John Smyth baptized himself and his congregation in Amsterdam, founding the first English Baptist church; the movement quickly spread to England under Thomas Helwys, who published the first English plea for religious freedom.

The foundation of the Baptist tradition in England in 1609 emphasized adult conversion and lay literacy, fostering a rich tradition of devotional poetry and hymn-writing. John Bunyan, a notable Baptist, contributed to this tradition, which later inspired poets like John Greenleaf Whittier to explore themes of faith and personal experience.