SPREAD OF THE BAPTIST MOVEMENT IN THE BRITISH COLONIES OF NORTH AMERICA (17th – MID-18th CENTURY)

DOI 10.17721/2521-1706.2025.20.2

Oleksandr Chvanov,

Master’s student, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0935-6948

Abstract. Early Baptist communities emerged in a complex religious landscape marked by migration, ideological diversity, and competing models of church–state relations. Understanding these early developments provides valuable insight into the origins of religious pluralism in colonial America.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the early stage of the Baptist movement’s spread in the British colonies of North America from the early 17th century to the mid-18th century, specifically examining the formation of the first Baptist congregations and the factors that shaped their adaptation to the colonial environment.

The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach that allows for the systematic examination of religious, social, and political factors in the spread of the Baptist movement. The historical-genetic method is employed to trace the evolution of Baptist congregations, the problem-chronological method is used for the systematization of key periods of the movement’s development in different colonies, and the comparative method is applied to contrast regional peculiarities in the adaptation of Baptist ideas to the colonial environment.

The scientific novelty of the article lies in conducting a comprehensive analysis of regional peculiarities in the spread of the Baptist movement in colonial America and the systematization of the factors that contributed to the movement’s transformation from a persecuted minority to an influential denomination. Special attention is devoted to the theological doctrine of believers’ baptism through immersion as a central marker of Baptist identity and the role of the First Great Awakening in accelerating the movement’s growth.

Conclusions. Roger Williams laid the organizational foundation of the movement in 1638. Regional differences determined various trajectories of development: persecutions in Massachusetts did not halt institutionalization, while Pennsylvania’s tolerant policy created conditions for consolidation. By the beginning of the War of Independence, Baptists had laid the groundwork for their influence on the formation of constitutional principles of religious freedom.

Key words: baptism, British colonies, Roger Williams, First Great Awakening, colonial America, religious freedom, Philadelphia Association.

 Submitted: 13.08.2025

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