Christian Brethren
The Christian Brethren of today are apprehensive about the decline in their numbers, and the loss of their traditions and religious practices. Many of the young people are leaving the assemblies of the Christian Brethren and going to other Christian churches. The Christian Brethren are questioning why people are not converting to their denomination to the degree that other denominations experience. They suspect assemblies are declining all over the world because of conflict between many groups with different beliefs within their denomination.
German Separatists
The original descendants of the German Protestants in early America followed Pietisms. Pietism is a movement which originated in the Lutheran in Germany in the 17th century. Pietism stresses personal piety, or a complete reverence for God. The German Separatists Brethren lived a simple, unadorned life. They believe in separation from church and state. They consider the New Testament literally and attempt to put its teachings and practices into every detail of their lives. The German Separatist Pietism became the Church of the Brethren, Brethren Church, The Old German Baptist Brethren and the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, as well as the River Brethren. This group of Christian Brethren believe in foot washing, plain dress with no worldly fashion allowed, women must wear head coverings, anointing of the sick, no oath taking, pacifism, refusal to go to war and the avoidance of all worldly entertainment.
The Mennonite Brethren
The Mennonite Brethren can trace their roots to the 16th century along with the Anabaptist, and the Waldensians, and the Reformation in Europe. A group of Swiss Brethren disagreed with Ulrich Zwingli and his approval of the union of church and State; they denied the Scriptural validity of infant baptism and were considered Anabaptists.
The Mennonite Brethren were persecuted by the Protestant Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church because they rejected infant baptism, the fall of man, deity of Christ, the necessity of repentance, regeneration for salvation, public testimony of faith, Heaven, and hell.
The first Mennonite Brethren families settled in America in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois around 1683.
The Mennonite Brethren practice baptism by pouring, refuse to take oaths, oppose secret societies, automobiles, telephones, and higher education. They take the Lord’s Supper twice a year, practice foot washing, and are great farmers.
The Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren movement originated in England in the 19th century and was started by John Nelson Darby. There were two basic Brethren assemblies in England in 1848 the Exclusive and The Open Brethren. John Nelson Darby led The Exclusive Assemblies and George Muller led The Open Brethren.
The name Plymouth Brethren was not used by the Brethren. It was a term coined by outsiders in Plymouth England. The Plymouth Brethren did not like this name, and changed it to the Christian Brethren or just Brethren in 1961.
The Plymouth Brethren were passionate for Bible doctrine as well as issues like faith, inspiration, salvation, God, the Trinity, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Heaven and hell. The Plymouth Brethren believe the nation of Israel will be fulfilled literally as promised by God. They also believe the tribulation and millennium will be literally fulfilled.
The Plymouth Brethren believe in the imminent coming of Christ for His own in the Rapture of the saints. The Plymouth Brethren never set a date when Christ will return.
History
The Christian Brethren was founded mainly by Anglican evangelicals like Gifford Bellett, Edward Cronin, John Nelson Darby, A.N. Groves, and John Vesey Parnell. The movement was called the Plymouth Brethren and it was the first assembly formed in Plymouth in 1831.
The Christian Brethren movement desired a simpler, straightforward apostolic worship. They wanted to avoid the dryness and starched practice of the clergy and the formal spiritual practice of prevailing churches. They wanted a stronger expectation of the return of Christ.
The Christian Brethren movement met together to share the Lord’s Supper with the absence of an ordained clergy present. They believed the Spirit would guide the movement.
The Christian Brethren, especially John Nelson Darby, believed the other churches were failing because of the misguiding of the elders and deacons.
John Nelson Darby was born in 1800 and died in 1882. He was the grandson of Lord Nelson of England. John Nelson Darby and the three others started doing Bible studies and breaking bread together in Dublin in 1827. John Nelson Darby was a lawyer who gave up his law practice to work as a deacon in the Church of England; but left the Anglican Church later in 1827. He led a breakaway group of believers in 1847. This group held to the controversies of the prophetic interpretations, the humanity of Christ and separatism. John Nelson Darby never married and eventually moved to Plymouth England.
There have been many breakaways from the Christian Brethren since 1847 due to disagreement such as the practice of infant or household baptism.
There were two groups of Brethren by 1889; The Exclusive Brethren and The Open Brethren. They split into different factions because of membership practices and refusal of allowing the other group to participate in their Lord’s Supper. The Open Brethren which became the Christian Brethren were evangelistic and emphasized mission work.
Belief
The Christian Brethren believe the Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God and is given for the revelation of His mind and Will to man. They use the Scofield Bible.
The Christian Brethren believe there is one God, the Creator of all things, eternally and exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They believe all mankind is created in the likeness of God and that individuals has free will to obey or disobey God. It is through the sin of Adam the world has become sinful and must bear their sinfulness. Mankind has no means to attain salvation and for this reason is separated from the family of God.
The Christian Brethren believe in the full deity of Jesus Christ. He is believed to be the true God and true man, the second person of the Triune God, the eternal Word, and the Only Begotten Son of God.
They believe Jesus became man by the miracle of the Virgin Birth, and that He was tempted and was without sin, He gave Himself into death upon the cross, bearing the sin of the world, suffered the full penalty of divine wrath for us all, He rose from the grave in a glorified body, He ascended into Heaven and is our Advocate and Intercessor.
The Christian Brethren believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, the divine agent in nature, revelation and redemption. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment, He regenerates, is indwelling, baptizes, seals and anoints all who becomes children of God through Christ. They believe the Holy Spirit guides, teaches, sanctifies, and fills all believers who will surrender to Him.
The Christian Brethren believe in the bodily resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous, the everlasting happiness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost. They believe salvation is by grace through faith, a free gift of God and can only be received by personal faith in Jesus Christ. They think only true believers receive the gift of eternal life and a sonship in the family of God, the guarantee they shall never perish and have eternal life.
The Christian Brethren believe Christ finished His work on the cross of Calvary for the complete and eternal redemption. They believe God set His seal of approval of the work of Christ when He raised Him bodily from the dead and enthroned Him at His right and in heaven.
The Christian Brethren believe Jesus is coming in the air to rapture His Church. They believe in the future life after death when the spirits of the saved go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven. When Christ comes for His own, their bodies will be raised from the grave, and their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat for Christ to determine rewards. The spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment then their bodies shall be raised from the grave and shall be judged and cast into Hell their final and everlasting punishment.
The Christian Brethren believe Baptism should only be done for believers and by full immersion. The Christian Brethren believe those being baptized are baptized into one Body of Christ the Church. They believe the immersion of believers in the water portray the death, burial and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Christian Brethren believe the Lord’s Supper, or breaking of bread should be done weekly. Any male has the freedom to lead in thanksgiving, prayer or scripture reading.
They believe the Lord’s Supper is the partaking of the bread and cup by the believer as a continuing memorial of the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
The Christian Brethren believe their ordained clergy should not be salaried. They believe they should abstain from participating in worldly events including politics and they do not vote. They believe their New Testament church is a local assembly of born again baptized believers united and meet together in fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The Christian Brethren believe they are free to govern themselves without ecclesiastical interference and are held directly accountable to God. They believe the leadership in the local church should consist of Elders who are responsible to oversee the church and the guidance and leadership of the church.
The Christian Brethren believe men and women are created equally and all believers are priests and have different responsibilities. They believe God gives gifts to all believers for the edification of the body of Christ. The Christian Brethren believe men and women have different roles in the church. They believe there is an order of authority that God has established and that men are responsible for public teaching. They believe women should serve in both the home and among other women.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Christian Brethren:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2624,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Christian Brethren:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2624,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Christian Brethren:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2624, (accessed).
