Brethren
The Brethren are an Anabaptist-Pietist Christian denomination.
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2 Beliefs 3 Schwarzenau Brethren Groups 4 Other Brethren Groups 5 Sources 6 External Links 7 Denominations and Fellowships 8 Schools |
Early History
It originated in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, in the Palatinate. Early leaders included Alexander Mack, Peter Becker, and John Nass. The Brethren were at one time called Dunkers or German Baptist Brethren.
After enduring persecution for a time (see Anabaptist), the Brethren migrated to North America in three separate groups from 1719 to 1733. There they established themselves at Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and from there moved south and west along with other pioneers.
Beliefs
Brethren beliefs are commonly found in the statement of faith sometimes known as the "Brethren Card". The following Card is one belonging to the Church of the Brethren group:
1. This body of Christians originated early in the eighteenth century the church being a natural outgrowth of the Pietistic movement following the Reformation.
2. Firmly accepts and teaches the fundamental evangelical doctrines of the inspiration of the Bible, the personality of the Holy Spirit, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, the sin-pardoning value of his atonement, his resurrection 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).
3. Observes the following New Testament rites: Baptism of penitent believers by trine immersion for the remission of sins (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); communion (Matt. 26: 26-30); the Christian salutation (Rom. 16:16; Acts 20:37); proper appearance in worship (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 hands (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.
4. 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).
5. Opposes on Scriptural grounds: War and the taking of human life (Matt. 5:21-26, 43, 44; 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); divorce 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).
6. Labors earnestly, in harmony with the Great Commission, for the 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).
7. Maintains the New Testament as its only creed, in harmony with which the above brief doctrinal statement is made.
The teachings of the other groups are similar to this, but differ mainly in emphasis and scope. Several of the groups use as a motto the clause, "the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible". Significant emphasis is placed on careful exegesis of the Bible, especially in the Grace Brethren groups. Several of the groups now maintain a larger "statement of faith" (in lieu of the above Card), but only for the purpose of clarifying their Biblical position; they maintain that the Bible is the sole authority and revise their statement of faith if they perceive any difference between it and sound Biblical doctrine.
Schwarzenau Brethren Groups
The Brethren Church shares its early heritage with the Church of the Brethren but was separated in 1881, being the most progressive of the three groups resulting from this split at the time of H. R. Holsinger. The most conservative of the groups (the Old Order, centered in Dayton, OH) is now known as the German Baptist church. The current Church of the Brethren was the middle (or conservative) group. This split was not really about doctrine (at the time, though the groups have drifted apart since) but over such things as the starting of Sunday Schools, the holding of revival meetings, and the use of an indoor baptistry rather than a river. The progressive group (Brethren Church) includes the group currently centered in Ashland, as well as the Grace Brethren groups.
Other Brethren Groups
The following Brethren bodies are not related historically to the Schwarzenau groups descended from Alexander Mack.
- The Church of the United Brethren in Christ and the Brethren in Christ Church owe their origins to the combined labors of Reformed pastor Philip William Otterbein and Mennonite Martin Boehm, beginning in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the latter half of the 18th century.
- The Hutterites, officially known as Hutterian Brethren, are descendants of German, Swiss and Tyrolean Anabaptists led by Jacob Hutter, who was burned at the stake in 1536 for refusing to renounce his faith.
- The Moravian Brethren (also known as United Brethren or Unitas Fratum) descend from the followers of Jan Hus, a Czech reformer burned at the stake in 1415. The Unity of the Brethren also traces its roots to the work of Hus.
- The various Plymouth Brethren bodies originated in the 1820s work of John Nelson Darby and others in Ireland and England.
- The
Church of the Lutheran Brethren is neither Anabaptist nor pietistic,
but is the result of a late 19th
century spiritual awakening among Lutheran congregations in the upper midwestern
United States.
They formed a separate synod in 1900.
Sources
- The original article seems to have come directly from a Church of the Brethren statement on their origins.
- Information added from general knowledge and from my church history course notes, course taught by Dr. David R. Plaster (Grace Schools) under the title Christianity in Development circa 1996. (The wording, however, is mine.)
- Some of the external links were obtained using a certain popular
web search engine whose name is in danger of becoming a verb.
External Links
Denominations and Fellowships
- Church of the Brethren: http://www.brethren.org/
- Brethren Church (Ashland group): http://www.brethrenchurch.org/
- Grace Brethren Church (FGBC group): http://fgbc.org/
- I cannot find a link for the German Baptist group; I can find sites for some of their individual churches, but none for the group as a whole.
- The CGBCI does not maintain a significant web presence at this time, but their statement of faith and a couple of other tidbits can be found here: http://www.bright.net/~dmoeller/cgbci/
- Moravian Brethren: http://www.moravian.org/
- Plymouth Brethren: http://www.brethrenonline.org/
- "Open" Plymouth Brethren: http://www.brethrenonline.org/
- Church of the United Brethren in Christ: http://www.ub.org/
- Brethren in Christ Church: http://www.bic-church.org/
- Church of the Lutheran Brethren: http://www.clba.org/
Schools
- Church of the Brethren: http://www.cob-net.org/college.htm
- Brethren Church, Ashland group: http://www.ashland.edu/seminary/home.html
- Grace Brethren Church, FGBC group: http://www.grace.edu/
- Plymouth Brethren: http://www.emmaus.edu/