We’re Novatians Early Baptists? (He’s Lying to You!)

Did the Early Church Condemn Baptist Teaching as a Heresy? A Deep Dive into Novatianism

There’s a bold claim floating around in some circles: that the early Christian heresy known as Novatianism was essentially just an early version of Baptist theology. But is that historically accurate?

In this video, I take a close look at what the early Church actually said about Novatianism — using primary sources from the early Church Fathers — and compare those teachings to what modern Baptists officially believe today. This isn’t about attacking Baptists, but about honestly asking: were Novatian and his followers really the “first Baptists,” as some have suggested? Or is this a case of reading modern categories back into ancient controversies?

We’ll examine what Novatianists believed about baptism, church authority, salvation, and the sacraments — and how the Catholic Church responded to these teachings. Then, we’ll compare that to formal Baptist confessions of faith, like the 1689 London Baptist Confession and modern Southern Baptist statements.

Along the way, we’ll ask big questions like:
• Did Novatianists reject second chances after serious sin?
• Was their rejection of Catholic sacraments and hierarchy really “proto-Protestant”?
• Are there any historical connections between Novatianism and later movements like Donatism or Anabaptism?
• And most importantly — how should modern Christians think about continuity with the early Church?

This video is for anyone interested in Church history, early Christian heresies, Catholic-Protestant dialogue, or Baptist origins. Whether you’re Catholic, Protestant, or just curious, I invite you to explore the evidence with me.

📚 Sources cited include: Cyprian of Carthage, Eusebius, the Council of Nicaea, and formal Baptist confessions.

👉 If you enjoy deep dives into historical theology and apologetics, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this video.

💬 Comment below: Do you think Novatianism has any legitimate connection to Baptist theology? Why or why not?

#Novatianism #ChurchHistory #ChristianHeresy #CatholicApologetics #BaptistTheology #EarlyChurch #ChristianUnity #ProtestantHistory #HistoricalTheology #Anabaptists