Christianity: Baptist Tradition FOUNDED: 1609 C.E. RELIGION AS A PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPULATION: 1.8 percent Overview Baptists, who effectively were founded in 1609 by John Smyth, an English dissenting pastor, have become one of the world's...

Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. The name comes from the conviction that followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be immersed in water as a public display of their faith, and thus most...

The Rev. Jerry Sutton, a prominent Southern Baptist pastor who lost a bid to become president of the denomination, is now facing an upheaval in the megachurch he leads, including complaints that he spent church money on his daughter's wedding.For nearly 21 years, Sutton has...

A Southern Baptist leader said Tuesday that evangelical voters might tolerate a divorced presidential candidate, but they have deep doubts about GOP hopeful Rudy Giuliani, who has been married three times.Richard Land, head of public policy for the Southern Baptist Convention, told The Associated Press...

With the help of former President Carter, Baptists who have distanced themselves from the conservative Southern Baptist Convention announced plans Tuesday for a major meeting that aims to improve the Baptist image and broaden its agenda.Carter, who left the Southern Baptists in 2000 after the...

A former Southern Baptist missionary who got her start as a church secretary is likely to become the first woman president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.If Joy Fenner wins the election as expected at the end of this month, it will widen the...