Editing General Baptists (section)

== Historical Background ==
In the late 16th century and early 17th century, Puritan activity was strong in the [[Midlands|English Midlands]]. In this period, a [[Puritan]] [[Church (congregation)|church]] gathered in [[Gainsborough, Lincolnshire|Gainsborough]], led by the [[cleric]] [[John Smyth (English theologian)|John Smyth]], recently excommunicated for dissatisfaction with the state of the [[Church of England]], as [[List of Protestant martyrs of the English Reformation|persecution against Puritan reforms]]. The church came to be known as the Gainsborough Congregation. They later developed a distinctive Baptist theology and is considered one of the precursors of General Baptists.<ref> William H. Brackney, ''Historical Dictionary of the Baptists'', Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 243</ref> Under [[Thomas Helwys]]' ministry, the church was reestablished at [[Spitalfields]] outside [[London]] in 1612, after a brief period of exile in [[Amsterdam]].<ref name=Leonard>{{cite book|author=Leonard, Bill J. |title= Baptists in America | location=New York |publisher= [[Columbia University Press]] | year=2005 | isbn=9780231127028 |url=https://archive.org/details/baptistsinameric0000leon |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/baptistsinameric0000leon/page/9 9] |quote=isbn:9780231127028. | access-date=2013-06-21}}</ref> Helwys is credited with the formation of a church in [[Coventry]] in 1614 or earlier when he assembled with Smyth and other Puritan leaders to lead [[Coventry]] Puritans at the residence of [[William Bowes (ambassador)|Sir William Bowes]] and his wife, Isobel, in 1606.<ref>"The City of Coventry: Protestant nonconformity, Introduction." ''A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 8, the City of Coventry and Borough of Warwick.'' Ed. W B Stephens. London: Victoria County History, 1969. 372-382. British History Online. Web. 28 April 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/warks/vol8/pp372-382.</ref>