Baptists are followers of the religious movement of Baptism, a Protestant Christianity. The word "Baptist" comes from the Italian "Baptiso", which means "immersion." The fact is that one of the main postulates of Baptism is the baptism of an adult by complete immersion in the blessed water (with the head).
Baptists consider infant baptism categorically unacceptable, because they firmly believe that a person should approach the issue of choosing faith on the basis of their beliefs, life experience and voluntary rejection of unworthy (sinful) acts. And what kind of beliefs, experience, and sins can an unconscious baby have?
Like other Protestants, Baptists recognize the Bible as scripture. The spiritual leader (presbyter) of each Baptist community does not have absolute power. Decisions on important issues affecting the interests of the community are made either by the church council, consisting of the most respected and respected representatives of the community, or by the general meeting. The services of the Baptists are not enclosed in any strict framework, as in the case of Orthodox or Catholics; rather, they are improvisation and include sermons, singing, as well as prayers, and in their own words, and any works of spiritual content.
The main prayer day for the Baptists is Sunday. On other days, Baptists may gather to study the Bible or for any other religious purpose.
Baptism dates back to 1609, when a group of English Puritans led by John Smith, who left their homeland and found shelter in Holland, founded the first community in Amsterdam. Soon in 1612, part of the Puritans from the same group, returning to London, founded the first Baptist community in England. Then the main provisions and dogmas were finally formed. But Baptism was most developed in the New World. Large groups of people who were persecuted for refusing to baptize infants moved to empty lands and founded cities and even entire colonies. So, for example, the future state of Rhode Island arose.
Baptism began to spread in Russia from the second half of the 19th century, mainly in the Black Sea region and the North Caucasus. Currently, there is the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists. People who consider themselves Baptists make up the second largest Christian community in Russia after the Orthodox.
