Why Helwys?

Many websites whose namesake is associated with a distinguished theologian, author, or historical figure, use a name that possesses some mainstream appeal. However, the name Helwys lacks the same universal appeal. Some may ask: “So, why Helwys? His name is difficult to pronounce and hardly anyone seems to know who he was or what he did?”

To begin, his name is properly pronounced “Hell-wiss.” Thomas Helwys (c. 1575 – c. 1616) studied law at Gray’s Inn, London. He was also an English Baptist pastor and theologian who made important contributions to English and American religious history, including establishing the first Baptist church on English soil.

The Helwys Society Forum, whose members are Free Will Baptists, trace their theological lineage to the English General Baptists of the seventeenth century such as Helwys. Our desire is to operate within this legacy, which includes sharing Helwys’s important contributions with our readers. Regarding who Helwys was and what he did, readers may consider our essays and articles that present a historical sketch, his views on baptism, religious liberty (here and here), sola Scriptura, his works Mystery of Iniquity and Short and Plaine Proof, and others.