Baptist history is a complex narrative shaped by a commitment to individual conscience, local church autonomy, and the practice of believer's baptism. While some traditionalists argue for an "unbroken succession" back to the New Testament, most historians trace the formal emergence of the Baptist movement to . Origins and Early Development
: Followed Arminian theology, believing Christ died for all people ("general" atonement).
A notable but historically debated view within the tradition is the or successionist theory.
: In 1609, John Smyth , an English Separatist in Amsterdam, became convinced that infant baptism was unscriptural. He baptized himself and then his followers, forming the first identifiable Baptist congregation.
: Early Baptists divided into two theological streams:
The Baptist movement primarily grew out of the English Reformation as radical Separatists sought a more biblical model of the church.