Baptist Union of Scotland

Template:Short description Template:Infobox Christian denomination Template:BaptistThe Baptist Union of Scotland is a Baptist Christian denomination in Scotland. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is north of the M8 in the Port Dundas areas of Glasgow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Newton Mearns Baptist Church in Glasgow.

From the 1650s to 1869

Baptists first arrived in Scotland with the armies of English republican Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, who established small churches in Leith, Perth, Cupar, Ayr and Aberdeen, but they did not survive for long, partly because of their association with Cromwell (who was generally not welcomed in Scotland), but more especially as a result of strident and often violent opposition instigated and inspired by the Church of Scotland and the Parliament of Scotland which it controlled.<ref> James Leo Garrett, Baptist Theology: A Four-century Study, Mercer University Press, US, 2009, p. 201</ref> Baptists later emerged in the 18th century—in 1750 at Keiss, where the leader was William Sinclair and the church was established on the English Baptist pattern. The group who in Edinburgh came to Baptist convictions in 1765 under the leadership of Robert Carmichael and Archibald McLean became known as Scotch Baptists. Like other Scottish Protestant Christians of the time they were very conservative and adopted the opinions of a particularly strict form of Calvinism. Somewhat later, a different form of Baptist witness emerged, this time influenced by the Haldane brothers, James Haldane and Robert Haldane evangelical preachers who came to Baptist convictions around 1808. Along with the English Baptists, they were distinguished from the Scotch Baptists by their more moderate and less Calvinistic attitudes. After overcoming initial hostilities, all these groups were able to unite in 1869.

1869 to the present day

The Baptist Union of Scotland was founded in Hope Street Chapel in Glasgow (later Adelaide Place Baptist Church)<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> in 1869, with 51 churches in its membership, which represented almost 4000 members.<ref>William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, US, 2009, p. 508</ref> One of its early presidents (in 1873) was the philanthropist Thomas Coats.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Following on from the Covid Pandemic, the denomination strived to make 'increasing their membership in all 150 churches' their core vision through three strategic priorities of congregations and the denomination: prayer, church planting, and leaders' training.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2019, the congregation had 10,600 members and 158 churches.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 9,946 members and 156 churches.<ref> Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023</ref> As of March 2025, the denomination had 9,452 members and 153 churches.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Baptist Union of Scotland is served by a National team comprising: Rev Dr Martin Hodson (General Director), Rev. Lisa Holmes (Deeper Church Lead), Mr Brian Windram (Finance Director), Ms. Lyndsay Cameron-Ross (Communications Lead) Rev Ali Laing (Younger Generation & Digital Church Lead), Rev Professor Andrew Clarke (Leadership Development Lead) and Rev. Glenn Innes (Future Church Lead).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022/2023, the denomination reported a growth in membership, of 1%, for the first time in 40 years.<ref name=":1" /> This was replicated in 2024.<ref name=":2" /> During 2023 and 2024, they were seeing about baptisms across their churches each year than they had in the years before the Covid pandemic.<ref name=":1" /> In 2023 they saw 334, and in 2024 they saw 417.<ref name=":2" /> Their hope and prayer is to see 40 new Baptist churches revitalised or planted by 2030. Initial work has begun in Denny, Dundee and Newton Mearns.<ref name=":2" />

Beliefs

The Convention has a Baptist confession of faith.<ref> Baptist Union of Scotland, Becoming Who We Are, scottishbaptist.com, Scotland, retrieved December 5, 2020</ref> It is a member of the Baptist World Alliance.<ref> Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, US, retrieved May 5, 2023</ref>

See also

• Religion in Scotland

Bibliography

• Wardin, Albert W., ed. (1995) Baptists Around the World: a comprehensive handbook. Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman Template:ISBN
• McBeth, H. Leon (1987) The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness. Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press
• Murray, Derek Boyd (1969) The First Hundred Years: the Baptist Union of Scotland. Glasgow: Baptist Union of Scotland
• Bebbington, David W., ed. (1988) The Baptists in Scotland: a History. Glasgow: Baptist Union of Scotland

Further reading

• McBeth, H. Leon (1990) A Sourcebook for Baptist Heritage. Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press
• Talbot, Brian (2014) 'A Distinctive People', Milton Keynes, Paternoster
• Purves, Jim (2018) 'Becoming Who We Are', Glasgow, Baptist Union of Scotland

External links

• Baptist Union of Scotland - official Web Site
• Scottish Baptist College - official Web Site