Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are all Baptists the same?

A: No. There are more than two dozen recognized Baptist bodies in America. A few have formed major denominations (like the Southern Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Churches, USA) while others are smaller associations of churches. There are also untold numbers of totally independent churches that bear the name "Baptist." Someone once said that Baptists multiply by dividing and it is true that controversy over biblical interpretation, theological beliefs, and social issues have led to the diverse religious community that claims a common Baptist heritage. The bottom line is that if you attended the First Baptist Church of Smalltown Alabama, it is not likely to be anything like the First Baptist Church of Big-city New York!

Q: What's the difference between the American Baptists and the Southern Baptists?

A: Unfortunately here's no simple answer to this commonly asked question. In 18th century America, Baptists were a loose collection of mostly independent congregations sharing beliefs in adult baptism and individual religious experience (see the FAQ on what Baptists believe). An on-going argument over slavery finally caused a division among the Baptists and a number of churches in southern states formed their own Baptist Association, which condoned the ownership of slaves. Since Civil War years, the two Baptist groups have become separate denominations with a tendency for Northern (now American) Baptists to be somewhat more liberal in their theological outlook. Baptists are independent folk, however, and since each church is autonomous, each congregation has its own personality, sense of mission, and theological perspective. Current trends in Southern Baptist leadership seem to be widening the gap between the two denominations by placing a greater emphasis on biblical inerrancy, a stricter adherence to church doctrine, and the exclusion of women from pulpit ministry.

Q: What do Baptists believe?

A: If you've read the preceding questions and answers, you already know that it is difficult to say what Baptists believe. It's not that we are without beliefs; it is simply that we are so committed to personal religious experience that we end up with a lot of diversity in thought and action. If you've seen one Baptist, all you've seen is one Baptist. And frankly, some of us are often embarrassed by the image other Baptists present to the public eye.

Baptists commonly believe in something called "soul freedom." Simply put , soul freedom is the belief that we, as individuals, have both the opportunity and the responsibility to establish a faith relationship with God on our own. Church Doctrine cannot "save" us, and church functionaries cannot forgive us. Preachers cannot tell us what is right to believe, and denominational headquarters cannot tell individual churches how to worship or how to spend their money. We like to say that it is the individual believer's privilege and responsibility to "hammer out" his and her own convictions using the Bible, the collective wisdom of the church, and individual inspiration that comes through the activity of the Holy Spirit.

Baptists have historically fought for the separation of church and state, believing that no earthly authority should control spiritual matters.

Baptists rest their faith on the Bible. Some will read the Bible as the literally true words of God while others will read it as containing God's truth in the words of human authors, but both will attest to the importance of the Bible in providing the foundation for faith.

Baptists gather around the affirmation "Jesus is Lord." That affirmation may lead people to different conclusions about politics, social action, evangelism, or even how they organize their households, but for all of us Jesus is the best picture we have of who God is, what God wants for creation, and how we are supposed to behave in our relationships with the world and its people.

Want to know what Baptists believe about abortion, gun control, homosexuality, divorce, alcohol, or gambling? Find yourself a Baptist and ask. Then find several others and soon you will discover just how diverse our faith community can be.

(Last updated 4/24/07)