Who are the Westboro Baptist Church? What do they Believe in?

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a controversial, religious group known for its confrontational and inflammatory public preaching, who adhere to a strict and literalist interpretation of Christian doctrine. Contrary to their name, the WBC is not affiliated with the Baptist denomination. In fact, the organization American Baptist Churches USA released a statement condemning them,

"It grieves us that in bearing the Baptist name the [WBC] destroy the reputation of thousands of Baptists who daily give themselves in selfless acts of love as followers of Jesus. The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, is in no way affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA. The leaders of the church, along with Fred Phelps, former pastor of Westboro Baptist Church, are not and never has been recognized by American Baptist Churches. Phelps’ ordination was not in an American Baptist church, and his credentials along with those of other Westboro leaders, have never been recognized by any region of ABCUSA. Westboro is an independent, non-affiliated church."

At the heart of their belief system is an unwavering commitment to biblical authority, an aggressive condemnation of sin, and a call for repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The WBC teaches that true believers must speak out against what they identify as sinful behaviors, including fornication, adultery (which they define to include divorce and remarriage), and sodomy. They also emphasize the importance of proclaiming the sovereignty of God and publicly teaching the doctrines of grace.

Although the WBC explicitly rejects the label of "Calvinist" and distances itself from certain theological ideas commonly associated with Calvinism (like infant baptism), they do embrace a core framework of Calvinism, known as the TULIP Doctrine. This includes total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints.

The doctrine of total depravity teaches that sin has infected every part of human nature. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all tainted, rendering people incapable of choosing God or achieving salvation on their own. Divine intervention is the only path to redemption.

Unconditional election follows from this premise, asserting that God selects certain individuals (the Elect) for salvation. This selection is not based on merit, actions, or future faith, but solely on God's sovereign will. Those not chosen are condemned to eternal damnation.

Limited atonement holds that Christ died only for the sins of the Elect. The WBC interprets passages such as Matthew 20:28 and Hebrews 9:28, which state Christ gave His life for “many,” as evidence that salvation was never intended for all people, but only for a chosen few.

Irresistible grace teaches that those whom God has elected will be brought to salvation through an internal calling that they cannot resist.

Finally, the perseverance of the saints means that once someone is truly saved, they will remain saved; the Elect cannot fall away from grace.

For The WBC, these doctrines are not abstract theological principles but mandates for action. The group sees modern society, particularly the United States, as steeped in sin and morally bankrupt. They believe that God expresses His wrath through tragedies, including by killing US Military Personnel. According to WBC theology, the deaths of American soldiers are not random but acts of divine punishment due to the United States' "tolerance of sin." This belief has led the church to picket nearly 600 military funerals as of 2011, carrying signs and shouting slogans in an attempt to convey what they see as God’s judgment on a sinful nation.

Much of the WBC’s public activity has been shaped by its founding leader, Fred Phelps, and his supporters. The church remains largely a family-run operation—many members either directly descended from him or have married into the family. For instance, those who protested the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder alongside Phelps included two of his daughters and four of his grandchildren.

In the wake of Snyder’s funeral, one of Phelps’s daughters publicly condemned his parents for raising him Catholic, declaring that they had “taught Matthew to defy his creator,” “raised him for the devil,” and “taught him that God was a liar.” This denunciation of Catholicism reflects the WBC’s hostility not only toward secular culture, but toward virtually all religious traditions outside their own. The church openly expresses disdain for other Christian denominations, non-Christian religions, and anyone they view as failing to uphold what they consider biblical truth.

The group’s theological rigidity and confrontational tactics have fueled national outrage, yet WBC views its mission as divinely ordained. Members report having preached publicly more than 77,000 times in 1,085 cities across all 50 U.S. states and in countries including Canada, Jordan, and Iraq. They claim these efforts are meant to call all people to fear God and give Him glory, warning that the hour of His judgment is near.