Anabaptist denomination in the United States, descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren.
For other uses, see Brethren (religious group).
Not to be confused with The Brethren Church.
Church of the Brethren
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
Evangelical 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, Brethren Benefit Trust (retirement fund), 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)
Background
Christianity
Protestantism
Anabaptism
Radical Pietism
Radical Reformation
Doctrinal tenets
Non-creedalism
Trine baptism
Love feast
Feet washing
Holy kiss
Free church
Anointing with oil
Non-resistance
Pacifism
The Brethren Card
People
Alexander Mack
Shantilal Bhagat
Louis Bauman
Conrad Beissel
Donald F. Durnbaugh
Vernard Eller
Samuel Kinsey
John Kline
Peter Nead
Christoph Sauer
Groups
Brethren Church
Church of the Brethren
Conservative Grace Brethren
Dunkard Brethren
Grace Brethren
Old Brethren
Old Brethren German Baptist
Old German Baptist Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference
Old Order German Baptist Brethren
Defunct groups
Ephrata Cloister
Church of God (New Dunkers)
Related movements
Amish
Bruderhof
Community of True Inspiration
Hutterites
Mennonites
River Brethren
Quakers
v
t
e
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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