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MODERN BAPTISTS date from the beginning of the 17th century. Although we have affinity with a number of movements going back to very early in the history of Christianity, it is misleading to try to link us directly to any of these.

Surprisingly, we probably have more in common with the lay orders which developed in the later mediaeval Catholic Church than with most of the groups which sprang from early attempts to reform Western Christianity.

It is conventional to view the English Reformation as being merely the result of Henry VIII’s ambition to have a son and secure the succession; this is far too simple and wrong an assessment. English Christianity had successfully asserted its partial independence from Rome at several points in earlier history. At the time of Henry’s break with Rome, the continental Reformation had been underway for over 20 years, and there were strong undercurrents in England demanding Reformation. Even on the conservative side, the famous Dutch scholar, Erasmus of Rotterdam had lectured in England and, while he was no supporter of the Reformation, he had certainly argued for re-evaluation of some Catholic practices.

However, what happened in England was really a “Claytons Reformation”, because Henry used the language and forms of the growing Protestant movement while not permitting the indiginous movement to move in a Protestant direction. He effectively maintained a schismatic Catholic church under his own headship and with the difference that his divorce would be permissible.

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