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Church of the Brethren
| Church of the Brethren | |
|---|---|
.png) The Church of the Brethren references the Crucifixion of Jesus with a Latin cross, unity with the circle motif, and biblical references to water and baptism with the wave. | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Radical Pietist Anabaptist |
| Theology | Non-creedal |
| Structure | Congregationalist with districts that meet together in an Annual Conference |
| Distinct fellowships | The Church of the Brethren, Inc. (ministry and administration), Bethany Theological Seminary, Eder Financial (financial & retirement services), On Earth Peace (peace initiative) |
| Associations | Brethren World Assembly, Christian Churches Together, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Church World Service, Historic Peace Churches, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches |
| Region | United States (headquarters), with groups in Brazil; the Dominican Republic; Haiti; Nigeria and Oku, Cameroon; Spain; and South Sudan; also present in Ecuador (United Andean Indian Mission) and India having (two Brethren denominations and the Church of North India). |
| Headquarters | Elgin, Illinois, United States |
| Founder | Alexander Mack and the Schwarzenau Brethren |
| Origin | 1708 Schwarzenau, Germany |
| Branched from | Schwarzenau Brethren in the United States |
| Separations | Dunkard Brethren Church (1926) |
| Congregations | 2,600 |
| Members | 600,000 |
| Aid organization | Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Service Center, Brethren Volunteer Service, Children's Disaster Services, Heifer International, SERRV International |
| Nursing homes | 21 (Fellowship of Brethren Homes) |
| Tertiary institutions | Six colleges and universities (Bridgewater College, Elizabethtown College, Juniata College, Manchester University, McPherson College, and University of La Verne), one seminary (Bethany Theological Seminary), see also Brethren Colleges Abroad |
| Official website | brethren.org |
| Part of a series on the |
| Schwarzenau Brethren (the German Baptists or Dunkers) |
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| Background |
| Doctrinal tenets |
| People |
| Groups |
Defunct groups |
| Related movements |
The Church of the Brethren is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the Schwarzenau Brethren tradition (German: Schwarzenauer Neutäufer "Schwarzenau New Baptists") that was organized in 1708 by Alexander Mack in Schwarzenau, Germany during the Radical Pietist revival.[1] The denomination holds the New Testament as its only creed. Historically, the church has taken a strong stance for nonresistance or Christian pacifism—it is one of the three historic peace churches, alongside the Mennonites and Quakers. Distinctive practices include believer's baptism by forward trine immersion; a threefold love feast consisting of feet washing, a fellowship meal, and communion; anointing for healing; and the holy kiss. Its headquarters are in Elgin, Illinois, United States.
The first Brethren congregation was established in the United States in 1723. These church bodies became commonly known as "Dunkards" or "Dunkers", and more formally as German Baptist Brethren. The Church of the Brethren represents the largest denomination descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren, adopting this name in 1908. In 1926 there was an exodus of some conservative members of the Church of the Brethren, who formed the Dunkard Brethren Church.[2]
- ^ Schneider, Hans (June 21, 2007). German Radical Pietism. Scarecrow Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-1-4616-5884-9.
- ^ Lewis, James R. (March 2001). The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions. Prometheus Books. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-61592-738-8.
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