BAPTISTS:
Baptists trace their origin to the seventeenth century and were once named
"ANABAPTISTS." They believe that the BAPTISM of mature believers is the accepted
mark of CHURCH membership. They strongly emphasize the independence of the local Church,
although individual Churches are linked to associations of various kinds. Early on they
split into two groups: General Baptists which are ARMINIAN in THEOLOGY and Particular
Baptists which are CALVINIST. Today, Baptists form a loose family of Churches with their
main numerical base in the USA. Although there are international and national bodies many
Baptist Churches belong to neither, hence the great diversity of belief and practice.