The Baptist Church was created in 1609 by John Smyth (Netherlands); is a branch of the Evangelical Protestantism (Christianity), although some Baptists claim not to be Protestant
Its headquarters are in the U.S.
The main doctrine of Baptist, that distinguishes it from other branches, is that they believe that
baptism can only be received by adults (according to the New Testament), and not by children; baptism is by water immersion
Other principles of the Baptist Churches are the freedom of soul; the salvation is only possible by faith (right actions derived from this), and the autonomy of the local congregation
Baptists recognise two ministerial offices:
pastors and deacons
Baptists have always sought absolute freedom of religion as well as they have been one of the groups that have most enhanced the separation between Church and State
There are around 100 million Baptists around the world, with 33 million in the U.S., 2.4 in India, 2.5 in Nigeria, and 1.9 in the DR Congo, 1.7 million in Brazil, and 1 million in Myanmar
S. Truett Cathy (Baptist Businessman and Philanthropist):
Baptist Businesspeople:
S. Truett Cathy, multi-millionaire founder of Chick-fil-A
Lindner, Carl, former owner of the Cincinnati Reds
Rockefeller, John D, petrol tycoon
Harold Clark Simmons (1931) Businessman and multi-millionaire. Harold Simmons gives 50 million dollars to the charity
Baptists Politics:
Presidents of the U.S.: Jimmy Carter (Nobel Prize), Bill Clinton, Warren Harding, Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, and Harry Truman
Yukio Hatoyama (60º Prime Minister of Japan).
Artists: Warren Beatty, Kevin Costner, Miley Cyrus, Aretha Franklin, Ava
Gardner, Whitney Houston, Eddie Murphy, Brad Pitt, and Tina Turner (later converted to Buddhism).