Church of the Brethren : Celebrating 300 years

Ancient Brethren - Brethren Church - Brethren in Christ - Church of the Brethren - Closed Brethren - Conservative Grace Brethen - Dunkard Brethren - Evangelical United Brethren - German Baptist Brethren - Grace Brethren - Old German Baptist Brethren - Old Order German Baptist Brethren - Hoffman Brethren - Hutterian Brethren - Lutheran Brethren - Mennonite Brethren - Moravian Brethren - Open Brethren - Plymouth Brethren - Progressive Brethren - River Brethren - Schwarzenau Brethren - United Brethren - Yorker Brethren

Puzzled by all the Brethren denominations? There are so many Christian groups using the term Brethren, that questions frequently arise concerning their relationship with each other. The purpose of this exercise is to acquaint you with a basic, non-theological outline of denominations using the word Brethren, and hopefully give you an overview of how we all fit together. One very common denominator which usually holds true for most Brethren groups is that each progenitive body originated in central Europe during the Fifteenth to Eighteenth centuries under mild to severe religious persecution. There are eight main Brethren groups, and each sub-group is listed under their progenitor. When possible, links have been included to other web sites that offer additional material, that will hopefully increase the understanding of a specific group. Reasonable consideration should therefore be exercised that opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of the editors of that site, and may not represent an official position of the governing denominational body.

The basic outline of this document was first compiled by Richard M. Judy of Dunker Springhaus Ministries, Youngstown, Ohio. It was then further researched to include commentary on each group, additional information, brief histories, reference links to other web sites, and then graphically enhanced for the Web, by Ron Gordon, Church of the Brethren Network Administrator. We hope this co-project will be helpful towards attaining a better perspective of the many Brethren groups, and especially a more keen understanding of their various subgroups. Your questions, suggestions, or any corrections to this outline are most welcome.

Names: Moravians, Moravian Brethren, Unitas Fratrum or Unity of Brethren National Offices: Provincial Elders' Conference, North 1021 Center Street, PO Box 1245, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1245 Origin: The flame of reform was not extinguished by the death of John Hus in 1415, for a small group of Hussites gathered on the estate of Lititz, about 100 miles east of Prague, and organized a church in 1457. They later adopted the name Unitas Fratrum (United Brethren). In order to escape the Thirty Years War, they migrated into neighboring Silesia and Moravia but were nearly annihilated during the 1500 and 1600's by repeated forced conversions to Roman Catholicism. In 1722, some Moravian Brethren settled in Saxony on property owned by the reformer Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf and formed a community named Herrnhut. This group flourished and became a haven for many other Brethren. James Oglethorpe invited the Moravians to his colony of Georgia in 1735 but after experiencing many unexpected hardships, they later moved to Pennsylvania and founded Bethlehem and Nazareth. Zinzendorf later transported many other Brethren to America with the desire of uniting all German groups (including Mennonite, Lutheran, Reformed) under one religious and cultural roof. A dream which did not happen. Some groups moved to North Carolina in 1752 and founded Old Salem in 1766. Quakers and Scots founded Winston just north of Salem and the two cities grew together. The United States Postal Service merged the two post offices in 1899 and the hyphen first appeared between Winston and Salem. This locale is also the depository for many historical and genealogical records of the Moravian Church. Additional Information: Unity of the Brethren Moravian Church National Homepage Moravian Church History Moravian Historical Society Moravian History & Practices Moravian History Moravian College Moravian Theological Seminary Glossary of Moravian Terms Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig Graf von Bohemian Brethren Genealogy (Archives) Genealogy (Relative) Genealogy (Schlack) Records Of The Moravians Of North Carolina

Names: Hutterites, Bruderhof, Society of Brothers National Offices: Geographically separate communitarian groups Origin: This is one of the first Anabaptist groups to organize following Ulrich Zwingli, Felix Mantz, and Conrad Grebel initialing the core movement in Switzerland in 1522. Pacifism was a central belief of Anabaptism. When persecution became intolerable in Switzerland and southern Germany, many Anabaptists found refuge in Moravia where a distinctive, more communitarian type of Anabaptism had emerged in 1528. The best known leader of the Moravian group was Jacob Hutter, a hat maker from the Tyrol who was their guiding lightbearer from 1533 until his death in 1536. He and a few other Anabaptists practiced what can only be described as combative pacifism. In other words, they were willing to respond aggressively in the very most vociferous manner without actually becoming physical. "Woe, woe! unto you, O ye Moravian rulers, who have sworn to that cruel tyrant and enemy of God's truth, Ferdinand, to drive away his pious and faithful servants. Woe! we say unto you, who fear that frail and mortal man more than the living, omnipotent, and eternal God, and chase from you, suddenly and inhumanly, the children of God, the afflicted widow, the desolate orphan, and scatter them abroad...God, by the mouth of the prophet proclaims that He will fearfully and terribly avenge the shedding of innocent blood, and will not pass by such as fear not to pollute and contaminate their hands therewith. Therefore, great slaughter, much misery and anguish, sorrow and adversity, yea, everlasting groaning, pain and torment are daily appointed you." Van Braght, "Martyrology: Letters of Jakob Hutter," p. 151-153 R.J. Smithson, "The Anabaptists," London, 1935, p. 69-71 Also see "History of Civilization," Prentice-Hall, 1967, p. 481 Although he advocated non-violence and stressed a pattern of living closely emulating the Apostolic Christianity, after the devastating Mayhem in Munster, he became a hunted fugitive along with most other Anabaptists. On February 25, 1536, he was captured, tortured, immersed in freezing water, and his body later burned. Nearly exterminated when forced to accept Catholicism, Hutterites found refuge in Ukraine in 1595, later emigrated to the United States in 1874-79, and then north into Canada in 1918. Each group of about one hundred persons lives in a Bruderhof (brothers place), a small colony with ownership of property held in common to all, following the example of early Christians (Acts 2:44). Their lifestyle is mostly conservative and simplistic, with a profound determination to resist political participation in any way. These agriculturally based communities of nondescript houses, barns, and sheds, are self-sufficient, growing most of their own food in an array of gardens, fields, and orchards. Bruderhof colonies are managed by a spiritual leader working in harmony with an advisory board which is composed of a colony manager (financial obligations), a farm manager (work distribution), and two or three deacons. Education is completed within the colony in schools where students begin in nursery (2-5 years) and finish at grade 12. Because of mechanization and computerization, some colonies (Decker) permit students to attend college at Brandon University because each colony is expected to be self-sustaining, usually through agriculture or manufacturing. Leisure time includes music, sports, crafts, and inter-colony visitation. Many Bruderhofs have their own choral group which perform in hospitals, retirement communities, and other social gatherings. ________________________________________ Society of Brothers is an entirely different group that was founded by Eberhard Arnold (1883-1935) in the early 1920's in Germany. When they were persecuted by the Nazis, they moved to Liechtenstein, then England, later Paraguay during World War II, and finally arriving in the United States in the early 1950's. Arnold sought to assimilate his group into the various Hutterite Bruderhof's and thus, appropriated Bruderhof Communities from the Hutterites as his own label. However, lacking a national organization, this became a matter of Arnold's flock being individually accepted by the different Hutterite communal groups. For a brief period, the Hutterite Bruderhofs and the Arnold Bruderhofs were cohesively aligned, interchangeably using each other's label. Some Hutterites referred to the new arrivals as Arnoldleut (Arnold's People). Then a rift started between different communal groups because of certain practices and beliefs. The Lehrerleut and Dariusleut Hutteritian groups no longer welcomed Arnold's People while some colonies of the Schmiedeleut attempted to maintain better communication, which resulted in predictable struggles for dominance. When grandson Heini Arnold became leader of the Arnoldleut Bruderhof communities in 1961, a purge of nearly one-third of their membership ensued with numerous ex-members charging Heini of totalitarianism. These exiles have used a newsletter called KIT (Keep In Touch) to chronicle possible Bruderhof abuses, and encourage current members to leave ranks. Ongoing charges and counter-charges mixed with a few law suits have sustained hard feelings and blurred clear distinctions of each group, because the labels Hutterite and Bruderhof had been used so interchangeably by each group. Christoph, son of Heini Arnold, has, likewise, attempted to consolidate his influence by making further policy shifts, including a final break from the Hutterian Brethren. Additional Information: Hutterites.Org Hutterite Chronology Hutterite Genealogy Hutterite Bibliography Hutterite Genealogy Cross-Index Overview of the Struggle Hutterite Church Excommunicates The Bruderhof Bruderhof.Org Bruderhof vs. The Internet KIT Newsletter (Keep In Touch) Plough Publishing

Names: Schwarzenau Brethren, Neue T&ufer, German Baptist Brethren, Church of the Brethren, Progressive Brethren, The Brethren Church, Dunkard Brethren, Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Conservative Grace Brethen Church International Old German Baptist Brethren, Old 'Order' German Baptist Brethren Tunkers, Tunkards, Dunkers, Dunkards Ephrata Cloister, Snowhill Nunnery Salemville German Seventh Day Baptist Church Acronyms: COB = Church of the Brethren BC = The Brethren Church FGBC = Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches DB = Dunkard Brethren OGBB = Old German Baptist Brethren OOGBB = Old Order German Baptist Brethren Monikers The names tunker, dunkers, and dunkards have been applied to many Brethren sub-groups because of their common practice of immersing or 'dunking' baptismal candidates. (see also the Brethren in Christ below) Although modern Germans principally use the transitive verb tauchen (plunge, immerse) or eintauchen (dive into), the obsolete tunken was the moniker applied to the early Brethren. The later substitution of the 'D' for the 'T' thus rendering dunken is most probably a New World innovation, which itself, later evolved into dunkard, and backward also into tunkard. First known as the Schwarzenau Täufer (Baptists) or Neue Täufer (new baptists) to distinguish them from older Anabaptists bodies, such as the Mennonites and Amish, they later migrated through the New World using the label German Baptist and then appended Brethren about 1836. Some congregations still held to the former two-word label while others accepted German Baptist Brethren, the latter officially adopted in 1871 at Annual Meeting. Variations of Tunker and Dunker have also been used by several Brethren groups beside this Schwarzenau body (see Brethren In Christ below). In fact, a 1926 splinter group from the Church of the Brethren actually uses the label Dunkard Brethren. The 'short definition' of Tunker or Dunker applies more properly to groups associated with the method of baptism through immersion. National Offices: Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120 The Brethren Church, 524 College, Avenue, Ashland, Ohio 44805 Fellowship of Grace Brethren ??? Old German Baptist Brethren ??? Dunkard Brethren ??? Origin: Established 1708 near Schwarzenau, Germany, by Alexander Mack who founded a community of eight believers through adult baptism. They were heavily influenced by Pietism, and Anabaptist conventions from an earlier century. Schwarzenau Brethren often experienced religious persecution, and found refuge among Mennonites, an older persecuted Anabaptist group who had establish havens over many years, such as Krefeld (Germany) and Germantown (Pennsylvania). Brethren were also influenced by them, and many beliefs and practices remain similar into the modern era. Following a resurgence of persecution, splinter groups evolved and the Mack party emigrated in 1729 to Pennsylvania in the wake of co-worker Peter Becker's earlier group of 1719. The first American congregation was founded near Germantown with adult baptisms on Christmas Day, 1723. Enjoying their new world freedom from religious persecution, many congregations were established. Development: Ephrata Cloister * Johann Conrad Beissel, head Elder of the Conestoga congregation, renounces his Brethren affiliation in 1728 and later establishes his own communal living experiment with a Cloister near Ephrata in 1732. During his lifetime the community flourished, but after his death in 1768, most residents gradually began moving away. In 1814, the few remaining dwellers incorporated themselves as the Seventh Day German Baptist Church which survived until 1934. With its future in limbo, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission assumed complete ownership of the grounds in 1941, instituting a program of research, historical interpretation, and restoration. * Snow Hill Nunnery expansion project in 1764. * Salemville groups leaves Snow Hill in ????. Three-way division in 1881-1882 * Old German Baptist Brethren (OGBB), representing the more conservative wing as in dress, custom, and worship could not tolerate modern innovations of the Nineteenth century in the church and left in 1881. Minor schisms followed this group with the Old Order German Baptist Brethren breaking away in 1921. * Progressive Brethren representing the more liberal wing desired modern innovations of the Nineteen Century and especially stressed a greater emphasis on evangelism. They left in 1882 to form the Brethren Church (BC) which experienced its own schism in 1939 with the departure of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (GB). * Central and largest group of moderates (then called Conservatives) realizing after two full centuries that few members speak German or embrace the former sub-culture, later adopted the denominational title Church of the Brethren (COB) in 1908, also eschewing the word baptist. Dunkard Brethren (DB) 1926 * A more conservative group leaves the Church of the Brethren with minor divisions following the DB in 1948 and 1949.

Additional Information: Church of the Brethren Network - Unofficial 19th Century Acculturation Alexander Mack, Honors To Anabaptism Annual Conference Bethany Theological Seminary Bibliography Brethren Encyclopedia Brethren Card Brethren In America Bulletin Board Camping Ministry Churches/Districts Colleges Affiliated with the Brethren Ephrata Cloister European Origin - Schwarzenau Brethren Frequently Asked Questions Genealogy & History Glossary of Brethren Terminology Migration & Expansion of the Brethren in America Nineteenth Century Acculturation of the Brethren Pietism Timeline Web Directory Church of the Brethren - Official Annual Conference Association of Brethren Caregivers Brethren Benefit Trust Brethren Employees' Credit Union Bethany Theological Seminary General Board On Earth Peace Assembly Washington Office Youth and Young Adults Conservative Grace Churches International Dunkard Brethren Church Church Polity Fellowship of Grace Brethren Web Site Grace College International Missions Old Order German Baptist Brethren Old German Baptist Brethren The Brethren Church Ashland Theological Seminary Ashland University People Known As The Brethren See Also: Brethren Revival Fellowship

Names: United Brethren, Church of the United Brethren, United Christian Church, Evangelical United Brethren, UB, UCC, EUB National Offices: United Brethren in Christ 302 Lake Street, Huntington, IN 46750 Origin: From the Pietist movement in the mid to late 1700's among German speaking folk in Pennsylvania. There was a fervor of spiritual awakening sweeping through Lancaster County in the 1760's. Many of these individuals professed the necessity of holiness and especially the assurance of "new birth" conversion as a real experience to be remembered. In 1767, German Reformed pastor Philip Otterbein attended an interdenominational "Great Meeting" near Lancaster, PA. Hearing the powerful conversion story of Mennonite speaker Martin Boehm, he embraced him, exclaiming: "Wir sind Bruder" (we are Brethren). This meeting later produced a group called the United Brethren, who trace their beginning to the Otterbein/Boehm meeting. There appears to be no formal structure to the United Brethren until 1800, when they officially organized themselves near Frederick, Maryland. In order to distinguish themselves from the Moravians who were also called United Brethren from their Latin title Unitas Fratrum, they appended the words "in Christ." In the late 1700's, many United Brethren congregations were formed throughout Lancaster County, and generally bore names associated with their locality. One such congregation on the east shore of the Susquehanna River came to be called River Brethren, and would later evolve into the Brethren in Christ (see next article). Development: Hoffmanites A Pennsylvania group of United Brethren ministers and laymen under Rev. George Hoffman, broke away in the late 1860's over doctrinal issues. First known as "Hoffmanites," they later organized in 1878 as the United Christian Church. Great split of 1889 Majority group known as New Constitution / Liberals merged with the Evangelical Church (another Pietist German group) in 1946 and adopted the name Evangelical United Brethren Chruch. In 1968, the EUB merged with the Methodists to form the United Methodist Church. Minority group known as Old Constitution / Radicals and led by Bishop Milton Wright (father of Wilbur and Orville Wright, see also the book, "The Bishop's Boys") retained the former title of The Church of the United Brethren in Christ. This group is still in existence today. Genealogy: DePauw University Archives Roy West Library Greencastle, Indiana 46135 United Brethren Historical Center Huntington College Huntington, Indiana 46750 General Commission on Archives and History United Methodist Church P. O. Box 127 Madison, New Jersey 07040 RootsWeb: List Server Additional Information: Church of the United Brethren in Christ UBC: History & Heritage UBC: Fact Sheet Otterbein, Philip William Huntington College Evangelical United Brethren Collection of Shenandoah University United Methodist Church History

Names: River Brethren, River Mennonites, United Zion Holiness, Old Order River Brethren, Yorker Brethren, Tunkers, Brethren in Christ, BIC National Offices: Brethren In Christ 431 Grantham Road, PO Box 290, Grantham, PA 17027 Origin: Began when a fervor of spiritual awakening or revival was sweeping through Lancaster County in the 1760's. A revival movement having its origin in the German Methodist movement, when Otterbein and Boehm formed the United Brethren. Most groups came to be known by their locality, and the group north of the town of Marietta on the east side of the Susquehanna River were called the River Brethren. United Brethren leader Martin Boehm was the spiritual leader of this group until its congregation, principally of Mennonite background, began to withdraw from him because of his liberal views on baptism, and his relationships with non-Mennonite individuals. Early formation is not well documented. Details are unclear. Most information has been garnered from the memories of participants who did not regard dates and events with importance. Jacob Engel is universally cited in BIC literature as one of the founders who were convinced that trine immersion was the Scriptural method of baptism. Sensing alienation from the United Brethren and Mennonites over this issue, compounded by an unwillingness from several Dunker ministers to baptize outside their own circle, this group sought to establish its own identity. A tradition exists that a Dunker Elder, George Miller encouraged them to form their own group through a "mutual baptism" as was earlier performed by the Schwarzenau Brethren. This group event is thought to have occurred in the 1780's. They were known simply as River Brethren until the Civil War, when a military draft was instituted by the Union Government, requiring them to register in Washington as a non-resistant organization. It is believed that on this occasion the label "Brethren in Christ" was first used in 1861, although older members continued to use the term River Brethren well into the next century. Additional Information: Brethren In Christ Historical Sketch of the Canadian Brethren In Christ Lancaster County Historical Society (Marietta River Brethren) Messiah College River Brethren (Columbia Encyclopedia) Old Order River Brethren

Name: General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches National Offices: Mennonite Brethren Executive Secretary 4824 E. Butler Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727-5097 Origin: Birthed from the larger Mennonite Church in 1860 through a process of spiritual revival with a desire for closer fellowship, this group incorprated the title Brethren simply because of their spiritual kinship, a result of meeting in small household groups for prayer and Bible study. Additional Information: General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Historical Commission Canadian Mennonite Brethren Conference Canadian Conference Confession Church Homepages Mennonite Brethren Herald Saskatchewan Conference Of Mennonite Brethren Churches Tabor College

Names: Plymouth Brethren, Open Group, Exclusive Group, Newton Group, Raven Group, Taylor Group National Offices: ??? Origin: John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) was born in London to Irish parents when England struggled against Higher Criticism, a persuasion which questioned the truthfulness and inspiration of the Bible. Several fundamentalist movements arose to combat its effects, and the Plymouth Brethren was one of them. Darby became a priest under the Church of England and served in Ireland where he labored tirelessly to educate the peasantry in the Word of God. He grew dissatisfied with the established church and looked for affirmation from the outside. In 1827, he began meeting with similarly minded believers in Dublin, Ireland. Especially a group founded by Edward Cronin two years earlier, when he had also became dissenchanged with the established church. Although Cronin started this particular group, it would be Darby who would give them visibility. Believers in England heard of the excitement in Ireland, and Darby went to London in 1830 and later to the seaside town of Plymouth in 1832. This last group soon became the most well-known and it wasn't very long before the Brethren of Plymouth were simply referred to as Plymouth Brethren. A notable leader of this group was Samuel Tregelles who authored one of the better known critical edition of the Greek New Testament of the Nineteenth century. Development: OPEN Plymouth Brethren (moderate) Open Brethren churches are "completely" independent without any form of higher governing body. Each church observes the ecclesiastical offices of Elder and Deacon, but not salaried ministry. "Gifted Brothers" officiate worship and communion services, and "Gifted Sisters" lead private Bible studies. EXCLUSIVE Plymouth Brethren (conservative) Exclusive or Closed Brethren shun the idea of independence and maintain circles of fellowship without a higher governing body. They do not have Elders, but instead utilize the talents of "leading brothers." * Raven Group * Taylor Group Additional Information: PlymouthBrethren BrethrenAssembly.Com BrethrenAssembly.Org BrethrenAssembly Portblair Andaman Islands Brethren Online, FAQS Emmaus College John Nelson Darby - Synopsis of the Books of the Bible John Nelson Darby - Bible Translation (CCEL) John Nelson Darby - Bible Translation (GospelCom) Kerala Brethren Victorian Web Who Are The Brethren by F.F. Bruce

Name: Church of the Lutheran Brethren in America, CLBA National Offices: Church of the Lutheran Brethren in America 1007 Westside Drive, Box 655 Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655 Origin: During the 1890's, a widespread spiritual awakening occured in the upper midwestern states where many Lutheran congregations felt the need to be more spiritually open, read the Bible with greater earnest, and stress the importance of missions and personal salvation. This was also a period when Sunday School was thought appropriate only for children, not adults. Predictably, existing Lutheran synods looked upon this activity with disdain, so in December of 1900, five Lutheran congregations joined with each other to form a new synod. The Lutheran Brethren follow the "low church" route of no clerical robes or priestly vestments, no ritual Liturgical Service, enjoy gospel songs mixed with traditional hymns, and the unmistakable belief that salvation is a process of regeneration for individuals having reached the age of accountability, being aware of personal sin and forgiveness through God's unmerited grace in Jesus Christ. Lutheran Brethren also adhere to these confessional writings: the Apostle's Creed, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, Augsburg Confession, and Luther's Small Catechism. Additional Information: Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America Lutheran Brethren Seminary Lutheran Brethren Schools Hillcrest Lutheran Academy