Who Were the Baptist Dissenters and What is Dissension All About?

In the seventeenth century, England was undergoing a religious upheaval, marked by the rise of the Puritan movement and the efforts of the Anglican Church to maintain its control over religious life in the country. The conflict between these two forces eventually led to the rise of the Baptist dissenters, who refused to conform to the established Church of England and sought a more radical, free church movement.

The origins of the Baptist movement can be traced back to the Reformation period when various groups began to question the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and the validity of infant baptism. In England, the earliest Baptist congregations were established in the early seventeenth century by separatist groups who had broken away from the Church of England. These early Baptists rejected infant baptism and believed that only adult believers should be baptized by immersion.

As the seventeenth century progressed, the conflict between the Puritans and the Anglican Church intensified. The Puritans sought to purify the Church of England of what they saw as its excesses and abuses, while the Anglicans sought to maintain their control over religious life in the country. In 1642, the English Civil War broke out, pitting the Puritan-dominated Parliament against the Anglican monarchy.

During this time, the Baptists found themselves caught in the middle of this conflict. Many Baptists sympathized with the Puritan cause and supported their efforts to establish a more free and democratic society. However, they also rejected the idea of a state church and believed in the importance of a free church, separate from the influence of the government.

In the years that followed, the situation for the Baptists became even more precarious. The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought renewed persecution of nonconformists, and the Anglican Church became even more entrenched in its power. Many Baptists were arrested and imprisoned for their beliefs, and some were even executed.

One of the most noted acts of state-sponsored persecution was the so-called "Five Mile Act" of 1665, which banned nonconformist ministers from living or preaching within five miles of a corporate town or any place where they had previously held a parish effectively preventing many Baptist preachers from practicing their faith. This led to the formation of underground conventicles, or secret worship gatherings.

Arguably the most notable figure in the early nonconformist movement was John Bunyan who was imprisoned for preaching without a license from the Church of England during a time when nonconformist worship was outlawed. Despite being warned to stop preaching, Bunyan refused to conform and continued to hold unauthorized services, leading to his arrest and imprisonment for twelve years where he wrote his famous work, Pilgrim's Progress. His refusal to submit to the authority of the established church made him a symbol of religious dissent and resistance to state control over religious life.

Despite this persecution, the Baptist movement continued to grow and gain strength. In 1689, the Toleration Act was passed, which granted religious freedom to dissenters and ended some of the worst forms of persecution. This allowed the Baptist movement to expand and establish itself more firmly in English society.

Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Baptist movement continued to evolve and change, as different groups emerged with different theological beliefs and political agendas. Some Baptists embraced the ideas of the Enlightenment and sought to reconcile their faith with reason and science, while others remained more traditional in their beliefs.

However, the central tenet of the Baptist movement remained the same: a commitment to religious freedom and a free church. Baptists believed that each individual had the right to choose their own beliefs and to worship in the way they saw fit, without interference from the government or the established church.

Today, the Baptist movement continues to be a vibrant and diverse force in Christianity, with millions of adherents around the world. But sadly, many who call themselves Baptists today, particularly Evangelical Baptists, are pushing to make the Church look more like the state-controlled Church of England we fought so hard to resist.

While the context in which the movement operates has changed significantly since its origins in seventeenth-century England, the central ideas of religious freedom and a free church remain as relevant as ever. Throughout history, these persecuted Baptists who fought for these principles have been known as "dissenters." At The Dissenter, we remain committed to advancing these same principles today, motivated by the authority of God's word and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The legacy of the Baptist dissenters lives on, as a reminder of the power of individual conscience and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs, even in the face of persecution and adversity.

"My Sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my Pilgrimage, and my Courage and Skill to him that can get it. My Marks and Scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought his Battles who now will be my Rewarder." —John Bunyan