Primitive Baptist Origin
Between approximately 1790
and 1830, a religious revival movement, the Second Great Awakening, occurred in
the United States.
The strict Christian beliefs previously held by Puritan settlers of the British
Colonies conflicted with the teachings of immigrant churches and scholars. As a
result, most people were torn in multiple directions regarding their religious
practices. Another obstacle facing religion during this time was the movement
westward spurred by Manifest Destiny. With so many people moving, building, and
working in factories in the north, there was little time left to devote to
church. On the frontier, many areas lacked a church altogether. New age
ministers were also faced with the same challenges as the average citizen, so
they began to change the way Christianity was conducted. Previously, many churches taught that the Lord was a strict God who punished those who deferred from his teachings in the hardest manner. In the new age, however, ministers began to preach of forgiveness and salvation. They encouraged people to seek comfort in God’s word as they dealt with the Industrialization of the north and the frontier to the west.
Many Baptist Churches, predominately in the south and west, began to take a more modern approach to religion. They formed missionary societies to spread the word of God and attract people to the church, rather than allowing individuals to come if they felt the desire. With this new advertising stance, churches grew in size, and more changes were made. Sunday Schools and the use of Theological Seminaries were adopted by Baptist Churches.
By the 1820’s and 30’s, many members of Baptist Churches were unhappy with the direction their church was taking. They believed that no form of advertisement, such as missionaries, was needed to spread God’s word. Sunday Schools were viewed as unauthorized by the Bible; parents had always instructed their children at home. Theological Seminaries were also looked down upon because ministers learned by apprenticing for current elders.
The disagreement splintered many churches. Members who disagreed with the new stance on religion separated and formed new churches. They called themselves Primitive Baptists, orthodox, or Apostolic Baptists because they continued to follow the original teachings and methods of teaching as their earliest traceable Baptist ancestors.
Most of these followers were farmers or factory workers with low incomes. Seeing many of the new additions to the church as unnecessary, expensive, and unsupported by the Bible, the Primitive Baptist church adopted principles that had long been practiced. The members are to this day, generally conservatively clothed, un-indebted, and unlikely to divorce. Since the original reason for separation was related to modern adoptions, churches opted to avoid missionaries, Sunday schools, and theological seminaries. They also chose to remain with other traditional practices such as baptism and communion. All baptisms are completed through full immersion of adults only (no children) while communions are characterized by the washing of feet, considered to be the most humbling of services to another human.
Likely the most distinguishing characteristic of Primitive Baptists are their unrelenting acceptance of others. The church opens its arms to everyone and even those who are a member of no church are not condemned. While these individuals are believed to never experience the happiness of salvation, their prayers are still heard as they are still a child of the Lord.
Many Baptist Churches, predominately in the south and west, began to take a more modern approach to religion. They formed missionary societies to spread the word of God and attract people to the church, rather than allowing individuals to come if they felt the desire. With this new advertising stance, churches grew in size, and more changes were made. Sunday Schools and the use of Theological Seminaries were adopted by Baptist Churches.
By the 1820’s and 30’s, many members of Baptist Churches were unhappy with the direction their church was taking. They believed that no form of advertisement, such as missionaries, was needed to spread God’s word. Sunday Schools were viewed as unauthorized by the Bible; parents had always instructed their children at home. Theological Seminaries were also looked down upon because ministers learned by apprenticing for current elders.
The disagreement splintered many churches. Members who disagreed with the new stance on religion separated and formed new churches. They called themselves Primitive Baptists, orthodox, or Apostolic Baptists because they continued to follow the original teachings and methods of teaching as their earliest traceable Baptist ancestors.
Most of these followers were farmers or factory workers with low incomes. Seeing many of the new additions to the church as unnecessary, expensive, and unsupported by the Bible, the Primitive Baptist church adopted principles that had long been practiced. The members are to this day, generally conservatively clothed, un-indebted, and unlikely to divorce. Since the original reason for separation was related to modern adoptions, churches opted to avoid missionaries, Sunday schools, and theological seminaries. They also chose to remain with other traditional practices such as baptism and communion. All baptisms are completed through full immersion of adults only (no children) while communions are characterized by the washing of feet, considered to be the most humbling of services to another human.
Likely the most distinguishing characteristic of Primitive Baptists are their unrelenting acceptance of others. The church opens its arms to everyone and even those who are a member of no church are not condemned. While these individuals are believed to never experience the happiness of salvation, their prayers are still heard as they are still a child of the Lord.
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