Schwarzenau Brethren
Encyclopedia
The Schwarzenau Brethren, originated in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the outcome of the Radical Pietist
Radical Pietism
Radical Pietism refers to a movement within Protestantism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid 18th century and later, which emphasized the need for a "religion of the heart" instead of the head, and was characterized by ethical purity, inward devotion, charity, asceticism, and even...
ferment of the late 17th and early 18th century. Hopeful of the imminent return of Christ, the founding Brethren abandoned the established Reformed and Lutheran churches, forming a new church in 1708 when their apocalyptic hopes were still unfulfilled. They thereby attempted to translate "the Philadelphian
Philadelphians
The Philadelphians, or the Philadelphian Society, were a Protestant 17th century religious group in England. They were organized around John Pordage , an Anglican priest from Bradfield, Berkshire, who had been ejected from his parish in 1655 because of differing views, but then reinstated in 1660...
idea of love into concrete congregational ordinances obligatory for all the members." Unlike the Philadelphians, Brethren rejected Leade's
Jane Leade
Jane Ward Leade was a Christian mystic born in Norfolk, England. Her spiritual visions, recorded in a series of publications, were central in the founding and philosophy of the Philadelphian Society in London at the time.-Early life:...
embrace of direct revelation and emphasized early ("Apostolic" or "primitive") Christianity as the binding standard for congregational practices. The founding Brethren were also in conversation with Mennonites and influenced by Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
writings.
In Germany the Brethren became known as Neue Täufer (New Baptists), in distinction from the older Anabaptist groups. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
they became popularly known as Dunkers, Dunkards or Tunkers, corruptions of the German verb tunken, to dip. Other religious groups related historically to the same Radical Pietist ferment as the Brethren are the Community of True Inspiration
Inspirationalists
The Inspirationalists were a group of Germans, Swiss and Austrians from a number of backgrounds and soci-economic areas who settled in West Seneca, New York, after purchasing land from an Indian reservation...
.
History
The Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 under the leadership of Alexander Mack (1679-1735)Alexander Mack
Alexander Mack was one of the founders of the Schwarzenau Brethren.Alexander Mack may refer to:*Alexander Mack , Civil War Medal of Honor recipient*Alex Mack, American football player*Alex Mack...
of Schwarzenau, Germany
Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg is a town, in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of Germany's largest towns by land area. It is located approx...
, now part of Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg is a town, in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of Germany's largest towns by land area. It is located approx...
in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. They believed that both the Lutheran and Reformed churches were taking liberties with the "true" Christianity revealed in the New Testament, so they rejected established liturgy, including infant baptism and existing Eucharistic practices. The founding Brethren were broadly influenced by Radical Pietist understandings of an invisible, (nondenominational) church of awakened Christians who would fellowship together in purity and love, awaiting Christ's return.
A notable influence was Ernest Christopher Hochmann von Hochenau, a traveling Pietist minister. While living in Schriesheim, Mack invited Hochmann to come and minister there. Like others who influenced the Brethren, Hochmann considered the pure church to be spiritual, and did not believe that an organized church was necessary. By 1708, the date of the first Brethren baptisms, Mack had rejected this position in favor of forming a separate church with visible rules and ordinances -- including threefold baptism by immersion, a Love Feast (that combined communion with feetwashing and an evening meal), anointing, and use of the "ban" against wayward members.
Religious persecution drove the Brethren to take refuge in Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
, in the Netherlands. In 1719 Peter Becker brought a group to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. In 1720 forty Brethren families settled in Surhuisterveen
Surhuisterveen
Surhuisterveen is one of the 12 villages of the municipality of Achtkarspelen, Province Friesland, The Netherlands. As of 1 January 2010, Surhuisterveen had a population of 5,865 ....
in Friesland. They settled among the Mennonites and remained there until 1729, when all but a handful emigrated to America, in three separate groups from 1719 to 1733.
Peter Becker organized the first American congregation at Germantown, Pennsylvania
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
, on December 25, 1723. In 1743 Christopher Sauer, an early pastor and a printer by trade, printed a Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in German, the first published in a European language in North America.
In 1782 the Brethren forbade slaveholding by its members. In 1871 these Brethren adopted the title German Baptist Brethren at their Annual Meeting. The group continued to expand and from Pennsylvania, they migrated chiefly westward. By 1908 they were most numerous in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
Beliefs and practices
The beliefs of the Schwarzenau Brethren include triune baptismBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, which provides that the candidate kneel in water and be immersed, face first, three times in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
; the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
as the infallible guide in spiritual matters; communion service celebrated in the evening, accompanied by the love feast; the ceremony of the washing of feet
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
; the salutation of the Holy kiss
Holy kiss
The kiss of peace is a traditional Christian greeting dating to early Christianity.The practice still remains a part of the worship in traditional churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox churches, Oriental Orthodox churches and some liturgical...
; prayer and Anointing with oil over the sick; and Nonresistance
Nonresistance
Nonresistance is generally defined as "the practice or principle of not resisting authority, even when it is unjustly exercised". At its core is discouragement of, even opposition to, physical resistance to an enemy...
. See also The Brethren Card.
Many of the early Schwarzenau Brethren believed in universal restoration, a variant of universal salvation that foretold that after the judgment and harsh punishment described in the New Testament, God's love would one day restore all souls to God. Brethren typically kept this teaching to themselves, and it was largely abandoned by the late nineteenth century. They were among the first to take Christian universalism
Christian Universalism
Christian Universalism is a school of Christian theology which includes the belief in the doctrine of universal reconciliation, the view that all human beings or all fallen creatures will ultimately be restored to right relationship with God....
to America when they emigrated there.
The church leaders are ministers, teachers, and deacons, though the positions may vary slightly in the various branches. The official role of elder, while no longer recognized in most congregations, was the most respected position in the church. Ministers and deacons are elected by the members of the congregation in which they hold membership. Ministers preach the word, baptize, assist deacons in anointing, solemnize marriages, and officiate at communion. Deacons serve the church by arranging for visitation to members or their families during illness or crisis, and often function in the capacity of stewards.
Early schisms
The first schism from the general body of German Baptist Brethren occurred in 1728, but more followed after the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, as different groups sought their own ways. The first separatists became the Seventh Day Dunkers, whose distinctive principle was that they believed that Saturday was true Sabbath. They were founded by Johann Conrad Beissel (1690–1768).
In 1732, Beissel-led establishment of a semi-monastic community with a convent and a monastery at Ephrata
Ephrata
Ephrata is the name of several places in the United States of America, named for Biblical Ephrath. The modern Israeli settlement-city of Efrata in the West Bank occupies a site assumed to be near the ancient one.-Places:*Suriname**Ephrata, Suriname...
, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. While celibate, the community also welcomed believing families; they lived nearby and participated in joint worship. The monastic feature and celibacy were gradually abandoned after the American Revolution.
In 1814 the Society was incorporated as the Seventh Day German Baptist Church. Several branches were established, some of which still exist. A group called the Church of God
Church of God (New Dunkers)
The Church of God is a now extinct body that divided from the Schwarzenau Brethren in 1848....
or "New Dunkers" withdrew in 1848. They disbanded in August 1962.
"Old Order" vs. "Progressives"
The "Old Order" Dunkers opposed 19th-century Brethren adoption of innovations such as revival meetings, Sunday Schools, and foreign missionary work. Stressing church discipline, Annual Meeting authority, and the preservation of the "ancient order" of church ordinances, worship, and dress, they formed the Old German Baptist BrethrenOld German Baptist Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren descend from a pietist movement in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708, when Alexander Mack founded a fellowship with seven other believers. They are one of several Brethren groups that trace themselves to that original founding body...
(OGBB) in 1881.
In 1882 the Progressives, who stressed evangelism and objected to distinctive dress and strong Annual Meeting authority, formed The Brethren Church
The Brethren Church
The Brethren Church is one of several groups that traces its origins back to the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany. In the mid-19th century, the church began to struggle over modernization. Progressives stressed evangelism, objected to distinctive dress, and objected to the supremacy of the annual...
at the time of H. R. Holsinger.
The largest body continued as German Baptist Brethren until 1908, when they adopted the title Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
. The current Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
found itself representing those parishioners who constitute the "middle ground" on matters of doctrine and practice as Christians.
Divisions within traditionalists
In 1913 the Old Brethren withdrew from the Old German Baptist Brethren (OGBB) and formed the Old Order German Baptist BrethrenOld Order German Baptist Brethren
The Old Order German Baptist Brethren are a small group of Schwarzenau Brethren that split from the Old German Baptist Brethren in 1921, when members of the latter began to accept automobiles...
, centered in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
). In 1921, the Old Order German Baptist Brethren broke completely with the OGBB. The most recent split came in 2009 with the establishment of the Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference.
Because of what some believed was a gradual drift away from apostolic standards, in 1926 a small group of conservatives withdrew from the Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
and formed the Dunkard Brethren
Dunkard Brethren
The Dunkard Brethren are a small group of conservative Schwarzenau Brethren churches that withdrew from the Church of the Brethren.The Church of the Brethren represents the largest body of churches that descended from the original pietist movement began in Germany by Alexander Mack and 7 other...
Church.
Divisions within progressives
In 1939 the "Progressive" Brethren Church experienced another schism, with those seeking an open position to the issue of eternal securityPerseverance of the saints
Perseverance of the saints, as well as the corollary—though distinct—doctrine known as "Once Saved, Always Saved", is a Calvinist teaching that once persons are truly saved they can never lose their salvation....
maintaining the name Brethren Church
The Brethren Church
The Brethren Church is one of several groups that traces its origins back to the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany. In the mid-19th century, the church began to struggle over modernization. Progressives stressed evangelism, objected to distinctive dress, and objected to the supremacy of the annual...
with headquarters in Ashland, Ohio
Ashland, Ohio
Ashland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Ashland County. The population was 21,249 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Ashland Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and those seeking a firm affirmation of eternal security becoming the National Fellowship of Brethren Churches, since renamed Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches is a theologically conservative fellowship of Brethren churches descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren movement of Alexander Mack of Germany.-History:...
(FGBC), commonly called the Grace Brethren Church, headquartered in Winona Lake, Indiana
Winona Lake, Indiana
Winona Lake is a town in Wayne Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,908 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Winona Lake is located at...
.
In 1992, due to doctrinal disagreements within the FGBC (primarily related to the connection between water baptism and church membership), the Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International
Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International
Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International is a conservative group that separated from the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches....
(CGBCI) was formed. It has no centralized headquarters at this time.
The most recent division amongst the Brethren occurred in May 2007 with the founding of the Brethren Reformed Church
Brethren Reformed Church
The Brethren Reformed Church was formed in May 2007, near Dayton, Ohio. Families previously affiliated with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, the Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International and the Southern Baptist Convention formed this new fellowship of...
, composed of members from the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC) and Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International (CGBCI).
In total, in the 21st century United States, seven or eight evangelical Protestant groups survive that descended from the 18th century Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany.
Brethren World Assembly
As of 2003, six Brethren bodies meet together in the Brethren World Assembly: Church of the BrethrenChurch of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
, Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International
Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International
Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International is a conservative group that separated from the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches....
, Dunkard Brethren
Dunkard Brethren
The Dunkard Brethren are a small group of conservative Schwarzenau Brethren churches that withdrew from the Church of the Brethren.The Church of the Brethren represents the largest body of churches that descended from the original pietist movement began in Germany by Alexander Mack and 7 other...
, Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches is a theologically conservative fellowship of Brethren churches descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren movement of Alexander Mack of Germany.-History:...
, Old German Baptist Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren descend from a pietist movement in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708, when Alexander Mack founded a fellowship with seven other believers. They are one of several Brethren groups that trace themselves to that original founding body...
, and The Brethren Church
The Brethren Church
The Brethren Church is one of several groups that traces its origins back to the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany. In the mid-19th century, the church began to struggle over modernization. Progressives stressed evangelism, objected to distinctive dress, and objected to the supremacy of the annual...
. The first Assembly was held in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1992. They met at Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College is a small comprehensive college located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in Lancaster County. The school was founded in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren...
and celebrated the 250th anniversary of the first known Brethren Annual Meeting in 1742. That first meeting gathered near Conestoga in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. The second Assembly met in 1998 at Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College, is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal-arts college located in Bridgewater, Virginia, a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States...
in Bridgewater, Virginia
Bridgewater, Virginia
Bridgewater is an incorporated town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgewater is home to the Reds of the Rockingham County Baseball League...
. The third Assembly was held by Grace College
Grace College
Grace College is an evangelical Christian college located in Winona Lake, Indiana. The college is associated with Grace Theological Seminary and the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.-Accreditation:...
in Winona Lake, Indiana
Winona Lake, Indiana
Winona Lake is a town in Wayne Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,908 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Winona Lake is located at...
, in 2003. The Assembly represents some 600,000 members around the world.
The Brethren Card
Brethren are noncreedal, but have summarized their beliefs in a variety of ways for the purpose of evangelical outreach. One such statement, developed during the late nineteenth century was the Brethren's Card, a version of which was endorsed for general distribution by the 1923 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Variations on the Card were used by both the Old German Baptist Brethren and the Church of the Brethren. This is an early version that was widely circulated:Be it known unto all men,
- That there is a people who, as little children (Luke 18:17), accept the Word of the New Testament as a message from heaven (Heb. 1: 1–2), and teach it in full (2 Tim. 4: 1–2, Matt. 28:20).
- They baptize believers by trine immersion (Matt. 28:29), with a forward action (Rom. 6:5), and for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and lay hands on those baptized, asking upon them the gift of God's Spirit (Acts 19:5–6).
- They follow the command and example of washing one another's feet (John 13:4–17).
- They take the Lord's Supper at night (John 13:30), at one and the same time, tarrying one for another (1 Cor. 11:33–34).
- They greet one another with a holy kiss (Acts 20:37, Rom. 16:16).
- They take the communion at night, after supper, as did the Lord (Mark 14:17, 23).
- They teach all the doctrines of Christ, peace (Heb. 12:14), love (1 Cor. 13), unity (Eph. 4), both faith and works (James 2:17, 20).
- They labor for nonconformity to the world in its vain and wicked customs (Rom. 12:2).
- They advocate nonswearing (Matt. 5:34, 37), anti-secretism (2 Cor. 6:14, 17), opposition to war (John 18:36), doing good unto all men (Matt. 5:44, 46).
- They anoint and lay hands on the sick (James 5:14, 15).
- They give the Bread of Life, the message of the common salvation unto all men without money or price (Matt. 10:8).
- Dear reader, for the above we contend earnestly, and you, with all men, are entreated to hear, to examine and accept it as the word, which began to be spoken by the Lord, and the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
The 1923 version, influenced by both increasing formalism and the Fundamentalist Christianity
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
of the 1910s differed in both tone and content:
- This body of Christians originated early in the eighteenth century: the church being a natural outgrowth of the Pietistic movement following the ReformationProtestant ReformationThe Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. - Firmly accepts and teaches the fundamental evangelical doctrines of the inspiration of the BibleBiblical inspirationBiblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings many be designated in some sense the word of God.- Etymology :...
, the personality of the Holy SpiritHoly SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, the sin-pardoning value of his atonement, his resurrectionResurrectionResurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
from the tomb, ascension and personal and visible return; and the resurrection, both of the just and unjust (John 5: 28–29; 1 Thess. 4:13–18). - Observes the following New Testament rites: BaptismBaptismIn Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of penitent believers by triuneTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
immersion for the remission of sinSinIn religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
s (Matt. 28:19, Acts 2:38); feet-washing (John 13:1–20, 1 Tim. 5:10); love feast (Luke 22:20, John 13:4, 1 Cor. 11:17–34, Jude 12); communionEucharistThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
(Matt. 26:26–30); the Christian salutation (Rom. 16:16, Acts 20:37); proper appearance in worshipWorshipWorship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
(1 Cor. 11:2–16); the anointing for healing in the name of the Lord (James 5:13–18, Mark 6:13); laying on of handsLaying on of handsThe laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms....
(Acts 8:17, 19:6; 1 Tim. 4:14). These rites are representative of spiritual facts which obtain in the lives of true believers, and as such are essential factors in the development of the Christian life. - Emphasizes: daily devotion for the individual, and family worship for the home (Eph. 6:18–20, Philpp. 4:8–9); stewardship of time, talents and money (Matt. 25:14–30); taking care of the fatherless, widows, poor, sick and aged (Acts 6:1–7).
- Opposes on Scriptural grounds: WarWarWar is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and the taking of human life (the Antithesis of the Law; Rom. 12:19–21, Isa. 53:7–12); violence in personal and industrial controversy (Matt 7:12, Rom. 13:8–10); intemperance in all things (Titus 2:2, Gal. 5:19–26, Eph. 5:18); going to law, especially against our Christian brethren (1 Cor. 6:1–9); divorceDivorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and remarriage, except for the one Scriptural reason (Matt 19:9); every form of oath (Matt. 5:33–37, James 5:12); membership in secret oath-bound societies (2 Cor. 6:14–18); games of chance and sinful amusements (1 Thess. 5:22, 1 Pet. 2:11, Rom. 12:17); extravagant and immodest dress (1 Tim. 2:8–10, 1 Peter 3:1–6). - Labors earnestly, in harmony with the Great CommissionGreat CommissionThe Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
, for the evangelizationEvangelizationEvangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...
of the world; for the conversion of men to Jesus Christ; and for the realization of the life of Jesus Christ in every believer (Matt. 28:18–20, Mark 16:15–16, 2 Cor. 3:18). - Maintains the New Testament as its only creedCreedA creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
, in harmony with which the above brief doctrinal statement is made.
This version was widely circulated by conservatives within the Church of the Brethren during the middle part of the twentieth century.
The teachings of some other groups are similar to this, but can differ widely in emphasis and scope. For example, the Grace Brethren are varied on the requirement of triune immersion, do not practice the Christian salutation, do not oppose war, and do not formally adhere to plain dress
Plain dress
Plain dress is a religious practice in which people dress in clothes of traditional modest design, sturdy fabric, and conservative cut. It is used to show humility and to preserve communal separateness from the rest of the world. It is practiced by some Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, Mennonites,...
or modesty. Only the Conservative Grace Brethren Churches have retained a published use of the motto, "The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible".
In the larger Church of the Brethren, significant emphasis is placed on social issues. In the Brethren (Ashland) and Grace Brethren groups, significant emphasis is placed on exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
of the Bible. Several of the groups maintain a larger "Doctrinal Statement" or treatise, but only for the purpose of clarifying their Biblical position.
Most Brethren groups maintain that the Bible is the sole authority and will revise their statement of faith if they perceive any difference between it and sound Biblical doctrine. Some of the Old Order groups incorporate church authority as a mechanism for unifying the interpretation and application of Biblical teachings.
Unrelated Brethren
There are several religious groups named BrethrenBrethren
Brethren is a name adopted by several Protestant Christian bodies which do not necessarily share historical roots. As classified in The Pilgrim Church by EH Broadbent, the earliest primitive churches to Paulician Brethren, to Bogomil Brethren, to Anabaptist and to Moravian Brethren were historical...
that are not related to the Schwarzenau Brethren movement. The Moravian Brethren are not related to the Schwarzenau Brethren. The Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
arose in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
early in the 19th century. The United Brethren
Church of the United Brethren in Christ
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington, Indiana. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania, as well as close...
originated in 18th century Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
with William Otterbein and Martin Boehm. The River Brethren
River Brethren
The River Brethren is a name used to indicate certain Christian groups originating in 1770, during a revival movement among German colonizers in Pennsylvania....
movement apparently adopted the view of triune immersion from the Schwarzenau Brethren. The Apostolic United Brethren
Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren is a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist church within the Latter Day Saint movement. The sect is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
is a sect within the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
and is not related to the Schwarzenau Brethren.
Further reading
- Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People, Carl F. BowmanCarl BowmanCarl Bowman is an American sociologist, who is widely recognized for his studies of Anabaptist religious groups and is perhaps the foremost expert on the social and cultural history of the Church of the Brethren.- Author and educator :...
(1995) Johns Hopkins University Press - Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol. I-III, Donald F. DurnbaughDonald F. DurnbaughDonald F. Durnbaugh was a noted historian of the Church of the Brethren who published more than 200 books, articles, reviews, and essays on its history...
, editor (1983) The Brethren Encyclopedia Inc. - Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol. IV, Donald F. DurnbaughDonald F. DurnbaughDonald F. Durnbaugh was a noted historian of the Church of the Brethren who published more than 200 books, articles, reviews, and essays on its history...
and Dale V. Ulrich, editors, Carl BowmanCarl BowmanCarl Bowman is an American sociologist, who is widely recognized for his studies of Anabaptist religious groups and is perhaps the foremost expert on the social and cultural history of the Church of the Brethren.- Author and educator :...
, contributing editor (2006) The Brethren Encyclopedia Inc. - Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon MeltonJ. Gordon MeltonJohn Gordon Melton is an American religious scholar who was the founding director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and is currently a research specialist in religion and New Religious Movements with the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara...
, editor - Fruit of the Vine, A History of the Brethren 1708-1995, Donald F. DurnbaughDonald F. DurnbaughDonald F. Durnbaugh was a noted historian of the Church of the Brethren who published more than 200 books, articles, reviews, and essays on its history...
(1997) Brethren Press - Handbook of Denominations, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood
- History Of the German Baptist Brethren in Europe and America, by Martin Grove BrumbaughMartin Grove BrumbaughMartin Grove Brumbaugh, A.M., Ph.D. was Pennsylvania's 26th Governor, a Republican. He is frequently referred to as M.G. Brumbaugh, as is common in the Brumbaugh family.-Biography:...
- Meet the Brethren, Donald F. DurnbaughDonald F. DurnbaughDonald F. Durnbaugh was a noted historian of the Church of the Brethren who published more than 200 books, articles, reviews, and essays on its history...
, editor - Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000), Glenmary Research Center
- The Believers' Church: The History and Character of Radical Protestantism, Donald F. DurnbaughDonald F. DurnbaughDonald F. Durnbaugh was a noted historian of the Church of the Brethren who published more than 200 books, articles, reviews, and essays on its history...
(1968) The Macmillan Company - The Dunkers: A Sociological Interpretation, by John Lewis Gillin
- The Origin of the Schwarzenau Brethren, Marcus Meier (2008) , Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc.
External links
- Origins of the Church of the Brethren and Other Brethren Groups
- The Brethren Encyclopedia
- Conservative Grace Brethren Churches International
- Old Order Brethren
- Brethren World Assembly
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