The Baptist Union of Wales (Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru) is a fellowship of

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

churches in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

History

The

General Baptist General Baptists are Baptists who hold the ''general'' or unlimited atonement view, the belief that Jesus Christ died for the entire world and not just for the chosen elect. General Baptists are theologically Arminian, which distinguishes them from ...

minister Hugh Evans was one of the first Baptists to preach in Wales around 1646, in the parishes of Llan-hir,

Cefnllys Cefnllys is an abandoned ghost village, formerly a medieval castle town and borough, near Llandrindod Wells in Radnorshire (now part of Powys), Wales. The settlement was founded during the 13th century by the Mortimer family in order to streng ...

Nantmel Nantmel is a village and a community in Radnorshire, Powys, Wales, and is 76.5 miles (123.1 km) from Cardiff and 150.5 miles (242.2 km) from London. In 2011 the population of Nantmel was 621 with 11.8% of them able to speak Welsh. ...

, and

Llanddewi Ystradenny Llanddewi Ystradenni is a community in Radnorshire, Powys, Wales. The population of the Community at the 2011 census was 310. Centred on the village of Llanddewi, it also includes the hamlet of Heartsease. The motte and bailey A motte-and-ba ...

, as well as in districts across the upper

Wye Valley The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; cy, Dyffryn Gwy) is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. The River Wye ( cy, Afon Gwy) is the fourth-longest river in th ...

Breconshire , image_flag= , HQ= Brecon , Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= Brycheiniog , Status= , Start= 1535 , End= ...

. In 1649 John Myles (1621–1683) and Thomas Proud led in the formation of a congregation at Ilston, before Myles emigrated to Swansea, Massachusetts, in 1663. Myles and Proud were connected to the

Particular Baptists Reformed Baptists (sometimes known as Particular Baptists or Calvinistic Baptists) are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology (salvation). The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith w ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. In 1650 three Baptist congregations held the first general meeting of Baptists in Wales. The national union was organized in 1866. One of the most notable Welsh Baptist ministers was

Christmas Evans Christmas Evans (25 December 1766 – 19 July 1838) was a Welsh nonconformist minister, described as "the greatest preacher that the Baptists have ever had in Great Britain." Life Evans was born near the village of Llandysul, Cardiganshire. ...

(1766–1838).

Membership

The Baptist Union of Wales is a member of the Free Church Council, Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales), the

European Baptist Federation The European Baptist Federation (EBF) is a federation of 59 Baptist associations and is one of six regional fellowships in the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Amsterdam, Netherlands. History The EBF was founded in Ruschlikon, Swit ...

, and the

Baptist World Alliance The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...

. The Union has its headquarters at Y Llwyfan on the

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...

campus of the

University of Wales Trinity Saint David , image = Crest of TSD.png , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of armsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David , established = 2010 (Saint David's College, Lampeter founded 1822 and opened 1827; royal charter 1828) , ...

. College Road, Carmarthen, SA31 3EQ, and churches serving both Welsh- and English-speaking communities in villages, towns, and cities across Wales. In 1995 the Baptist Union of Wales had 544 congregations with 25,384 members. 146 of these churches (with 9552 members) held dual membership in the

Baptist Union of Great Britain Baptists Together (officially The Baptist Union of Great Britain) is a Baptist Christian denomination in England and Wales. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and Churches Together in England. The headquarters is in Didcot. Hi ...

References

Sources

*Albert W. Wardin Jr., ed. ''Baptists Around the World''. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 1995 * T. M. Bassett ''The Welsh Baptists''. Swansea: Ilston House, 1977

External links

Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru/Baptist Union of Wales
- official Web Site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baptist Union Of Wales 1866 establishments in Wales Baptist Christianity in Wales Baptist denominations in the United Kingdom Religious organizations established in 1866

History

Membership

See also

References

Sources

External links