Brethren in Christ Church
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The Brethren in Christ Church (often called B.I.C. Church) is an evangelical Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite church, pietism, and Wesleyan holiness. They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites.
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Background
The B.I.C. Church began about 1778 in Pennsylvania. It shares an early connection with the United Brethren back to 1767. Martin Boehm, (later bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ) was initially the leader of those who formed the River Brethren. Often known by their locality, a group of brethren north of Marietta, Pennsylvania on the east side of the Susquehanna River became known as the River Brethren. The River Brethren distanced themselves from Boehm and the United Brethren movement as they developed a conviction that trine immersion was the scriptural form of baptism. Jacob Engel¹ is noted as one of the early leaders who promoted this position. The first confessional statement of this group was formulated around 1780.
During the American Civil War, when required by the Union government of the United States to register as a body that held non-resistance, the name Brethren in Christ was adopted. River Brethren remained the popular usage into the 20th century. The pacifist view is still part of the B.I.C. statement of faith, but other views of military involvement are allowed.
About the turn of the century, the Brethren in Christ embraced the teachings of Wesleyan holiness. The Brethren in Christ Church started Messiah College in 1909, and the Niagara Christian College in 1932.
Faith and Doctrine
The current Articles of Faith and Doctrine were adopted in 1986. They emphasize the understanding of the inspired scriptures by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the "centrality of Christ" in the divine revelation, the necessity of holiness, and the importance of community. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reveals Himself through the divine record of the Scriptures. Salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is received through the response of personal faith and repentance. Baptism (by trine immersion) and the Lord's supper are considered ordinances of the church. Foot washing, the dedication of children, prayer for the sick, laying on of hands, and anointing with oil are important accepted practices, but are not called ordinances.
Status
In 2000, the Brethren in Christ Church in North America (U.S. and Canada) had about 270 churches. The U. S. membership was over 20,000 in 216 churches. Its headquarters is in Grantham, Pennsylvania. There are 1100 churches in 23 countries with a worldwide membership of around 80,000. The B.I.C. church maintains some connection to its Mennonite heritage by partnering in ministry with the Mennonite Central Committee. The church organization is divided into 8 regional conferences -Allegheny, Atlantic, Canadian, Great Lakes, Midwest, Pacific, Southeast, and Susquehanna. Messiah College in Grantham, and Niagara Christian Collegiate in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, are affiliated with the B.I.C. The church operates Evangel Press and Evangel Publishing House in Nappanee, Indiana, and Christian Light Bookstores in Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
Other divisions of the River Brethren include the Old Order River Brethren (org. 1843), the United Zion Church (org. 1855), and the Calvary Holiness Church. The Calvary Holiness Church began in 1963 when the Philadelphia Brethren in Christ congregation (org. 1897) withdrew from the Brethren in Christ, rejecting perceived changes in the denomination's faith and practice. The body incorporated in 1964, and had two congregations with about 40 members in 1980.
The Brethren in Christ group usually known as Christadelphians have no doctrinal or historical links with the Brethren in Christ Church.
External links
- Brethren in Christ Church (http://www.bic-church.org/) - official Web Site
- Evangel Publishing House (http://www.evangelpublishing.com/)
- Messiah College (http://www.messiah.edu/) - official Web Site
- Niagara Christian Collegiate (http://www.niagaracc.com/) - official Web Site
- Calvary Holiness Church (http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_94.html#667) - on Adherents.com
- Old Order River Brethren (http://www.geocities.com/riverbrethren/) - unofficial Web Site
- The Sider Institute (http://www.messiah.edu/siderinstitute/morris_sider.shtml) - official Web Site
- United Zion Church (http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_633.html#4079) - on Adherents.com
References
- Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor
- Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood
- Profiles in Belief: the Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada, by Arthur Carl Piepkorn
- Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000), Glenmary Research Center
Footnote
- 1. also spelled Engle