Baptist ought to know why he is a Baptist, and to know it from the specific commands of God’s Word. Not to have such knowledge is for our churches to be harmed in every way.” –George W. Truett, First Baptist, Second Baptist, American Baptist, Southern Baptist, General Baptist, Independent Baptist, and Primitive Baptist – the list goes on and on. Many people are confused why there are so many different kinds of Baptist. Most of the Baptists don’t want to acknowledge one another. In this essay, we will look on the theories about its origin, and how the Baptist began in the Philippines. By knowing the history and the theories, we will gain a better understanding why some Baptists accept certain practices and why others do not. Let’s look on the 3 theories of the origin of the Baptist. THEORIES OF BAPTIST ORIGIN Succession Theory This theory upholds that Baptist exists since the time of John the Baptist. Many theologians advocate this theory, pointing to Jesus as the founder of the Baptist church. Robert Torbet used the phrase “Jerusalem – Jordan – John” and these Baptist churches have been the “true church” throughout history without unbroken succession of existence. Some who hold this position contend that earlier revolutionists in the Christian church were Baptists, though not in name Baptist but hold the same mark of a true church. These are: Donatists (4th century)...
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...Master Thesis Study: Friendship Baptist Church Friendship Baptist Church is a religious non-profit established in Merced, California. Friendship is experiencing a decline in organizational membership and effective ministry opportunities Organizational History: Friendship Baptist Church Friendship Baptist Church, founded in 1976, by a small contingency of disgruntled members of a local church. The group separated from the offending church and elected their first leader. A demographic profile of the group is African American (five women and four men), median to poverty level income and vocational classification and little or no formal education. The demographic numbers as to population of target location show a large segment of Hispanic and Asian...
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...of John the Baptist A. Introduction: As a man, John the Baptist was a very interesting person. B. The Person of john the Baptist: He was a preaching man. 1. vs. 1-2 2. John preached in the wilderness of Judea. 3. John’s message was that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. C. The Person of John the Baptist: John was a man that was prophesied about. 1. vs. 3 2. Isaiah 40:3-5 contains the prophecy about John the Baptist. D. The Person of John the Baptist: John was a very peculiar man. 1. vs. 4 2. He wore a garment of camels hair 3. He wore a leather belt around his waist. 4. He ate of locust and wild honey. E. The Person of John the Baptist: John was a popular man. 1. vs. 5 2. People from Jerusalem, Judea, and the region about the Jordan came to see him. F. The Person of John the Baptist: John had a penetrating message. 1. vs. 6 2. The people who came to see him were baptized by him. 3. The people who came to see him confessed their sins. G. Conclusion: Summary and application from this passage: Are there any peculiarities in about the way you serve God? What is it about your faith that may seem unconventional but it still resonates with others? II. Lesson Two: Luke 3:7-20; the Preaching of John the Baptist. A. Introduction: The preaching of John the Baptist was challenging, convicting, concentrated, and costly. B. The Preaching of John the Baptist: John’s preaching...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A Research Paper on the “The Contribution of Baptists in the Struggle for Religious Freedom” Submitted to Dr. Jason J. Graffagnino, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of CHHI 665 – B04 History of Baptists by Elizabeth Linz Barthelemy February 1, 2015 Contents Introduction 1 The Baptist Origin 2 The separatists/puritans 2-3 The First Baptists Believers 4-5 The American Baptist Contribution to “religious liberty ideal”...............................................6 Rhode Island, Plymouth, and Pennsylvania Colonies......................................................7-8 The South Colonies and Their Struggle for “Religious Liberty” 9-11 Conclusion 12 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................13-15 Introduction “Religious Liberty” is a good and perfect gift from above. Contrary to populace belief “the separation of church and state,” did not originate with the ACLU but for the most part, it originated with the first British Baptists that arrived in Colonial America they were defenders of true “religious liberty.” Moreover, the distinction between religious liberty and tolerance of religion is significant. “Religious liberty” is a right of every men, however, tolerance is...
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...Liberty University The Contribution of Baptists in the Struggle for Religious Freedom A Research Paper Submitted to Dr. Jason J. Graffagnino in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Course CHHI 665 Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary by Brian M. Hyde Lynchburg, Virginia Saturday, December 6, 2014 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 IN THE BEGINNING 2 THE STRUGGLE IN ENGLAND 4 THE STRUGGLE MOVES TO THE NEW WORLD 7 CONCLUSION 11 WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY 14 INTRODUCTION In this nation, and in much of the Western world, the right of each individual to worship as his or her own conscience dictates, or not to worship at all, is one that is all too often taken for granted. Few consider the tremendous lengths gone to and the enormous price paid by so many to obtain and preserve this right. In the United States when one does reflect on this matter his or her thoughts rightfully focus on the many men and women of the armed forces who fought to gain and keep the freedoms the citizens of this nation enjoy. What is often overlooked is the contributions of Baptists in the centuries long struggle to obtain religious freedom. Their struggle began not in the American colonies but rather in England a century earlier. “The freedom of religious belief and behavior which modern Baptists and others take for granted was forged in the crucible of persecution in seventeenth-century England” McBeth adds that, “No group can claim more credit for the Act of Toleration, passed by Parliament...
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...The Apostle Paul and John the Baptist Abstract The Apostle Paul and John the Baptist are two men with unique life experiences. They both lived two different lives, but are similar in so many ways. With their tenacity and zeal for the things of God, they both concurred the moment to present the way for us all! The Apostle Paul and John the Baptist The Apostle Paul, of Tarsus, wasn't always known by this name. Paul's name, before his conversion, was Saul. Saul was born in "Tarsus, which is the capital of Cilicia, a Roman province in the southeast of Asia Minor." Saul was a natural born Roman citizen, which was considered to be a privilege during those times. In his youth he picked up a trade as a tent builder. Eventually, he went off to school to further his education, studying Law at a great university. (Schnelle, U. 2005.) As Saul began to study the Law he grew fascinated with it and became a Pharisee. Pharisees believed that the Law should be followed to the letter. This group believed in God, but they did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. So, they set out to kill anybody who preached the opposite. Saul was zealous about the Law. He approved and witnessed to the murder, stoning, of Stephen, who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Schnelle, U. 2005) After that Saul receives written permission from the High Priest to search in Damascus' synagogues for those...
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...The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message (2008) BOOK REVIEWS The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message. A. J. Smith Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2008. In the book entitled, “The Making of the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message,” by A. J. Smith he begins to established in the introduction how Herschel H. Hobbs stands out as one of the most prolific writers in Southern Baptist history. (p. 1) He shares that in some sections Hobbs introduced concepts and phrases. (p.1) In others he coordinated the thinking of the committee. Throughout, he was the writer, presenting successive drafts for committee approval. (p.1) His enthusiasm for the document in whole and in part is obvious in his explanation and defense of the text in a widely used study course book. (p. 1) Smith shared how Hobbs transformed the message and faith of the Baptist denomination to avoid a division. He shared how Hobbs wanted to satisfy the conservatives and liberals. In the Preview of the work, Smith shares that in Chapter 2 the historical context for the formation of the committee on Baptist Faith and Message will be examined. (p. 10) He introduces in this chapter the Apostasy Controversy surrounded around two Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professors Dale Moody and Ralph Elliott. Professor Dale Moody adopted an ecumenical viewpoint which appeared to contest long-held understandings regarding the perpetual safekeeping of the believer. Professor Ralph Elliott distributed...
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...The Evolution of John the Baptist in Christianity John the Baptist is one of a few recognized prophets in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. John lived by the Jordan River in Perea as an Essene Jew, around the time of Jesus’ ministry. Many know John as a non-divine apocalyptic preacher who claimed baptism would help one get into heaven, and it would be disadvantageous to ignore baptism. John is relevant to understanding historical Jesus not only because he baptized Jesus but because of their conflicting similarities. John and Jesus were both apocalyptic preachers, in the Essene Jewish sub-group, and popular during antiquity. Many scholars actually believe John was more popular in antiquity. Because of his greater popularity, many argue who kick started Christianity John or Jesus? One can see this argument through artistic paintings of John. Art was an important media for communication during antiquity. As Professor Boccaccini mentioned in lecture, most people in antiquity could not read; therefore, they used paintings to communicate. Painters use symbolic elements in their paintings to portray a message. These symbolic elements, such as red for matador, acted as stories or religious instruction (Boccaccini). Just as a written source, one can extract information from these paintings to find out about the historical character John. The first popular painting of John the Baptist originated in the 12th Century, right after the fourth crusade. During this time, medieval...
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...Theology and the Southern Baptist Convention: Historical Precedent or Revisionist Heterodoxy A Research Paper Submitted to Dr. Jonathan Yeager in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Course CHHI 525 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary by Jeffery S. Cully Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina July, 2014 Table Of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….3 Reformed Baptist Origins……………………………………………………………………...4 Colonial Baptists………………………………………………………………………………5 Charleston Tradition………………………………………………………………………….7 Sandy Creek Tradition………………………………………………………………………..10 Southern Baptist Convention………………………………………………………………..12 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...15 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………...17 Introduction While Arminians have through the years attempted to lay claims of exclusivity that theirs is the primary soteriological doctrine of the Southern Baptist Convention, history demonstrates otherwise and these assertions have a revisionist inflection that is in opposition to the autonomous nature of Southern Baptist congregations. It is not this papers intent to engage in the pros or cons of any given doctrine as it pertains to soteriology, but instead illustrate that what is seen by some as a modern incursion of Calvinism upon the Southern Baptist scene is in fact not without precedent and has a long standing tradition among many of this denominations most ardent practitioners. The Southern Baptist Convention is no stranger...
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...This documentary focuses on the Westboro Baptist Church which is located in Topeka, Kansas. The Westboro Baptist Church sends out people to picket funerals of American soldiers to spread news of how God doesn’t like homosexuals and if you believe homosexuality is okay that you are going to hell. It specifically interviews a family that is hated by a lot of society all across America. This family was very stuck on the belief that God hates homosexuals and went to a church that pretty much believed the same thing. The mom and dad would put their kids in danger by making them picket on the street. There was one instance where someone even threw a bottle at one of the kids. It also seemed like some of the kids didn’t know what the signs meant,...
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...Barriers to Critical Thinking The first barrier that influences my critical thinking is religion and enculturation. I grew up in the Baptist tradition and so did my family. A lot of what I learned and was taught was traditional to the Baptist denomination. Women were not allowed to preach and the way Sunday service was orchestrated was in a traditional and religious kind of way in all the Baptist churches in my home town. When I grew up and moved away, I joined a Baptist church, but got tired of the barriers towards women. So I switched to non-denomination. I looked at the Baptist denomination in a critical way that made me despise all Baptist churches. After doing some research, I learned that not all Baptist churches hold barriers against women and encourage and welcome the calling on a woman’s life to preach from behind the pulpit of their churches, which changed the way I thought and felt about the Baptist denomination as a whole. As this relates also to enculturation, people that belong to the Baptist denomination also have beliefs when it comes to marriage and raising children. It is a part of their culture as a whole. After doing research on Baptist marriages, the divorce rate is lower. According to author and Baptist pastor Glenn Stanton (2011), many people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith—be it Christian or other—have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population. The second barrier that influences my critical thinking is self-serving...
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...Catholics and Baptist Get Togther A Paper Submitted to Dr. Martin Klauber In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for CHHI 525-D02 Liberty Theological Seminary By William Maitre L23686814 Lynchburg, Virginia Sunday, August 18, 2013 Table of Contents THESIS 3 INTRODUCTION 3 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 3 THE BAPTIST CHURCH 6 THEY DECIDED TO MEET 8 RELIGIOUS PLURALISM 11 CONCLUSION 12 BIBLIOGRAPHY 13 THESIS How did the meeting between the Southern Baptist and Catholics come to pass? What was the driving force that facilitated a meeting of the minds after centuries apart? INTRODUCTION The Catholic Church and Protestants have not had the greatest of relationships. In fact since the reformation, Protestants were not even considered brothers within the realm of the Catholic Church. Within the pages of Vatican II one can find a decree to not refer to them as brothers. However something new has occurred and this is what this paper will aim to delve into. While not attempting to be an exhaustive work regarding the meeting of the minds. It would seem that Baptist and Catholics have started talks across denominational lines. This paper will focus on why this meeting took place and what can other denominations gleam from these talks. CATHOLIC CHURCH “Over the past three decades...
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