Strict Baptist
From Theopedia
Strict and Particular are specific references to Calvinistic Baptists with roots in 17th century England.
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Early English Baptists
In the early 17th century, Baptists in England developed along two different theological lines. The General Baptists were so-called because they held to a General Atonement -- the view that Christ in His death made a general provision for all men, making salvation possible for all who would believe. This is essentially identical to the Universal atonement of Arminianism. Early General Baptist leaders included John Smyth and Thomas Helwys. The Particular Baptists, on the other hand, were so-called because they held to a Particular atonement which is limited in its design to God's elect. The Particular view of the atonement is that Christ in His death accomplished redemption for particular individuals, usually referred to as the elect. This position is identified with five-point Calvinism. Some early Particular Baptist leaders included Benjamin Keach, Hanserd Knollys, and William Kiffin.
During the 18th century, General Baptists lapsed into theological liberalism and practically disappeared from the scene in England. In this same period, the Particular Baptists moved toward more extreme doctrinal conservatism, which some have described as Hyper-Calvinism and Antinomianism. In 1785, Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) published The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, which helped turn many Particular Baptists toward a new evangelicalism that was dubbed "Fullerism," and eventually led to division among the Particular Baptists of England. The "Fullerites" are probably best represented by Fuller and William Carey (1761-1834), Baptist missionary to India. The leading spokesman for strict Calvinism among the Particular Baptists was John Gill (1696-1771), perhaps best known for his Exposition of the Whole Bible. Among the "Fuller strain" of Particular Baptists, Calvinism declined and the practice of open communion grew.
When the Baptist Union was founded in 1813, it was a Particular Baptist organization. In 1833, it was restructured to allow for membership of General Baptists. General and Particular Baptist work was eventually united in the Baptist Union in 1891.
Strict Baptists
Present day Strict Baptists of England are descendants of the Particular Baptists. Sometimes they are referred to as Strict and Particular Baptists. The term "strict" here refers to the strict or closed position held with regard to membership and communion. The majority of early Particular Baptists rejected open membership and open communion -- one notable exception being John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progress.
Strict Baptists represent the strain of Particular Baptists that tended toward hyper-Calvinism, maintained the practice of strict or closed communion, and remained aloof from the Baptist Union of 1813. They are roughly equivalent to the Primitive Baptists in the U. S. Leaders among them include William Gadsby (1773-1844), whose A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship is still in use among their churches today, John Warburton (1776-1857), John Kershaw (1792-1870), and J. C. Philpot (1802-1869). Having no central organization or rallying point, Strict Baptists were nicknamed based on the newspapers they supported - Christian Pathway Strict Baptists, Earthen Vessel Strict Baptists, Gospel Herald Strict Baptists, and Gospel Standard Strict Baptists.
Earthen Vessel, Gospel Herald and other Strict Baptists united in what would later become the Grace Baptist Assembly (founded 1980 as a merger of the Strict Baptist Assembly and the Assembly of baptised churches). The Grace Baptist Assembly churches represent a modification of Strict Baptists close to the "Fullerism" of the 18th century. These English churches additionally meet together in three regional associations - Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Anglia), Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Midlands), Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) - and one fellowship - the Fellowship of Northern Particular Baptist Churches. The Gospel Standard Strict Baptists, remains the closest to the roots of the movement, both theologically and practically. Most Strict Baptists do not own a TV, go to the movies, or listen to modern music. They stand faithful in their opposition to Fuller's modified Calvinism, open membership and open communion. At times, Gospel Standard Strict Baptists have been called Gadsbyites after William Gadsby. In recent times, B. A. Ramsbottom has been an outstanding leader among the Strict Baptists, serving as editor of the Gospel Standard magazine since 1971.
In 1995, the Grace Baptist Assembly had over 10,000 members in about 260 churches. The Gospel Standard Strict Baptists had 6400 members in 156 churches in the British Isles, plus 3 churches in the United States.
References
- Historical Sketch of the Gospel Standard Baptists, by S. F. Paul
- The Baptist, by Jack Hoad
- Strict and Particular, by Kenneth Dix
- Baptists Around the World, by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
- A History of the Baptists, by John T. Christian
- The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness, by H. Leon McBeth
