Explanation: The most historically accepted view traces Baptist origins to 17th-century English Dissenters, not directly to the Anabaptist movement of 1525, though some minority views suggest Anabaptist influence.

Explanation: John Smyth's 'The Character of the Beast' explicitly argued against infant baptism, advocating instead for the baptism of professing believers.

Explanation: Thomas Helwys did lead the church back to England in 1612 and published the Helwys Declaration of Faith in 1611, which was the first Baptist confession of faith.

Explanation: John Spilsbury was instrumental in promoting baptism by immersion for Particular Baptists, not affusion (pouring).

Explanation: The successionist view, also known as the perpetuity view, indeed argues for a continuous lineage of Baptist churches from the time of Jesus Christ, predating the Protestant Reformation.

Explanation: The most historically accepted view traces Baptist origins to 17th-century English Dissenters who sought further reforms from the Church of England.

Explanation: John Smyth was the cleric who led the nonconformist church in Gainsborough into exile in Amsterdam in 1608.

Explanation: The exiled Gainsborough congregation in Amsterdam rejected infant baptism, adopting the practice of baptizing only professing believers, known as credobaptism.

Explanation: Thomas Helwys advocated for the separation of church and state and for liberty of conscience upon his return to England, a foundational Baptist principle.

Explanation: Early Baptists in England were primarily divided into General Baptists, who believed in general atonement, and Particular Baptists, who believed in limited atonement.

Explanation: The successionist view, also known as the perpetuity view, argues for an unbroken historical lineage of Baptist churches dating back to the time of Jesus Christ.

Explanation: Puritans, dissatisfied with the Church of England's reforms, contributed to the emergence of Dissenters and Separatists, who sought to establish churches independent of the state church.

Explanation: After articulating his views on baptism in 'The Character of the Beast,' John Smyth was expelled from his church and subsequently sought to join the Waterland Mennonites.

Explanation: Early Baptists actively distanced themselves from Anabaptists, rejecting the name and considering them heretics due to perceived theological differences.

Explanation: James Milton Carroll's 'The Trail of Blood' is a key text associated with the perpetuity view, which argues for a continuous historical lineage of Baptist churches.

Explanation: Baptists are fundamentally characterized by believer's baptism by total immersion, not infant baptism, and generally adhere to a congregationalist polity, not a hierarchical structure.

Explanation: Most Baptists do not believe baptism is a requirement for salvation; rather, they view it as a public expression of an individual's inner repentance and faith.

Explanation: A foundational principle of Baptist identity is congregationalist polity, which asserts the autonomy of local churches and their freedom from external ecclesiastical authority.

Explanation: A defining characteristic of Baptists is their practice of believer's baptism, administered only to professing believers by total immersion, distinguishing them from traditions that practice infant baptism or other modes.

Explanation: Modern Baptist churches generally recognize Baptism and the Lord's Supper as the two primary ordinances, though some traditions may include others like Feetwashing.

Explanation: The Second London Confession of Faith of 1689 is recognized as the greatest creedal document for Particular Baptists, articulating their theological positions.

Explanation: Baptist church membership typically requires a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, followed by believer's baptism by immersion.

Explanation: For most Baptists, baptism is understood as an ordinance—a public demonstration of an inward spiritual change and faith—rather than a sacrament essential for salvation.

Explanation: A distinctive Baptist principle is soul competency, which emphasizes that faith is a personal matter between the individual and God, advocating for absolute liberty of conscience.

Explanation: While Baptists share many core doctrines, the necessity of baptism for salvation is generally not one of them; baptism is typically viewed as an ordinance and public declaration of faith, not a prerequisite for salvation.

Explanation: Confessions of faith in the Baptist movement function as statements of shared doctrinal understanding for cooperative work, rather than as rigid, universally binding creeds.

Explanation: General Baptists are characterized by their belief in general atonement, meaning Christ's death atoned for all humanity, in contrast to limited atonement.

Explanation: Particular Baptists, also known as Reformed Baptists, adhere to Calvinistic views of salvation but distinguish themselves by rejecting infant baptism, a classical Reformed teaching.

Explanation: Primitive Baptists emerged from controversies over the use of mission boards and temperance societies, and are characterized by their rejection of such organizations, not support for them.

Explanation: The New Independent Fundamental Baptist movement is characterized by radical exclusivism and a rejection of major historical Christian creeds, not an embrace of them.

Explanation: Seventh Day Baptists are distinguished by their practice of observing the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, not Sunday.

Explanation: A core tenet of Landmark Baptists is the belief that the term 'church' should apply only to Baptist churches, asserting an unbroken line of succession from the early church.

Explanation: General Baptists are primarily distinguished by their belief in general atonement, asserting that Christ's atoning work was for all humanity, not just a select few.

Explanation: Particular Baptists, or Reformed Baptists, are characterized by their embrace of Calvinistic theology regarding salvation, combined with their rejection of infant baptism.

Explanation: Independent Baptists arose from local congregations concerned about the perceived theological liberalism within national Baptist conventions, leading them to form autonomous churches.

Explanation: Seventh Day Baptists are distinct for their practice of Sabbatarianism, observing the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.

Explanation: A central tenet of Landmark Baptists is the belief that the designation 'church' should be applied solely to Baptist churches, asserting their unique historical and theological lineage.

Explanation: The Baptist World Alliance is indeed recognized as the largest global communion of Baptist churches, with a mission to foster cooperation, evangelism, and advocacy for human rights.

Explanation: Roger Williams and John Clarke are both credited with establishing Baptist churches in Rhode Island in 1638, marking the earliest known Baptist presence in North America.

Explanation: The First Great Awakening actually led to spectacular growth for Baptists in North America, not a decline, and they became the largest Christian community in many southern states.

Explanation: The Triennial Convention, which remained largely northern after the 1845 split over slavery, was reorganized in 1907 and is now known as the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA), not the Southern Baptist Convention.

Explanation: Johann Gerhard Oncken founded the first Baptist church in Hamburg, Germany, in 1834, which is now part of the Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany.

Explanation: According to Sébastien Fath, the Baptist movement had approximately 170 million believers worldwide in 2020, not 50 million.

Explanation: In 2015, Baptists in the U.S. numbered approximately 50 million, representing roughly one-third of American Protestants.

Explanation: Johan Erik Östling was the first Finnish Baptist, inspired by Anders Wiberg's writings, and was baptized in Stockholm in 1856.

Explanation: Sébastien Fath's research estimated the global Baptist movement to comprise approximately 170 million believers in 2020.

Explanation: The Baptist World Alliance aims to foster cooperation, evangelism, and advocacy, but it does not seek to establish a centralized global Baptist authority, consistent with Baptist congregational polity.

Explanation: The 'Missions crisis' was indeed a bitter controversy in the early 19th century that resulted in a split between American Baptists who supported and those who opposed the modern missions movement.

Explanation: White preachers in Alabama after Reconstruction interpreted the Civil War as God's chastisement and sought to maintain 'traditional' race relations, viewing emancipation as a tragedy, in contrast to Black preachers who saw it as 'God's gift of freedom'.

Explanation: In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution acknowledging and apologizing for its historical failures regarding racism and slavery, denouncing racism as a sin.

Explanation: Samuel Sharpe, a Baptist deacon, organized a general strike of slaves in Jamaica that escalated into the major Christmas Rebellion or Baptist War.

Explanation: Charles Spurgeon severed his church from the Baptist Union because he actively fought against theological modernism during the 'Downgrade Controversy,' not because he embraced it.

Explanation: The 'Modernist crisis' in the Northern Baptist Convention indeed resulted in the convention embracing modernism, which prompted conservative congregations to form new associations like the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.

Explanation: Martin Luther King Jr. criticized some Baptist churches for their anti-intellectualism and lack of theological training among pastors, rather than praising them for it.

Explanation: Russell D. Moore criticized some Baptists for their moralism, specifically for condemning personal sins while neglecting to address broader social injustices like racism.

Explanation: In 2022, the Baptist World Alliance adopted a resolution encouraging restorative justice for Baptist churches and associations that historically contributed to the sin of slavery.

Explanation: The primary cause of the 1845 split among American Baptist churches was the controversy over slavery, which led Southern churches to secede and form the Southern Baptist Convention.

Explanation: The 'Missions crisis' in the early 19th century was a significant controversy among American Baptists regarding the emerging modern missions movement, leading to a split between missionary and anti-missionary factions.

Explanation: Black preachers in Alabama interpreted the Civil War and Reconstruction as 'God's gift of freedom,' emphasizing themes of liberation, independence, and self-worth, in contrast to white preachers' interpretations.

Explanation: A significant outcome of the 'Modernist crisis' was the formation of new conservative associations by dissenting congregations, such as the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, after the Northern Baptist Convention embraced modernism.

Explanation: In *Strength to Love*, Martin Luther King Jr. criticized some Baptist churches for their anti-intellectualism and the insufficient theological training of their pastors.

Explanation: In 2020, the North American Baptist Fellowship officially committed to social justice and to speaking out against institutionalized discrimination in the American justice system.

Explanation: The 'Landmark crisis' in the Southern Baptist Convention focused on re-establishing ecclesiastical separation and asserting the unique historical succession of Baptist churches, often rejecting inter-denominational cooperation.

Explanation: Baptist church architecture is generally sober, with the Latin cross often being one of the few spiritual symbols visible, rather than being elaborate or featuring numerous symbols.

Explanation: A sermon based on the Bible is a central and typical element of a Baptist worship service, alongside praise, prayer, and the Lord's Supper.