Primera Iglesia Bautista (Filadelfia)

La Primera Iglesia Bautista de Filadelfia es una iglesia bautista fundada en 1698 en Filadelfia , Pensilvania , Estados Unidos .

La Primera Iglesia Bautista de Filadelfia comenzó el 11 de diciembre de 1698 en un pequeño edificio abandonado de Filadelfia conocido como Barbadoes Storehouse. La congregación obtuvo un nuevo lugar de reunión en la cervecería de Anthony Morris, en la esquina de las calles Water y Dock. ^{[ 1 ]}

En 1707, la congregación se hizo cargo de la Casa de Reuniones Cuáquera Keithiana en la esquina de las calles Segunda y Market . En 1731, la casa de reuniones fue reemplazada por un edificio de ladrillo llamado LaGrange Place. En 1808, LaGrange Place fue reemplazada por una estructura más grande. Durante este período, desde 1707 hasta aproximadamente 1860, la iglesia utilizó el lado sur de la cuadra 200 de la calle Arch como cementerio. ^{[ 2 ]}

En 1761, Morgan Edwards emigró de Inglaterra para convertirse en pastor de la Primera Iglesia Bautista. ^{[ 3 ]} Posteriormente, fue en gran parte responsable del establecimiento del Rhode Island College, que se convirtió en la Universidad Brown .

Samuel Miles , oficial militar en la Guerra de Independencia de Estados Unidos y alcalde de Filadelfia, era diácono en la iglesia.

En 1806, William Staughton se convirtió en pastor de la iglesia. ^{[ 4 ]} Staughton llegó a ser presidente del Columbian College (ahora Universidad George Washington ) en 1823.

William Bucknell , el acaudalado empresario y benefactor de la Universidad de Bucknell , era fideicomisario de la iglesia. ^{[ 5 ]}

Robert Lowry , profesor de literatura, ministro bautista y compositor de himnos gospel, fue bautizado en la Primera Iglesia Bautista y enseñó en una de las escuelas dominicales misioneras de la iglesia. ^{[ 6 ]}

In 1864, George Dana Boardman became pastor and led the congregation for 30 years. Boardman was known as an abolitionist and a strong supporter of the Union. Boardman lectured at the University of Pennsylvania where he also served as University Chaplain and on the Board of Trustees. Boardman served four terms as President of the American Baptist Missionary Union. He published over 150 books, monographs, lectures and other papers.^[7]

Dr. William Williams Keen, known as "the father of American surgery", was a deacon of First Baptist Church throughout his life.^[8]

The congregation moved from 2nd & Arch into a new church building at Broad and Arch Streets in 1855.^[2] The current church at 17th and Sansom was built in 1900 by Edgar Viguers Seeler and is a blend of Byzantine and Richardsonian Romanesque, revival Romanesque styles.^[9]

In 2014, the First Baptist Church was sold due to dwindling financial resources and a challenging building maintenance schedule. The church was sold to the Liberti Church, a member congregation in the Reformed Church in America. The First Baptist Church congregation still worships in the church under a lease agreement with the Liberti Church.^[10]

In 2016 a lot at 218 Arch Street came under private development and contractors began excavating to create a foundation for a new building. Construction was stopped when a large number of burials were found. Remains at this site were supposed to have been moved to Mount Moriah Cemetery (Philadelphia) when the church moved in 1855, but as was common for the time the movement of the remains was incomplete. A team of scientists headed by the Mütter Museum collected remains and artifacts from around 500 individuals. A group of scientists is studied the collection under the title The Arch Street Project.^[2] The remains were re-buried in eight vaults in the First Baptist Church section of Mount Moriah Cemetery in July 2024.^[11]

• Sitio web oficial
• Documentos históricos digitalizados de la Primera Iglesia Bautista, disponibles en el sitio web de las Congregaciones de Filadelfia.

39°57′02″N 75°10′08″W / 39.950608°N 75.168841°W / 39.950608; -75.168841