The Baptists find their roots in the Reformation period and belong to the Evangelical Free Churches. With over 50 million members worldwide, the Baptists are one of the largest Protestant churches. In Austria, the Baptist congregations are part of the Free Churches, which are a state-recognised church.
The first Baptist churches were founded in England in 1612. In a manifesto, they demanded freedom of opinion, belief, religion and conscience for everyone from the English king. This manifesto is the oldest English-language document on the demand for human rights.
The special, name-giving characteristic of the Baptists is the practice of baptism of faith, in which not underage children, but mature people who voluntarily and consciously decide to be baptised, profess their personal faith in Jesus Christ.
Famous Baptists are for example:
- Abraham Lincoln, a US president who abolished slavery in the US
- Martin Luther King, civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner
- Arnold Köster, pastor, resisted National Socialism in Vienna
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [Acts 8:35-36]