"The first English Baptist, John Smyth, created controversy with his radical thought and actions. During his writing career of only ten years, Smyth successively produced works of Puritan, Separatist, Baptist, and Mennonite thought. After accepting Mennonite beliefs, Smyth and a majority of his congregation petitioned to join the Waterlander Mennonites in Amsterdam. However, before the union could be achieved, Smyth died of tuberculosis. Under Thomas Helwys's leadership, the portion of Smyth's congregation that did not join the Waterlanders returned to England and established the first General Baptist Church." "This book makes an important contribution to the understanding of both the origins of Baptists and of Christianity in the seventeenth century."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved