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believers</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Priesthood_of_all_believers-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Simplicity" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Simplicity"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.4</span> <span>Simplicity</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Simplicity-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Social_issues" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Social_issues"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.5</span> <span>Social issues</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Social_issues-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Ordinances" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ordinances"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Ordinances</span> </div> </a> <button 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class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Love_feast"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Love feast</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Love_feast-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Structure" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Structure"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Structure</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Structure-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Structure subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Structure-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Ministry" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ministry"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1</span> <span>Ministry</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Ministry-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Officers" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Officers"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.2</span> <span>Officers</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Officers-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Boards,_committees,_and_agencies" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Boards,_committees,_and_agencies"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.3</span> <span>Boards, committees, and agencies</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Boards,_committees,_and_agencies-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Higher_education_institutions_related_to_the_Church_of_the_Brethren" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Higher_education_institutions_related_to_the_Church_of_the_Brethren"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.4</span> <span>Higher education institutions related to the Church of the Brethren</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Higher_education_institutions_related_to_the_Church_of_the_Brethren-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label 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data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Brethren_(religious_group)" title="Brethren (religious group)">Brethren (religious group)</a>.</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Not to be confused with <a href="/wiki/The_Brethren_Church" class="mw-redirect" title="The Brethren Church">The Brethren Church</a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="width: 24em;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;">Church of the Brethren</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Church_of_the_Brethren_(logo).png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A cross with branches of equal size made up of two parallel lines with the bottom-left corner dovetailing into a wave that connects as part of a circle: The words "Church of the Brethren" are written below." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/Church_of_the_Brethren_%28logo%29.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="150" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="150" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">The Church of the Brethren references the <a href="/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus" title="Crucifixion of Jesus">Crucifixion of Jesus</a> with a <a href="/wiki/Latin_cross" title="Latin cross">Latin cross</a>, unity with the circle motif, and biblical references to water and baptism with the wave.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Classification</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism">Protestant</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Orientation</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Radical_Pietism" title="Radical Pietism">Radical Pietist</a> <a href="/wiki/Anabaptism" title="Anabaptism">Anabaptist</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Theology</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Non-creedal" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-creedal">Non-creedal</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Structure</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Congregationalist_polity" class="mw-redirect" title="Congregationalist polity">Congregationalist</a> with districts that meet together in an Annual Conference</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Distinct fellowships</th><td class="infobox-data">The Church of the Brethren, Inc. (ministry and administration), <a href="/wiki/Bethany_Theological_Seminary" title="Bethany Theological Seminary">Bethany Theological Seminary</a>, Eder Financial (financial & retirement services), On Earth Peace (peace initiative)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Associations</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Brethren_World_Assembly" class="mw-redirect" title="Brethren World Assembly">Brethren World Assembly</a>, <a href="/wiki/Christian_Churches_Together" title="Christian Churches Together">Christian Churches Together</a>, <a href="/wiki/Christian_Peacemaker_Teams" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian Peacemaker Teams">Christian Peacemaker Teams</a>, <a href="/wiki/Church_World_Service" title="Church World Service">Church World Service</a>, <a href="/wiki/Historic_Peace_Churches" class="mw-redirect" title="Historic Peace Churches">Historic Peace Churches</a>, <a href="/wiki/Leadership_Conference_on_Civil_Rights" class="mw-redirect" title="Leadership Conference on Civil Rights">Leadership Conference on Civil Rights</a>, <a href="/wiki/National_Council_of_Churches" title="National Council of Churches">National Council of Churches</a>, <a href="/wiki/World_Council_of_Churches" title="World Council of Churches">World Council of Churches</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Region</th><td class="infobox-data">United States (headquarters), with groups in <a href="/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a>; the <a href="/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a>; <a href="/wiki/Haiti" title="Haiti">Haiti</a>; <a href="/wiki/Nigeria" title="Nigeria">Nigeria</a> and <a href="/wiki/Oku,_Cameroon" title="Oku, Cameroon">Oku</a>, Cameroon; <a href="/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a>; and <a href="/wiki/South_Sudan" title="South Sudan">South Sudan</a>; also present in Ecuador (<a href="/wiki/United_Andean_Indian_Mission" title="United Andean Indian Mission">United Andean Indian Mission</a>) and India having (two Brethren denominations and the <a href="/wiki/Church_of_North_India" title="Church of North India">Church of North India</a>).</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Headquarters</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Elgin,_Illinois" title="Elgin, Illinois">Elgin, Illinois</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Founder</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Mack" title="Alexander Mack">Alexander Mack</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Schwarzenau Brethren">Schwarzenau Brethren</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Origin</th><td class="infobox-data">1708 <br /><a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau,_Bad_Berleburg" class="mw-redirect" title="Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg">Schwarzenau</a>, Germany</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Branched from</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Schwarzenau Brethren">Schwarzenau Brethren</a> in the United States</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Separations</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren_Church" title="Dunkard Brethren Church">Dunkard Brethren Church</a> (1926)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Congregations</th><td class="infobox-data">2,600</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Members</th><td class="infobox-data">600,000</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Aid organization</th><td class="infobox-data">Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Service Center, Brethren Volunteer Service, Children's Disaster Services, <a href="/wiki/Heifer_International" title="Heifer International">Heifer International</a>, <a href="/wiki/SERRV_International" title="SERRV International">SERRV International</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Nursing homes</th><td class="infobox-data">21 (Fellowship of Brethren Homes)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="/wiki/Higher_education" class="mw-redirect" title="Higher education">Tertiary institutions</a></th><td class="infobox-data">Six colleges and universities (<a href="/wiki/Bridgewater_College" title="Bridgewater College">Bridgewater College</a>, <a href="/wiki/Elizabethtown_College" title="Elizabethtown College">Elizabethtown College</a>, <a href="/wiki/Juniata_College" title="Juniata College">Juniata College</a>, <a href="/wiki/Manchester_University_(Indiana)" title="Manchester University (Indiana)">Manchester University</a>, <a href="/wiki/McPherson_College" title="McPherson College">McPherson College</a>, and <a href="/wiki/University_of_La_Verne" title="University of La Verne">University of La Verne</a>), one seminary (<a href="/wiki/Bethany_Theological_Seminary" title="Bethany Theological Seminary">Bethany Theological Seminary</a>), see also <a href="/wiki/Brethren_Colleges_Abroad" title="Brethren Colleges Abroad">Brethren Colleges Abroad</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="white-space: nowrap;">Official website</th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/">brethren.org</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output 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.mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks hlist"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of a series on the</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="background:none;padding-top:0;font-size:150%;"><a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Schwarzenau Brethren"><span style="color:#428c9c;">Schwarzenau Brethren</span></a> <div style="font-size:55%;">(the German Baptists or Dunkers)</div></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image" style="padding-bottom:1.0em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Seal of the Germantown congregation"><img alt="Seal of the Germantown congregation" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg/125px-200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg" decoding="async" width="125" height="123" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg/188px-200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/200_AlexanderMackSeal.jpg 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="197" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;"> Background</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism">Protestantism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anabaptism" title="Anabaptism">Anabaptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Radical_Pietism" title="Radical Pietism">Radical Pietism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Radical_Reformation" title="Radical Reformation">Radical Reformation</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;"> Doctrinal tenets</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink-fragment" href="#Beliefs">Non-creedalism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptism" title="Baptism">Trine baptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Love_feast" class="mw-redirect" title="Love feast">Love feast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Feet_washing" class="mw-redirect" title="Feet washing">Feet washing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_kiss" title="Holy kiss">Holy kiss</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_church" title="Free church">Free church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anointing_with_oil" class="mw-redirect" title="Anointing with oil">Anointing with oil</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Non-resistance" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-resistance">Non-resistance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_pacifism" title="Christian pacifism">Pacifism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Brethren_Card" class="mw-redirect" title="The Brethren Card">The Brethren Card</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;"> People</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alexander_Mack" title="Alexander Mack">Alexander Mack</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shantilal_Bhagat" title="Shantilal Bhagat">Shantilal Bhagat</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Louis_Bauman" title="Louis Bauman">Louis Bauman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conrad_Beissel" title="Conrad Beissel">Conrad Beissel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donald_F._Durnbaugh" title="Donald F. Durnbaugh">Donald F. Durnbaugh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vernard_Eller" title="Vernard Eller">Vernard Eller</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Samuel_Kinsey" title="Samuel Kinsey">Samuel Kinsey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Kline_(elder)" title="John Kline (elder)">John Kline</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Nead" title="Peter Nead">Peter Nead</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christoph_Sauer" title="Christoph Sauer">Christoph Sauer</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;"> Groups</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/The_Brethren_Church" class="mw-redirect" title="The Brethren Church">Brethren Church</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Church of the Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conservative_Grace_Brethren_Churches,_International" title="Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International">Conservative Grace Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren" class="mw-redirect" title="Dunkard Brethren">Dunkard Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fellowship_of_Grace_Brethren_Churches" class="mw-redirect" title="Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches">Grace Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Brethren" class="mw-redirect" title="Old Brethren">Old Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Brethren_German_Baptist" title="Old Brethren German Baptist">Old Brethren German Baptist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_German_Baptist_Brethren" title="Old German Baptist Brethren">Old German Baptist Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_German_Baptist_Brethren,_New_Conference" title="Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference">Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Order_German_Baptist_Brethren" title="Old Order German Baptist Brethren">Old Order German Baptist Brethren</a></li></ul> <p><i>Defunct groups</i> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ephrata_Cloister" title="Ephrata Cloister">Ephrata Cloister</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_of_God_(New_Dunkers)" title="Church of God (New Dunkers)">Church of God (New Dunkers)</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background:#ddddff;"> Related movements</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Amish" title="Amish">Amish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bruderhof" class="mw-redirect" title="Bruderhof">Bruderhof</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Community_of_True_Inspiration" title="Community of True Inspiration">Community of True Inspiration</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hutterites" title="Hutterites">Hutterites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mennonites" title="Mennonites">Mennonites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/River_Brethren" title="River Brethren">River Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quakers" title="Quakers">Quakers</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Template:Schwarzenau Brethren"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Template talk:Schwarzenau Brethren"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Schwarzenau Brethren"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>Church of the Brethren</b> is an <a href="/wiki/Anabaptism" title="Anabaptism">Anabaptist</a> <a href="/wiki/Christian_denomination" title="Christian denomination">Christian denomination</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Schwarzenau Brethren">Schwarzenau Brethren</a> tradition (German: <i lang="de">Schwarzenauer Neutäufer</i> "Schwarzenau New Baptists") that was organized in 1708 by <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Mack" title="Alexander Mack">Alexander Mack</a> in <a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau,_Bad_Berleburg" class="mw-redirect" title="Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg">Schwarzenau</a>, <a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a> during the <a href="/wiki/Radical_Pietism" title="Radical Pietism">Radical Pietist</a> revival.<sup id="cite_ref-Schneider2007_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Schneider2007-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The denomination holds the <a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a> as its only <a href="/wiki/Creed" title="Creed">creed</a>. Historically, the church has taken a strong stance for <a href="/wiki/Nonresistance" title="Nonresistance">nonresistance</a> or Christian <a href="/wiki/Pacifism" title="Pacifism">pacifism</a>—it is one of the three <a href="/wiki/Historic_peace_churches" class="mw-redirect" title="Historic peace churches">historic peace churches</a>, alongside the <a href="/wiki/Mennonites" title="Mennonites">Mennonites</a> and <a href="/wiki/Quakers" title="Quakers">Quakers</a>. Distinctive practices include <a href="/wiki/Believer%27s_baptism" title="Believer's baptism">believer's baptism</a> by forward trine immersion; a threefold <a href="/wiki/Love_feast" class="mw-redirect" title="Love feast">love feast</a> consisting of <a href="/wiki/Feet_washing" class="mw-redirect" title="Feet washing">feet washing</a>, a fellowship meal, and <a href="/wiki/Eucharist" title="Eucharist">communion</a>; anointing for healing; and the <a href="/wiki/Holy_kiss" title="Holy kiss">holy kiss</a>. Its headquarters are in <a href="/wiki/Elgin,_Illinois" title="Elgin, Illinois">Elgin, Illinois</a>, <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a>. </p><p>The first Brethren congregation was established in the United States in 1723. These church bodies became commonly known as "Dunkards" or "Dunkers", and more formally as German Baptist Brethren. The Church of the Brethren represents the largest denomination descended from the Schwarzenau Brethren, adopting this name in 1908. In 1926 there was an exodus of some conservative members of the Church of the Brethren, who formed the <a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren_Church" title="Dunkard Brethren Church">Dunkard Brethren Church</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Lewis2001_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lewis2001-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Early_history">Early history</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Early history"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The history of the <a href="/wiki/Schwarzenau_Brethren" title="Schwarzenau Brethren">Schwarzenau Brethren</a> began in 1708 when a group of eight Christians organized themselves under the leadership of <a href="/wiki/Alexander_Mack" title="Alexander Mack">Alexander Mack</a> (1679–1735) into a church and baptized one another in Schwarzenau, Germany, now part of <a href="/wiki/Bad_Berleburg" title="Bad Berleburg">Bad Berleburg</a> in <a href="/wiki/North_Rhine-Westphalia" title="North Rhine-Westphalia">North Rhine-Westphalia</a>. Five men and three women gathered at the Eder (pronounced ey-duhr), a small river that flows through Schwarzenau, to perform baptism as an outward symbol of their new faith. One of the members of the group first baptized Mack, who then, in turn, baptized the other seven. </p><p>They believed that the established European churches – Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed – were missing the point of true Christianity as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, and as revealed in the New Testament and exemplified by the Early Church. After searching for a church that taught New Testament discipleship and finding none in their area, they committed to follow the commands and example of Jesus in their daily lives regardless of the cost. They rejected established state churches, including infant baptism, existing Eucharistic practices, and the use of physical coercion against other humans. The founding Brethren were initially influenced by Radical Pietist understandings of an invisible, nondenominational church of awakened Christians who would fellowship together in purity and love, awaiting Christ's return; yet they embraced an Anabaptist understanding of the church as a disciplined faith community that enforced Christian standards of discipleship upon those who chose to join their fellowship. The eight founding members referred to themselves as "brethren," and New Baptists (German: <i lang="de">Neue Täufer</i>). The name alluded to the use of the name <i>Täufer</i> (Baptists) by the Mennonites. They suffered persecution for their stand, much as the earlier Anabaptists had. </p><p>The Brethren soon moved to seek religious freedom in America. They founded the first American congregation on Christmas Day 1723 in <a href="/wiki/Germantown,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania" class="mw-redirect" title="Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania">Germantown, Pennsylvania</a>, then a village outside <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They became known as German Baptist Brethren (although this name was not officially recognized until 1836, when the Annual Meeting called itself "The Fraternity of German Baptist Brethren"). In 1871, the denomination adopted the name, "The German Baptist Brethren Church." Until the early 20th century, Brethren were colloquially called <i>Tunkers</i> or <i>Dunkers</i> (from the German for immersionists). </p><p>In 1728, <a href="/wiki/Conrad_Beissel" title="Conrad Beissel">Conrad Beissel</a>, a Brethren minister at <a href="/wiki/Conestoga_Township,_Lancaster_County,_Pennsylvania" class="mw-redirect" title="Conestoga Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania">Conestoga</a> (Lancaster County, Pa.) renounced his association with the Brethren and formed his own group in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. They came to be known as the <a href="/wiki/Ephrata_Cloister" title="Ephrata Cloister">Ephrata Cloister</a>. Beissel practiced a mystical form of Christianity. He encouraged celibacy, a vegetarian diet, and recognition of Saturday as the Sabbath. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG/260px-6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG" decoding="async" width="260" height="195" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG/390px-6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG/520px-6611_Germantown_Brethren.JPG 2x" data-file-width="2307" data-file-height="1730" /></a><figcaption>The first Brethren church built in America, in Germantown near Philadelphia.</figcaption></figure> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Division_in_the_1880s">Division in the 1880s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Division in the 1880s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>After the Beissel split, the Brethren split several times because of doctrinal differences.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The most traditionalist members emphasized consistency, obedience, and the order of the Brethren. They opposed the use of musical instruments, <a href="/wiki/Sunday_schools" class="mw-redirect" title="Sunday schools">Sunday schools</a>, revival meetings, and worldly amusements. They promoted plain dress, plain living, and church discipline. The progressives in the church focused on grace and acceptance. They promoted higher education, salaried ministers, Sunday schools, and <a href="/wiki/Christian_revival" title="Christian revival">revivalism</a>. The majority of Brethren held a position between the two extremes. </p><p>In 1869 and 1880, a group of Brethren in the Miami Valley of Ohio submitted a petition to Annual Conference to stop liberalization and return to traditional Brethren practices, which they identified with the "primitive" apostolic faith. On both occasions, a more moderate petition was submitted to the delegates. Both times, the <a href="/wiki/Miami_Valley" title="Miami Valley">Miami Valley</a> group found the rewording unacceptable. </p><p>In 1881, they resubmitted their petition to Annual Conference, and it was rejected for violating technical procedure. In November 1881, traditionalist Brethren led by the Miami Valley group met and formally split from the Church of the Brethren to form the <a href="/wiki/Old_German_Baptist_Brethren" title="Old German Baptist Brethren">Old German Baptist Brethren</a>. They held their first annual meeting in 1882. </p><p>At the same time, <a href="/wiki/Henry_Holsinger" title="Henry Holsinger">Henry Holsinger</a>, a leader of the progressives in the church, published writings that some Brethren considered slanderous and <a href="/wiki/Schism_(religion)" class="mw-redirect" title="Schism (religion)">schismatic</a>. As a result, he was disfellowshipped from the 1882 annual meeting of the Brethren. He met with other progressives on June 6 and 7, 1883, and together they formed the <a href="/wiki/Brethren_Church" title="Brethren Church">Brethren Church</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The remaining middle group—called "conservatives"—retained the name German Baptist Brethren. At the Annual Conference of 1908 at <a href="/wiki/Des_Moines,_Iowa" title="Des Moines, Iowa">Des Moines, Iowa</a>, the name was officially changed to the Church of the Brethren. The Annual Conference justified the name change by citing the predominant use of English in the church, the fact that the name "German Baptist" frustrated mission work, and that it would disassociate the denomination from the <a href="/wiki/Old_German_Baptist_Brethren" title="Old German Baptist Brethren">Old German Baptist Brethren</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="20th_century">20th century</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: 20th century"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>During the early 20th century, the Church of the Brethren invested heavily in foreign missions in India, China, and other nations. They also embraced the American <a href="/wiki/Temperance_movement" title="Temperance movement">temperance movement</a>. </p><p>The denomination's two-hundred year old peace position was tested when delegates at the Goshen Conference in Goshen, Indiana, adopted the 1918 <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1918war.html">Statement on War and Violence</a> nine months after the United States entered the war to address the issue of conscientious objectors. In July of that year, leaders of the conference were threatened with punishment by the US government under the Sedition Act. The church leaders agreed not to retract the statement, but to withdraw it from circulation.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Discipline for violating church teachings during the church's first two hundred years ranged from setting members "back" from communion to disfellowshipping them as members to, in rare cases, "avoidance" (or <a href="/wiki/Shunning" title="Shunning">shunning</a>). These practices gradually subsided as the earlier emphasis upon unity of practice (the "order of the Brethren") gave way during the 1920s and 1930s to an emphasis upon individual moral autonomy. <a href="/wiki/Martin_Grove_Brumbaugh" title="Martin Grove Brumbaugh">Martin Grove Brumbaugh</a>—a Brethren minister and historian who became governor of Pennsylvania in 1915—played a leading role in disseminating a more progressive vision of Brethren history and practice. His questionable claim that "no force in religion" had been a Brethren teaching since their founding reinforced his calls to relax church discipline.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These changes led to an exodus of many <a href="/wiki/Conservative_Anabaptists" class="mw-redirect" title="Conservative Anabaptists">conservative Brethren</a> in the 1920s, who organized the <a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren_Church" title="Dunkard Brethren Church">Dunkard Brethren Church</a>, which continues to uphold the Brethren practices of <a href="/wiki/Plain_dress" title="Plain dress">plain dress</a> and <a href="/wiki/Christian_head_covering" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian head covering">headcovering</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-DBC2022_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DBC2022-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bronner2015-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During the 1940s and 1950s, acts of global Christian service flourished and energized the denomination. Service work was centered at the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/brethrenservicecenter/">Brethren Service Center</a> in New Windsor, Md., after Brethren purchased a former college campus there for that purpose. Many Brethren joined <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/bvs/">Brethren Volunteer Service</a> and Heifers for Relief, which incorporated independently in 1953 and eventually became <a href="/wiki/Heifer_International" title="Heifer International">Heifer International</a>. The Brethren helped establish the Christian Rural Overseas Program (CROP), which was originally housed at Bethany Biblical Seminary, the Brethren seminary in Oak Brook, Illinois. Well-known leaders of the Brethren Service initiatives included <a href="/wiki/Dan_West_(philanthropist)" title="Dan West (philanthropist)">Dan West</a> and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Zigler,_Michael_Robert_(1891-1985)">M.R. (Michael Robert) Zigler</a>. </p> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:First_Brethren_panorama.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="First Brethren, Nappanee, Indiana." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/First_Brethren_panorama.jpg/300px-First_Brethren_panorama.jpg" decoding="async" width="300" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/First_Brethren_panorama.jpg/450px-First_Brethren_panorama.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/First_Brethren_panorama.jpg/600px-First_Brethren_panorama.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4780" data-file-height="2331" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Nappanee" class="mw-redirect" title="Nappanee">Nappanee</a> First Brethren Church, Indiana, United States.</figcaption></figure> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Bellefontaine Church of the Brethren, located at 534 S. Detroit Street in Bellefontaine, Ohio, United States." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg/300px-Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg" decoding="async" width="300" height="225" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg/450px-Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg/600px-Bellefontaine_Church_of_the_Brethren.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2816" data-file-height="2112" /></a><figcaption>Church of the Brethren, <a href="/wiki/Bellefontaine,_Ohio" title="Bellefontaine, Ohio">Bellefontaine</a>, Ohio, United States.</figcaption></figure> <p>From the end of the Second World War to the present, Brethren have continued to be active in service and missions around the world. Differences have also remained, with Brethren individuals, churches, and districts disagreeing about issues including Biblical authority, ordination of women, homosexuality, climate change, and <a href="/wiki/Ecumenism" title="Ecumenism">ecumenism</a>. </p><p>The 1958 Annual Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, decided that trine immersion would not be required of all members, allowed ordination of women, opened love feast to members of any church, and permitted bread and cup communion outside of love feast. </p><p>At the Annual Conference in <a href="/wiki/Ocean_Grove,_New_Jersey" title="Ocean Grove, New Jersey">Ocean Grove, New Jersey</a>, the next year, a group of conservative Brethren responded by forming the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF). The BRF describes itself as "a loyal concern movement within the Church of the Brethren." The BRF advocates simple dress, <a href="/wiki/Biblical_inerrancy" title="Biblical inerrancy">Biblical inerrancy</a>, church discipline, and an <a href="/wiki/Evangelicalism" title="Evangelicalism">evangelical</a> understanding of faith. It has been critical of the denomination's involvement in political and social causes, as well as its association with the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches. </p><p>Progressive-leaning groups have also grown. Groups including the Womaen's Caucus, Voices for an Open Spirit, Open Table Cooperative, and Brethren-Mennonite Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests advocate changes to church doctrine and practice. Proposed changes have include giving the denomination a gender-neutral name, allowing LGBT Brethren to be ordained as ministers and get married, and increasing the political and social mission of the church. </p><p>Although a divide exists within the church on these issues, the official position of the church is that the Bible is the Word of God, and that covenant relationships between homosexuals are unacceptable.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the church also affirms "<a href="/wiki/Unity_in_diversity" title="Unity in diversity">unity in diversity</a>", which generally allows for church districts and congregations to set doctrine.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="21st_century">21st century</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: 21st century"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In July 2019, the Association of Brethren Churches, since renamed the Covenant Brethren Church (CBC), organized as a movement to explore separation from the Church of the Brethren.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The CBC began with a vision cast in July 2019, as Church of the Brethren leaders from thirteen districts gathered in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to pray, discern, and discuss a new vision for Brethren in the 21st Century. A temporary executive board was called, and sub-teams were tasked with working at various aspects of the vision. Subsequent, steadily growing gatherings of Brethren from across the United States met in Winchester and Woodstock, Virginia and widely affirmed these developments. </p><p>On November 16, 2019, at the Antioch Church in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the assembled group was first called The Covenant Brethren Church, and moved toward establishing an office in north-central West Virginia. A Statement of Faith and by-laws are in development for this new movement. The CBC has stated that it fully affirms biblical authority, the sanctity of marriage as expressed in Genesis 2 and affirmed by Jesus Christ in Matthew 19, the sanctity of human life from conception, and the historical New Testament ideals and practices held by the Brethren since 1708. </p><p>The Church of the Brethren Leadership Team responded to these developments with a statement expressing concerns with the CBC's direction and said division was "not a path forward."<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Church of the Brethren, meanwhile, has been moving forward with a "Compelling Vision Statement"<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> process designed to create a direction for the denomination that will aid in unifying it and moving it forward. In 2024, the worldwide Church of the Brethren organized along national lines to form the Global Church of the Brethren Communion with founding members Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, India, Nigeria, Rwanda, Spain, Uganda, the United States, and Venezuela.<sup id="cite_ref-gcotbc_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-gcotbc-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 2023, all six Puerto Rican churches in the Church of the Brethren joined the <a href="/wiki/Covenant_Brethren_Church" class="mw-redirect" title="Covenant Brethren Church">Covenant Brethren Church</a>. This was affirmed in 2024.<sup id="cite_ref-pr_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pr-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Statistics">Statistics</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Statistics"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to a denomination census released in 2020, it has 11 member denominations in 11 countries, approximately 2,600 churches and 600,000 baptized members.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A line-drawing of a world map with the United States and Puerto Rico in black; Ecuador and India in violet; Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nigeria, and Sudan in cyan; and Argentina, mainland China, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Niger, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey in magenta." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg/400px-Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg.png" decoding="async" width="400" height="205" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg/600px-Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg/800px-Church_of_the_Brethren_map.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="863" data-file-height="443" /></a><figcaption>A map of the worldwide scope of the Church of the Brethren: <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r981673959">.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}</style><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:black; color:white;"> </span> Headquarters of the Church (United States)</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r981673959"><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:skyblue; color:black;"> </span> Current overseas missions (Brazil; the Dominican Republic; Haiti; Nigeria and Oku, Cameroon; Spain, and Southern Sudan)</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r981673959"><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:purple; color:white;"> </span> Churches that are the result of mergers with other Protestant missions (Ecuador's United Andean Indian Mission and the Church of North India; a single Indian church still belongs to the Church of the Brethren)</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r981673959"><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:magenta; color:black;"> </span> Foreign missions that have closed (Argentina, China, Denmark and Sweden, France and Switzerland, Indonesia, Niger, and Turkey)</div></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Babel,_Malm%C3%B6.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg/220px-Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="156" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg/330px-Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg/440px-Babel%2C_Malm%C3%B6.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4339" data-file-height="3073" /></a><figcaption>Former Brethren church (<i>Betesda</i>) in Malmö, Scania, Sweden.</figcaption></figure> <p>The Church of the Brethren in the United States—like many other mainline churches—has experienced a steady decline in membership since the middle of the 20th century. Despite the overall decline, growth has occurred in some areas through church planting, evangelism, and outreach. It has also spread into other countries including the <a href="/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a> (where it is called "<span title="Spanish-language text"><i lang="es">Iglesia de los Hermanos</i></span>"), <a href="/wiki/Haiti" title="Haiti">Haiti</a> (as "<span title="Haitian Creole-language text"><i lang="ht">Eglise des Frères Haitiens</i></span>"), Brazil, and Spain. </p><p>In <a href="/wiki/Nigeria" title="Nigeria">Nigeria</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_Brethren_in_Nigeria" title="Church of the Brethren in Nigeria">Church of the Brethren</a> is literally known as "Church of the Children of the Same Mother" (<a href="/wiki/Hausa_language" title="Hausa language">Hausa</a>: <i lang="ha">Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria</i>, or EYN). Mission work began in Nigeria in 1923. The membership of EYN, which must be renewed annually, reached 148,000 members in 2002,<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> surpassing the membership of the US-based church.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1965, the Brethren missionaries working in Ecuador since 1945, merged the churches they planted with those of the <a href="/wiki/United_Andean_Indian_Mission" title="United Andean Indian Mission">United Andean Indian Mission</a>, to form the United Evangelical Church, now United Evangelical Methodist Church of Ecuador. In a similar way, in 1970, the mission in India merged with the Anglicans, Baptists, Disciples of Christ and Presbyterians to form the <a href="/wiki/Church_of_North_India" title="Church of North India">Church of North India</a>, though some congregations have seceded since the merger. </p><p>As of 2019 it was reported on the church's yearbook that US membership had dropped below 100,000<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and as of 2020 membership dropped around 91,000.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As of year 2021 down trend continued to around 87,000 members.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Beliefs">Beliefs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Beliefs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Noncreedalism">Noncreedalism</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Noncreedalism"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Brethren have "no <a href="/wiki/Creed" title="Creed">creed</a>", but embrace the entire <a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a> as their "rule of faith and practice". If a single part of the New Testament is most pointed to as a guide for members' lives, it is the <a href="/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mount" title="Sermon on the Mount">Sermon on the Mount</a>. The early Brethren were very meticulous in applying the New Testament to every situation. For example, they baptize in a forward direction because "we are baptized into his death", and at the moment of his death, Jesus' head fell forward. </p><p>When disagreements arise regarding the correct interpretation of New Testament passages or general congregation issues, local congregations go to their regional district conference for resolution. If necessary, the final authority for settling such disputes is the Annual Conference. The minutes of Annual Conference give a clear picture of what matters have been in dispute and how Brethren interpret the New Testament. However, some congregations accept or even encourage individual interpretation of the Bible and their faith. </p><p>In keeping with egalitarianism and respect for the individual, evangelism in the Church of the Brethren is practiced by personal demonstration of faith via good works in the world community, and by nonconfrontational witnessing. </p><p>Brethren espouse the basic beliefs of Christianity, such as the <a href="/wiki/Divinity" title="Divinity">divinity</a> of Christ. They emphasize <a href="/wiki/Peace" title="Peace">peace</a>, <a href="/wiki/Simple_living" title="Simple living">simplicity</a>, the equality of believers, and consistent obedience to Christ, and community discernment of scripture. Community, both within and without the church, is promoted, and Brethren often describe themselves in terms of what they do, rather than what they believe, which is consistent with their notion of a lived faith. Brethren also affirm that "faith without works is dead", and are heavily involved in disaster relief and other charitable works. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Peace">Peace</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Peace"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Church of the Brethren is one of the historic <a href="/wiki/Peace_churches" title="Peace churches">peace churches</a>, which includes Quakers, Amish, Apostolic and Mennonite churches. This is because two of the Brethren's fundamental beliefs are nonviolent resolution of conflict and nonresistance to evil, which they combine with antiwar and peace efforts around the world. The church's commitment to love the enemy and use nonviolence is summarized in its phrase, "all war is sin" (Annual Conference, 1935), and the fact that many Brethren have refused to engage in military service. </p><p>During the <a href="/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution">American Revolution</a> and the <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a>, Brethren required their members to abstain from military service, believing that obedience to Christ precluded such involvements. Until the early 20th century, Brethren baptismal applicants were required to promise that they would uphold the church's teaching about "being defenseless". During the Second World War, Brethren worked with the government to create a system of alternative service, which would allow conscientious objectors to serve their nation and humanity through nonviolent service. <a href="/wiki/Civilian_Public_Service" title="Civilian Public Service">Civilian Public Service</a> was a result of the three historic peace churches collaborating with the U.S. government. While the government provided tools and materials and their work was managed by agencies such as the Soil Conservation or Forest Service, "the historic peace churches funded all the expenses for the men, including food, administrative costs, and a tiny monthly stipend of $2.50" (equivalent to $52 in 2023).<sup id="cite_ref-google43_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-google43-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Alternative service has evolved into Brethren Volunteer Service, a church agency that places many young people and some older persons in volunteer human-service jobs, usually for a one-year term. </p><p>Despite the church's official stance, there are many members of the Church of the Brethren that do not agree with pacifism. This was made particularly evident when, during the Second World War 80% of young Brethren draftees entered active duty in the military.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Recent national surveys of the Brethren suggest that only a minority of the current membership views military service as wrong.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Priesthood_of_all_believers">Priesthood of all believers</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Priesthood of all believers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Brethren follow a nonhierarchical pattern of church life. In the past, most congregations were served by multiple "free" ministers, elected by their own congregations, who supported themselves through other occupations. Today, most congregations have paid pastors, but their function is still somewhat limited, with the <a href="/wiki/Laity" title="Laity">laity</a> still taking a very active role in ministerial work. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Simplicity">Simplicity</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Simplicity"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Brethren have been urged (and in earlier times compelled) to live a relatively simple lifestyle. At various points in their history, Brethren have been prohibited or discouraged from attending fairs and carnivals, swearing oaths, driving motorized vehicles, attending secular colleges, joining <a href="/wiki/Secret_societies" class="mw-redirect" title="Secret societies">secret societies</a>, filing lawsuits, gambling, and using tobacco or alcoholic beverages. </p><p>Simplicity, or nonconformity as it was called until the early 20th century, was once very noticeable in Brethren dress and grooming. Men wore black coats with no collar, and hooks instead of buttons (often referred to as Brethren garb or dressing "in the order"). They would wear beards, but no mustaches. The mustache was seen as a sign of the saloon or the military. Also, the beards were cut in a manner to avoid interference with the <a href="/wiki/Kiss_of_peace" class="mw-redirect" title="Kiss of peace">kiss of peace</a>. In addition, they wore broad-brimmed black hats. </p><p>Women wore long dresses in dark colors, and a white <a href="/wiki/Kapp_(headcovering)" title="Kapp (headcovering)">kapp</a>—a <a href="/wiki/Christian_head_covering" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian head covering">prayer covering</a>. Today, Brethren garb is still worn in the most conservative congregations, although some men dress in a simple style by wearing a collared shirt in a single color without a tie, while women in these congregations may continue to practice the use of a prayer covering.<sup id="cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bronner2015-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The traditional Brethren <a href="/wiki/Plain_dress" title="Plain dress">plain dress</a> is very similar to the clothing of the present-day <a href="/wiki/Amish" title="Amish">Amish</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren_Church" title="Dunkard Brethren Church">Dunkard Brethren Church</a>, formed in 1926 by conservative members of Church of the Brethren, continues to preserve the traditional Brethren practice of <a href="/wiki/Plain_dress" title="Plain dress">plain dress</a><sup id="cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bronner2015-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as do the Old German Baptist Brethren who withdrew during the 1880s. </p><p>Most Brethren were well-acculturated by the second half of the 20th century. Today, many members of the church take simplicity to mean living a more ecologically friendly lifestyle by consuming less and being aware of the effect of their choices on the earth and other people (see <a href="/wiki/Simple_living" title="Simple living">simple living</a>). In many respects, twenty-first century Brethren lifestyles mirror the lifestyles of their non-Brethren neighbors. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Social_issues">Social issues</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Social issues"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Like many mainline denominations, the Church of the Brethren has been debating issues related to human sexuality. In 2002, the Michigan District licensed and ordained an openly gay pastor, making it the first district to do so in the denomination.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, in 2003, the Annual Conference voted to reject the ordination of openly gay and lesbian pastors. </p><p>Since then, however, several congregations within the denomination have publicly announced their support for same-sex marriage and openly LGBT clergy.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2012, the Church of the Brethren adopted a resolution opposing same-sex marriage, but some congregations protested the resolution<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and some voted to begin performing same-gender marriages.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some congregations also publicly welcome transgender members.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2018, the Atlantic Northeast District rejected a proposal to terminate the credentials of clergy who perform a same-sex marriage because the vote did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Northern Ohio District did approve a policy to terminate the clergy credentials of those pastors who perform same-sex marriage.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Virginia's Shenandoah District has similarly withdrawn ordination from ministers who would perform same-sex marriages. </p><p>Official church statements oppose abortion while committing to "develop constructive, creative alternatives".<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Ordinances">Ordinances</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Ordinances"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Brethren avoid the use of the term "sacraments", preferring the term "ordinances". This refers to the symbolic actions ordered by Jesus Christ and practiced by the early church. The Brethren ordinances are: </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Anointing_for_healing">Anointing for healing</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Anointing for healing"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Anointing" title="Anointing">anointing</a>, <a href="/wiki/Anointing_of_the_Sick" class="mw-redirect" title="Anointing of the Sick">Anointing of the Sick</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Faith_healing" title="Faith healing">faith healing</a></div> <p>The person seeking anointing is administered a small amount of oil on his or her forehead. This is followed by the laying on of hands and a prayer for wholeness. This is not to be confused with extreme unction (<a href="/wiki/Last_rites" title="Last rites">last rites</a>), since healing is prayed for and expected. Healing is explicitly stated to include emotional and spiritual healing, as well as physical healing. </p><p>Anointing and <a href="/wiki/Laying_on_of_hands" title="Laying on of hands">laying on of hands</a> have also been used for other purposes, such as consecrating someone for missions or other special service. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Believer's_baptism"><span id="Believer.27s_baptism"></span>Believer's baptism</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Believer's baptism"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Brethren believe that <a href="/wiki/Believer%27s_baptism" title="Believer's baptism">believer's baptism</a> is an outward sign of an inward experience of salvation. Hence, baptism is not performed until one is able to understand and accept the message of the gospel, typically at about age 13. In the early years of the denomination, the age at baptism was generally older. The mode of baptism is trine (three times) immersion in a forward direction in the Name of the Father, and in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Spirit. This is followed by laying on of hands for the impartation of the <a href="/wiki/Holy_Spirit" title="Holy Spirit">Holy Spirit</a>. </p><p>In the early years of the church, people coming into the Church of the Brethren from other denominations were expected to be rebaptized. Today, most congregations will receive members by reaffirmation of faith or by letter of transfer from another congregation or denomination. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Love_feast">Love feast</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Love feast"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/John_13" title="John 13">John 13</a></div> <p>The Brethren love feast is a conscious imitation of Jesus' <a href="/wiki/Last_Supper" title="Last Supper">Last Supper</a> with his disciples. It begins with <a href="/wiki/Maundy_(foot_washing)" title="Maundy (foot washing)">foot washing</a> symbolizing cleansing, humility, and service. They then share a meal, which has symbolized the eschatalogical gathering of the faithful when Christ returns, but currently emphasizes fellowship within the faith community. Finally, they share the bread and cup <a href="/wiki/Eucharist" title="Eucharist">communion</a> (using unfermented red grape juice), symbolizing participation in Christ's suffering and death. There may also be hymns and a <a href="/wiki/Sermon" title="Sermon">sermon</a>, as well as a preliminary time of self-examination. Usually women and men sit at different tables, but in most congregations, no onus exists on sitting together—by family, child with parent, to avoid crowding a table, so forth. Even though the Love Feast has changed over the years—becoming shorter, more interactive and less somber, and providing alternatives such as hand-washing—it retains the same three components that it has included from the founding of the Brethren.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Congregations typically hold love feast on <a href="/wiki/Maundy_Thursday" title="Maundy Thursday">Maundy Thursday</a> and again on <a href="/wiki/World_Communion_Sunday" title="World Communion Sunday">World Communion Sunday</a> in October. Some congregations also have bread-and-cup communion periodically during regular worship services. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Structure">Structure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Structure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Brethren practice the "priesthood of all believers", and their structure is egalitarian. Some members still address each other as "Brother Sam" or "Sister Sarah", for example. The practice is more common in the Eastern United States. Even the moderator of Annual Conference, the highest elected office in the church, is addressed as "Brother (or Sister) Moderator". </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Ministry">Ministry</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Ministry"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The term "minister" is understood as both a spiritual and a functional role rather than a hierarchical position of authority. In the early days, most congregations had several ministers chosen ("called" or "elected") by the members of the congregation. The concept of a professional pastor (first explicitly permitted in 1911) slowly became the predominant model, although some congregations still have "free" (nonsalaried) ministers and plural ministry. </p><p>Historically, there have been three degrees of ministry in the Church of the Brethren: </p> <ul><li>The first degree (now known as a licensed minister) is bestowed on those who are considering serving as ministers. The period of licensure is a time for education and self-examination, after which the individual either advances to ordination or returns to lay status.</li> <li>The second degree minister, or ordained minister, is one who intends to continue serving in a ministerial role, usually as a professional pastor, teacher, counselor, or administrator.</li> <li>The third degree of minister, also known as an elder, served as a head minister and supervised other ministers in a congregation. By the 1960s, many roles previously reserved for non-salaried elders had been assigned to salaried pastors, leaving elders with little unique ministerial function. So the Annual Conference of 1967 decided that no elders would be elected after that time. Some congregations in the Southern Pennsylvania and Atlantic Northeast Districts still elect elders.</li></ul> <p>The denomination ordains women as pastors and affirms them for all levels of leadership in the church.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Brethren also select lay leaders as deacons as in most congregations. They assist in ministerial functions, particularly by tending to the physical and spiritual needs of individual members. Often, a husband and wife serve together as deacons. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Officers">Officers</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Officers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The leading officers in the Church of the Brethren for business purposes are called moderators. Their principal function is to chair business meetings. There are congregational moderators, district moderators, and an Annual Conference (denominational) moderator. </p><p>In current practice, the Annual Conference moderator is elected to a two-year term, serving for the first year as "moderator-elect." An Annual Conference secretary, elected to a five-year term, keeps track of the flow of business. Together, the officers "receive and process the business of Annual Conference, establish and manage agendas ... represent the Conference at district meetings and other appropriate settings, and respond to concerns of denominational members regarding actions and activities of Conference."<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Boards,_committees,_and_agencies"><span id="Boards.2C_committees.2C_and_agencies"></span>Boards, committees, and agencies</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Boards, committees, and agencies"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Each congregation selects delegates to serve at an Annual Conference (traditionally called Annual Meeting), which is the final human authority in questions of faith and practice. Issues that cannot be resolved on a local level, or which have implications for the church as a whole are framed as "queries", which are submitted by a congregation to the district (since 1866), and then, if necessary, are passed on to Annual Conference. Standing Committee, a body composed of representatives from each district, processes the business that comes to Annual Conference and makes recommendations. Often a committee is formed to study the matter, and an answer is reported and adopted by a vote of the delegates at a subsequent Annual Conference, although sometimes a query is returned. </p><p>The Brethren have numerous boards and committees (sometimes called "teams") that can be either temporary or permanent and either highly focused on one issue (e.g. evangelism) or general in scope. Several agencies are given charge of carrying out the ministries of the church under the auspices of Annual Conference. </p><p>At the 2008 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, two of these agencies—the Church of the Brethren General Board and the Association of Brethren Caregivers—were combined into a single entity, the Church of the Brethren, Inc., the ministry arm of which is now known as the Mission and Ministry Board. Headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, its programs include,<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Global Mission and Service, Brethren Volunteer Service,<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Youth/Young Adult Ministries, Intercultural Ministries, and Discipleship Ministries. The <i>Messenger</i> periodical,<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> whose roots go back to 1851—making it one of the oldest continually operating church periodicals in the country—is the official magazine of the church.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The general secretary, typically hired for renewable five-year terms, oversees the work of the Church of the Brethren, Inc., and is the chief ecumenical officer of the denomination. Other Annual Conference agencies include <a href="/wiki/Bethany_Theological_Seminary" title="Bethany Theological Seminary">Bethany Theological Seminary</a>, Brethren Benefit Trust, and On Earth Peace. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Higher_education_institutions_related_to_the_Church_of_the_Brethren">Higher education institutions related to the Church of the Brethren</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Higher education institutions related to the Church of the Brethren"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Mall-panoramic--web.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Mall-panoramic--web.jpg/300px-Mall-panoramic--web.jpg" decoding="async" width="300" height="119" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Mall-panoramic--web.jpg/450px-Mall-panoramic--web.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Mall-panoramic--web.jpg 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="238" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Manchester_University_(Indiana)" title="Manchester University (Indiana)">Manchester University</a> at <a href="/wiki/North_Manchester,_Indiana" title="North Manchester, Indiana">North Manchester</a>, <a href="/wiki/Indiana" title="Indiana">Indiana</a>.</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bridgewater_College" title="Bridgewater College">Bridgewater College</a> in Bridgewater, Virginia</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elizabethtown_College" title="Elizabethtown College">Elizabethtown College</a> in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Juniata_College" title="Juniata College">Juniata College</a> in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania</li> <li><a href="/wiki/University_of_La_Verne" title="University of La Verne">University of La Verne</a> in La Verne, California</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manchester_University_(Indiana)" title="Manchester University (Indiana)">Manchester University</a> in North Manchester, Indiana</li> <li><a href="/wiki/McPherson_College" title="McPherson College">McPherson College</a> in McPherson, Kansas</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bethany_Theological_Seminary" title="Bethany Theological Seminary">Bethany Theological Seminary</a> in Richmond, Indiana</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Schneider2007-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Schneider2007_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFSchneider2007" class="citation book cs1">Schneider, Hans (June 21, 2007). <i>German Radical Pietism</i>. Scarecrow Press. p. 168. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4616-5884-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4616-5884-9"><bdi>978-1-4616-5884-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=German+Radical+Pietism&rft.pages=168&rft.pub=Scarecrow+Press&rft.date=2007-06-21&rft.isbn=978-1-4616-5884-9&rft.aulast=Schneider&rft.aufirst=Hans&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Lewis2001-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Lewis2001_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLewis2001" class="citation book cs1">Lewis, James R. (March 2001). <i>The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions</i>. Prometheus Books. p. 139. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-61592-738-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-61592-738-8"><bdi>978-1-61592-738-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Encyclopedia+of+Cults%2C+Sects%2C+and+New+Religions&rft.pages=139&rft.pub=Prometheus+Books&rft.date=2001-03&rft.isbn=978-1-61592-738-8&rft.aulast=Lewis&rft.aufirst=James+R.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Donald B. Kraybill, <i>Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites</i>, JHU Press, USA, 2010, p. 83</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cob-net.org/19th.htm">"19th Century Acculturation of the Brethren"</a>. Cob-net<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 15,</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=19th+Century+Acculturation+of+the+Brethren&rft.pub=Cob-net&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cob-net.org%2F19th.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Brethren_Church">"Brethren Church"</a>. <i>Ohio History Connection</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Ohio+History+Connection&rft.atitle=Brethren+Church&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fohiohistorycentral.org%2Fw%2FBrethren_Church&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCarl_F_Bowman1995" class="citation book cs1">Carl F Bowman (1995). <i>Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People</i>. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 225–232.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Brethren+Society%3A+The+Cultural+Transformation+of+a+Peculiar+People&rft.pages=225-232&rft.pub=Johns+Hopkins+University+Press&rft.date=1995&rft.au=Carl+F+Bowman&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/CO/documents/session-3-goshen-conference.pdf">"The Goshen Conference: Call of Conscience"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Church of the Brethren</i>. 2013.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.atitle=The+Goshen+Conference%3A+Call+of+Conscience&rft.date=2013&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2FCO%2Fdocuments%2Fsession-3-goshen-conference.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span><sup class="noprint Inline-Template"><span style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot"><span title=" Dead link tagged July 2022">dead link</span></a></i><span style="visibility:hidden; color:transparent; padding-left:2px">‍</span>]</span></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCarl_F_Bowman1995" class="citation book cs1">Carl F Bowman (1995). <i>Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People</i>. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 252–253, 356–357.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Brethren+Society%3A+The+Cultural+Transformation+of+a+Peculiar+People&rft.pages=252-253%2C+356-357&rft.pub=Johns+Hopkins+University+Press&rft.date=1995&rft.au=Carl+F+Bowman&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span> See also <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDonald_F_Durnbaugh1997" class="citation book cs1">Donald F Durnbaugh (1997). <i>Fruit of the Vine: A History of the Brethren 1708-1995</i>. Brethren Press. pp. 390–391.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Fruit+of+the+Vine%3A+A+History+of+the+Brethren+1708-1995&rft.pages=390-391&rft.pub=Brethren+Press&rft.date=1997&rft.au=Donald+F+Durnbaugh&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-DBC2022-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-DBC2022_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220418125909/https://www.dunkardbrethrenchurch.com/Church-History.html">"History"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Dunkard_Brethren_Church" title="Dunkard Brethren Church">Dunkard Brethren Church</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.dunkardbrethrenchurch.com/Church-History.html">the original</a> on April 18, 2022<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 21,</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=History&rft.pub=Dunkard+Brethren+Church&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dunkardbrethrenchurch.com%2FChurch-History.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bronner2015-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bronner2015_10-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBronner2015" class="citation book cs1">Bronner, Simon J. (March 4, 2015). <i>Encyclopedia of American Folklife</i>. <a href="/wiki/Routledge" title="Routledge">Routledge</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-317-47194-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-317-47194-3"><bdi>978-1-317-47194-3</bdi></a>. <q>Only a tiny minority within the Church of the Brethren continues some vestigates of plain dress, such as the prayer covering for women. The Old German Baptist Brethren and the Dunkard Brethren, however, have maintained standards of traditional plain dress.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Encyclopedia+of+American+Folklife&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=2015-03-04&rft.isbn=978-1-317-47194-3&rft.aulast=Bronner&rft.aufirst=Simon+J.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151117031059/http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1979biblicalinspirationauthority.html">"1979 Biblical Inspiration Authority"</a>. Brethren. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1979biblicalinspirationauthority.html">the original</a> on November 17, 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 15,</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=1979+Biblical+Inspiration+Authority&rft.pub=Brethren&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fac%2Fstatements%2F1979biblicalinspirationauthority.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021331/http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1983humansexuality.html#Homosexual">"1983 Human Sexuality"</a>. Brethren. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">April 17,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=laverne.edu&rft.atitle=Reconciling+Narrow+Minds+with+Open+Hearts&rft.aulast=Barr&rft.aufirst=Cameron&rft.au=Campbell%2C+Kristen&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Flaverne.edu%2Flaverne-magazine%2F2012%2F05%2Freconciling-narrow-minds-with-open-hearts%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVan_Arsdall2016" class="citation web cs1">Van Arsdall, Sherry (May 22, 2016). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.goshennews.com/news/goshen-church-votes-sunday-to-allow-same-sex-marriages/article_625255b6-2046-11e6-a47a-4b7081dc1cef.html">"Goshen church votes Sunday to allow same-sex marriages"</a>. <i>Goshen News</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 15,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Goshen+News&rft.atitle=Goshen+church+votes+Sunday+to+allow+same-sex+marriages&rft.date=2016-05-22&rft.aulast=Van+Arsdall&rft.aufirst=Sherry&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.goshennews.com%2Fnews%2Fgoshen-church-votes-sunday-to-allow-same-sex-marriages%2Farticle_625255b6-2046-11e6-a47a-4b7081dc1cef.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-33">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://northviewcob.org/partners/">"Partners in Ministry"</a>. Northview Church of the Brethren<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 15,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Partners+in+Ministry&rft.pub=Northview+Church+of+the+Brethren&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnorthviewcob.org%2Fpartners%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190329215130/http://www.brethren.org/news/2018/atlantic-northeast-district-conference.html">"Atlantic Northeast District rejects"</a>. <i>Church of the Brethren</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/news/2018/atlantic-northeast-district-conference.html">the original</a> on March 29, 2019<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 29,</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.atitle=Atlantic+Northeast+District+rejects&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fnews%2F2018%2Fatlantic-northeast-district-conference.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/news/2018/districts-consider-policies.html">"Districts consider policies on same-sex marriage"</a>. <i>Church of the Brethren</i>. October 5, 2018<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">March 29,</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.atitle=Districts+consider+policies+on+same-sex+marriage&rft.date=2018-10-05&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fnews%2F2018%2Fdistricts-consider-policies.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160807135926/http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1984abortion.html">"1984 Abortion"</a>. <i>www.brethren.org</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1984abortion.html">the original</a> on August 7, 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 15,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.brethren.org&rft.atitle=1984+Abortion&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fac%2Fstatements%2F1984abortion.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCarl_F_Bowman1995" class="citation book cs1">Carl F Bowman (1995). <i>Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People</i>. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 368–374.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Brethren+Society%3A+The+Cultural+Transformation+of+a+Peculiar+People&rft.pages=368-374&rft.pub=Johns+Hopkins+University+Press&rft.date=1995&rft.au=Carl+F+Bowman&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ministryoffice/forms.html">"Forms | Church of the Brethren"</a>. <i>Church of the Brethren</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">June 15,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.atitle=Forms+%7C+Church+of+the+Brethren&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fministryoffice%2Fforms.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAnnual_Conference1977" class="citation web cs1">Annual Conference, Church of the Brethren (1977). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1977-Equality-for-Women.pdf">"1977, Equality for Women in the Church of the Brethren"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Church of the Brethren Annual Conference</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Church+of+the+Brethren+Annual+Conference&rft.atitle=1977%2C+Equality+for+Women+in+the+Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.date=1977&rft.aulast=Annual+Conference&rft.aufirst=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fac%2Fstatements%2F1977-Equality-for-Women.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/ac/leadership-structure.html">"Leadership structure"</a>. <i>www.brethren.org</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 10,</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.brethren.org&rft.atitle=Leadership+structure&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fac%2Fleadership-structure.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.brethrenpress.com/">Brethren Press</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/bvs/">Brethren Volunteer Service</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/messenger/">Messenger</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/messenger/about.html">"About us"</a>. <i>Messenger Magazine</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 11,</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Messenger+Magazine&rft.atitle=About+us&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brethren.org%2Fmessenger%2Fabout.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><i>Background and Development of Brethren Doctrines, 1650–1987</i>, Dale R. Stoffer (1989) Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0936693224" title="Special:BookSources/978-0936693224">978-0936693224</a></li> <li><i>Beliefs of the Early Brethren: 1706–1735</i>, William G. Willoughby (1999) Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0936693514" title="Special:BookSources/978-0936693514">978-0936693514</a></li> <li><i>Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People</i>, <a href="/wiki/Carl_Bowman" title="Carl Bowman">Carl F. Bowman</a> (1995) Johns Hopkins University Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0801849053" title="Special:BookSources/978-0801849053">978-0801849053</a></li> <li><i>Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol. I–III</i>, <a href="/wiki/Donald_F._Durnbaugh" title="Donald F. Durnbaugh">Donald F. Durnbaugh</a>, editor (1983) The Brethren Encyclopedia Inc.</li> <li><i>Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol. IV</i>, Donald F. Durnbaugh and Dale V. Ulrich, editors, <a href="/wiki/Carl_Bowman" title="Carl Bowman">Carl Bowman</a>, contributing editor (2006) The Brethren Encyclopedia Inc.</li> <li><i>The Brethren in Industrial America: A Source Book on the Development of the Church of the Brethren, 1865–1915</i>, Roger Sappington (ed.), (1985), Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0871781116" title="Special:BookSources/978-0871781116">978-0871781116</a></li> <li><i>Church of the Brethren Yesterday and Today</i> Donald F. Durnbaugh and <a href="/wiki/Carl_Bowman" title="Carl Bowman">Carl Desportes Bowman</a> (1986), Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0871781512" title="Special:BookSources/978-0871781512">978-0871781512</a></li> <li><i>Encyclopedia of American Religions</i>, J. Gordon Melton, editor</li> <li><i>Fruit of the Vine, A History of the Brethren 1708–1995</i>, Donald F. Durnbaugh (1996) Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0871780034" title="Special:BookSources/978-0871780034">978-0871780034</a></li> <li><i>Handbook of Denominations</i>, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood</li> <li><i>Portrait of a People: The Church of the Brethren at 300</i>, Carl Desportes Bowman (2008) Brethren Press <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0871780850" title="Special:BookSources/978-0871780850">978-0871780850</a></li> <li><i>Profiles in Belief: the Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada</i>, by Arthur Carl Piepkorn</li> <li><i>Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000)</i>, Glenmary Research Center</li> <li><i>The Believers' Church: The History and Character of Radical Protestantism</i>, Donald F. Durnbaugh (1968) The Macmillan Company ISBN</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output 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plainlist"><ul><li><span class="sister-logo"><span class="mw-valign-middle" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/20px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="27" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/40px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></span><span class="sister-link"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Church_of_the_Brethren" class="extiw" title="c:Category:Church of the Brethren">Media</a> from Commons</span></li><li><span class="sister-logo"><span class="mw-valign-middle" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/26px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="26" height="27" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/39px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/51px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span></span><span class="sister-link"><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Category:Church_of_the_Brethren" class="extiw" title="s:Category:Church of the Brethren">Texts</a> from Wikisource</span></li><li><span class="sister-logo"><span class="mw-valign-middle" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/27px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="27" height="15" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/41px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/54px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1050" data-file-height="590" /></span></span></span><span class="sister-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1089826" class="extiw" title="d:Q1089826">Data</a> from Wikidata</span></li></ul></div></div> </div> <ul><li><span class="official-website"><span class="url"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.brethren.org/">Official website</a></span></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMallott1953" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1">Mallott, Floyd E. (1953). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Church_of_the_Brethren">"Church of the Brethren"</a>. In <a href="/wiki/John_D._Roth" title="John D. Roth">Roth, John D.</a> (ed.). <i><a href="/wiki/Global_Anabaptist_Mennonite_Encyclopedia_Online" title="Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online">Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online</a></i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Church+of+the+Brethren&rft.btitle=Global+Anabaptist+Mennonite+Encyclopedia+Online&rft.date=1953&rft.aulast=Mallott&rft.aufirst=Floyd+E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fgameo.org%2Findex.php%3Ftitle%3DChurch_of_the_Brethren&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AChurch+of+the+Brethren" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thearda.com/Denoms/D_1180.asp">Church of the Brethren at Association of Religious Data Archives</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141028230113/http://www.thearda.com/Denoms/D_1180.asp">Archived</a> October 28, 2014, at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" 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href="/wiki/Mar_Thoma_Church" class="mw-redirect" title="Mar Thoma Church">Mar Thoma Church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Presbyterian_Church_(USA)" title="Presbyterian Church (USA)">Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformed_Church_in_America" title="Reformed Church in America">Reformed Church in America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ" title="United Church of Christ">United Church of Christ</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_Church_(Disciples_of_Christ)" title="Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)">Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Church of the Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)" title="Episcopal Church (United States)">Episcopal Church</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Orthodox</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Eastern</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Greek_Orthodox_Archdiocese_of_America" title="Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America">Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orthodox_Church_in_America" title="Orthodox Church in America">Orthodox Church in America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Patriarchal_Parishes_in_the_USA" title="Russian Orthodox Patriarchal Parishes in the USA">Russian Orthodox Patriarchal Parishes in the USA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serbian_Orthodox_Church_in_North_and_South_America" title="Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America">Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ukrainian_Orthodox_Church_of_the_USA" title="Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA">Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Oriental</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mother_See_of_Holy_Etchmiadzin" title="Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin">Armenian Church of America</a> (Eastern and Western Dioceses)</li> <li>Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malankara_Orthodox_Syrian_Church" title="Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church">Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church</a> (American Diocese)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Syrian_Orthodox_Church_of_Antioch" class="mw-redirect" title="Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch">Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch</a> (Archdiocese of the Eastern United States)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Catholic</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Assyrian_Church_of_the_East" title="Assyrian Church of the East">Assyrian Church of the East</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ecumenical_Catholic_Communion" title="Ecumenical Catholic Communion">Ecumenical Catholic Communion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polish_National_Catholic_Church" title="Polish National Catholic Church">Polish National Catholic Church</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/International_Council_of_Community_Churches" title="International Council of Community Churches">International Council of Community Churches</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Community_of_Christ" title="Community of Christ">Community of Christ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Swedenborgian_Church_of_North_America" title="Swedenborgian Church of North America">Swedenborgian Church of North America</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">History</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Federal_Council_of_Churches" title="Federal Council of Churches">Federal Council of Churches</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Publishing <br />and research</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version" title="Revised Standard Version">Revised Standard Version</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version" title="New Revised Standard Version">New Revised Standard Version</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yearbook_of_American_and_Canadian_Churches" title="Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches">Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><a href="/wiki/List_of_National_Council_of_Churches_members" title="List of National Council of Churches members">List of members</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" 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