Richard Baxter was an influential English Nonconformist leader, theologian, and poet who lived from 1615 to 1691. Born in Rowton, Shropshire, he gained prominence through his long ministry in Kidderminster, where he worked to unite various religious factions. Although he identified as a Presbyterian, he sought compromise between different church structures. Following the Act of Uniformity in 1662, he was removed from the Church of England after refusing an episcopal appointment, leading him to become a significant figure within the Nonconformist movement.