Unity of the Brethren
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The Unity of the Brethren (Czech Jednota bratrská also known under the Latin name as Unitas Fratrum.) is a Christian denomination whose roots are in the pre-reformation work of Jan Hus, who was martyred in 1415.
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Background
The reforms of Jan Hus, which included providing the Scriptures to the people in their own language, and that both elements of communion should be available to the people, were popular with the Czech people, but met extreme opposition from church authorities. Hus was martyred, but his teachings led to the formation of the Hussite movement. One of the later branches of the hussitism was also Unity of the Brethren (Latin Unitas Fratum; Czech Jednota bratrská). The roots of this radical and pacifistic stream within the early reformation movement go back to 1457 in a small village called "Kunvald" on the Bohemian-Moravian borderland. Theologians and thinkers who provided inspiration for the future Unity of the Brethren were Hussite bishop Jan Rokycana and Petr Chelcicky. Some other influential theologians and thinkers of Unity of the Brethren were: Brother Rehor (Gregor) one of the founders, Lukas Prazsky—an inspiring theologian, Brother Jan Augusta, and the last bishop of Unity of the Brethren —Jan Amos Komensky (John Amos Comenius). Theologians and linguists of the Unity of the Brethren translated during the second half of the 16th century the Bible from the original languages into Czech. This translation is known as Bible Kralicka (Kralice Bible)—until recently the most widely used Czech biblical translation—an equivalent to English King James Version.
After 1620, due to a counter-reformation by the Catholic Church, Protestants were forced to choose to either leave the country or practice their beliefs secretly. Members of the Unity of the Brethren who lived abroad (mostly in Poland) and those who left under persecution, regrouped in Germany under the influence of Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf and formed the church which is now known as Moravian Church (in Canada and USA except Texas) Jednota Bratrska (in Czech Republic) and Unity of Brethren (in local languages mostly everywhere else, including Texas).
Those who stayed practiced their beliefs in secret and privately passed their beliefs from one generation to the next. Even after Emperor Joseph proclaimed toleration in 1781, only Lutherans and Calvinists were allowed to openly practice their faith. Many of the Brethren united with the Lutherans and most of them with Calvinists around that time. Later after the end of WWI and formation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, Czech Lutherans and Calvinists formed a united church—The Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren.
Meanwhile from about the middle of the 19th century until the outbreak of the First World War, a number of Czech protestants immigrated to USA. In most of the US they formed Czech churches within the Presbyterian Church. Those who settled as farmers in the state of Texas in the United States decided to form their own denomination. Jindrich Juren (1850–1921) came to Texas in 1876, and from 1881 through 1888 was the only minister to these Brethren congregations. Representatives of these congregations met in 1903 and formed the Evangelical Unity of the Czech-Moravian Brethren in North America. The early churches reflected their origin and worshipped in the Czech language. By the 1940s, most of the churches reflected assimilation into the surrounding culture and worshipped in the English language. In 1959, the name Unity of the Brethren was adopted.
The following paragraphs apply fully only to this Texan Church of the Czech descent.
Doctrine
This body accepts the Apostles' Creed as a valid expression of their beliefs, and stresses the ancient motto, "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love." They believe the Bible is God's revelation to man, the sourcebook for all spiritual truth; that one God is revealed in three persons; that Christ is the only way of salvation; that salvation is by grace through faith; that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers; and that Jesus Christ will return to judge the world and reward the faithful believers. The Unity practices two sacraments—water baptism and holy communion. Christian parents present their infant children for baptism. All Christians are invited to commune with them at the Lord's supper or communion. However, they do not regard full agreement on the elements, methods and modes of the sacraments as essential. They believe that love is the supreme evidence of Christian disciples.
Church Emblem
The Unity of the Brethren church has adopted a church emblem having an open Bible, with a cross behind in the center, and a chalice in front to the left. According to the church, the "cross represents Christ as the resurrected and living Lord, the Bible is the sourcebook of all Christian truth, open for all to explore, while the chalice holds special significance for Brethren: not only is it a symbol of the Lord's Supper, but it is also a reminder of the pre-Reformation insistence of John Hus and the early Brethren upon receiving the Cup as well as bread in Holy Communion."
Status
Currently the church is made up of 28 congregations with an estimated membership of 3500, with all except one located in the state of Texas. The location of the majority of churches is roughly the area from Austin to Houston. The synod meets every two years. The Unity of the Brethren maintains several ministry organizations, including the Board of Christian Education; Brethren Youth Fellowship; Brethren Bookstore, operated in Pasadena, Texas; Brethren Journal (founded 1902); Christian Sisters Union; Friends of the Hus Encampment; Grants and Bequests Board; the Hus Institute for Lay Leadership (which meets with the various congregations); and the Mutual Aid Society. The Hus Encampment Facility is located near Caldwell, Texas. They have no seminary, but support the Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Three missionary families are serving in Honduras and Mexico.
The Czech-originated Unity of the Brethren should not be confused with the Unity of the Brethren Baptists, a Baptist organization in the Czech and Slovak Republics.
External links
- Unity of the Brethren (http://www.unityofthebrethren.org/) - official Web Site
- Adherents.com (http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_635.html#4086)
- Industry Brethren Church (http://www.industrybrethrenchurch.org/)
- Jindrich Juren (http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/JJ/fju6.html) - Unity of the Brethren minister
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
- Renewal of Church and Society in the Hussite Reformation, by Jacob K. Zeman