Baptist Heritage
Baptists, unlike many other Christian groups or movements, do not trace their origins to an individual or event. Through the centuries, several groups or movements became known for their strong stand on Bible doctrines such as salvation by grace though faith alone, the Trinity, the inerrancy of Scripture, the local church, and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's table.
These groups of Bible-believers have borne many names throughout history. Some have been called by the names of their founders, such as the Hussites who followed John Huss. Others drew their names from geographic regions like the Lollards and Bogemiles. Sharing common convictions and doctrines, groups dating back to the first and second centuries passed their biblical heritage to those known as "Baptists" during the early seventeenth century in central and northern Europe. Baptist is a shortened version of "ana-pedo-baptist" meaning "against infant baptism" ("baptism" being a transliteration of the Greek word "to immerse" or "to cleanse"). These "Ana-Baptists" who refused to accept the baptism of infants received their name from their enemies. Those who later became known simply as "Baptists" came not only from the Ana-Baptists but from European groups including the Mennonites, Separatists and the free churches seen in Europe to this day.
Therefore, Baptists do not trace their heritage from the Protestant Reformation, but rather to separatist and free-church movements known for their uncompromising stand on pure Bible doctrine as free as possible from human tradition and ecclesiastical systems. While Protestant groups disassociated from Roman Catholicism, Baptist groups emerged principally from independent, separatist groups in existence since the first century, and therefore are not to be classified as "Protestants". In fact, Ana-Baptists and Baptists were fiercely persecuted by Protestants and Catholics alike.
In the English-speaking world, Baptists are commonly thought to stem from John Smyth, a former Anglican clergyman, and Thomas Helwys, an English Separatist. These men led a small group of believers from England to Amsterdam, Holland in the early 1600's to escape persecution and find refuge amidst the tolerant Dutch. While in Holland, Smyth became convinced of baptism by immersion for all true believers and led his entire congregation to be baptized, thus founding the first Baptist church in Holland. Though Smyth and Helwys separated, Helwys eventually brought Baptist beliefs to England. Baptist in America receive their heritage from England.
Roger Williams was a key leader in America's early years. Expelled from Massachusetts due to his firm belief in the separation of church and state, Williams founded what became the modern state of Rhode Island. Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, began as the first Baptist institution of higher learning in America. Facing persecution in New England, Baptists migrated to the middle and southern colonies; Virginia and the Carolinas became increasingly important centers for Baptists. Even in these more tolerant areas, Baptists were routinely persecuted and jailed in the early years for preaching Bible-based sermons in place of the traditions held by the Church of England or the Roman Catholic church. Famed patriot Patrick Henry voluntarily represented three Baptist pastors hauled into a Virginia court for disturbing the peace. The indictment reads"...for preaching the Gospel of the Son of God."