View source for Church of the Brethren

The '''Church of the Brethren''' is a [[Christian denomination]] with origins in the [[Schwarzenau Brethren]] that was organized in 1708 by [[Alexander Mack]] in [[Schwarzenau]], [[Germany]]. The Brethren movement began as a combination of radical [[Pietism|Pietist]] and [[Anabaptist]] ideas during the [[Protestant Reformation]]. The first of its congregations in the United States was established in 1723. They were known as "Dunkers," and more formally as German Baptist Brethren. The denomination holds the [[New Testament]] as its only [[creed]].

Historically, the church has taken a strong stance for [[non-resistance]] or [[pacifism]].  It is one of the three historic peace churches, the other two being the [[Mennonites]] and the [[Quakers]].

The Church of the Brethren represents the largest body descending from Mack's Schwarzenau Brethren church.  The denomination had 122,810 members as of June 2010<ref>[http://www.brethren.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5502 ''Church of the Brethren Newsline'';Church Of The Brethren Continues Annual Drop In Membership; Walt Wiltschek;(May 28, 2008); Elgin Il]</ref> and 1,047 congregations in the United States and Puerto Rico as of August 2010.<ref name="list">{{cite web |url=http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cob_dirSearch&searchChurch=&searchDistrict=&searchCity=&searchState=PR&searchZip=&dir_search=Search |title=Church directory |publisher=Church of the Brethren |accessdate=November 17, 2012}}</ref> The church is affiliated with six liberal arts colleges and one seminary ([[Bethany Theological Seminary]] in [[Richmond, Indiana]]). General offices and the [[Brethren Press]] are located in [[Elgin, Illinois]].
==Liberal arts colleges related to the Church of the Brethren==
*[http://www.bridgewater.edu/ Bridgewater College] in Bridgewater, Virginia
*[http://www.etown.edu/ Elizabethtown College] in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
*[http://www.juniata.edu/ Juniata College] in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
*[http://www.ulv.edu/ University of La Verne] in La Verne, California
*[http://www.manchester.edu/ Manchester College] in North Manchester, Indiana
*[http://www.mcpherson.edu/ McPherson College] in McPherson, Kansas
==References==
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[[Category:Christian Denominations]]