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The Brethren in Christ Church (BIC) is a
River Brethren The River Brethren are a group of historically related Anabaptist Christian denominations originating in 1770, during the Radical Pietist movement among German colonists in Pennsylvania. In the 17th century, Mennonite refugees from Switzerland ...
Christian denomination with roots in the
Mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...
church,
Radical Pietism Radical Pietism are those Ecclesiastical separatism, Christian churches who decided to break with denominational Lutheranism in order to emphasize certain teachings regarding holy living. Radical Pietists contrast with Church Pietists, who chose t ...
, and
Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles W ...
holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
. They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites. The Canadian denomination is called Be In Christ.


History

The Brethren in Christ have their headquarters in
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. It loosely shares an early connection with the United Brethren back to 1767. The Brethren in Christ trace their denomination back to a group of Mennonites who lived just north of
Marietta, Pennsylvania Marietta is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,633 at the 2020 census. It is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River northwest of Columbia. Geography Marietta is located in western Lancaster County at ( ...
, on the east side of the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...
. As they met to study the Bible and to worship God in the 1770s, the people of this group who became known as the River Brethren searched early church history and developed a conviction that
believer's baptism Believer's baptism or adult baptism (occasionally called credobaptism, from the Latin word meaning "I believe") is the practice of baptizing those who are able to make a conscious profession of faith, as contrasted to the practice of baptizing ...
by triune immersion was the scriptural form of baptism. The River Brethren of the 18th century also held to a firm reliance on the centricity of Jesus in Scripture, especially the literal application of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5 - 7. As their
Pietist Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life, including a social concern for ...
lifestyles and their beliefs regarding evangelism and assimilation to follow societal norms continued to develop, they began to distance themselves from other
Anabaptist Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
denominations, such as the
Mennonites Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...
and
German Baptist Brethren German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, of which groups they had previously been a part.
Jacob Engle Jacob Engle, born Jacob Engel (1753–1854), was the most important leader of the River Brethren in the time of their emergence. Engle was born in Switzerland as the fourth son of Ulrich Engel and Anna née Brächbühl. As an infant he emigrat ...
is noted as one of the early leaders (sometimes considered the "founder" of the BIC Church). The first confessional statement of this group was formulated around 1780, after the stressful time of the American Revolution. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, when required by the Union government of the United States to register as a body that held peaceful, non-combatant
non-resistance Nonresistance (or non-resistance) is "the practice or principle of not resisting authority, even when it is unjustly exercised". At its core is discouragement of, even opposition to, physical resistance to an enemy. It is considered as a form of pri ...
values, the name "Brethren in Christ'" was adopted. "River Brethren" remained the term of popular usage into the 20th century for the American members of the denomination while "Dunkers" was the popular moniker given to the Canadian denomination members until the 1930s. The denomination still holds strongly to its pursuit of peace, but within the denomination there are many different interpretations of how this peaceful lifestyle should be lived out. Many live out social
pacifism Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
, while others do not view Christ's call to peace as an antiwar statement, but as a call to live peacefully on an interpersonal level. The history of the denomination is replete with stories of
conscientious objection A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to objecti ...
. Other branches of the River Brethren include the
Old Order River Brethren The Old Order River Brethren are a River Brethren denomination of Anabaptist Christianity with roots in the Radical Pietist movement. As their name indicates, they are Old Order Anabaptists. History The denomination began about 1778 in Pennsy ...
(org. 1843), the
United Zion Church The United Zion Church is a River Brethren Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite Church and the Radical Pietistic movement. A body that became known as ''River Brethren'' began about 1778 in Pennsylvania. They were a group of breth ...
(org. 1855), and the Calvary Holiness Church. About the turn of the 20th century, the Brethren in Christ embraced the teachings of Wesleyan holiness. Members of the Brethren in Christ Church founded
Messiah College Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. O ...
in 1909 (
Grantham, Pennsylvania Grantham is an unincorporated community in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, best known today for the Christian liberal arts college, Messiah University, whose students make up most of its population. Hi ...
), and the Niagara Christian College (later Niagara Christian Community of Schools) in 1932 as a Christian preparatory school in
Ontario, Canada Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
.


Beliefs

The church's current Articles of Faith and Doctrine were adopted in 1986. They emphasize the understanding of the inspired scriptures by the church in community with the illumination of the
Holy Spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
, the "centrality of
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
" in the divine revelation, the necessity of holiness, nonviolence and the importance of community. The church believes that
God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God the Father is regarded as the first person of the Trinity, followed by the second person, God the Son Jesus Christ, and the third person, God t ...
,
God the Son God the Son ( el, Θεὸς ὁ υἱός, la, Deus Filius) is the second person of the Trinity in Christian theology. The doctrine of the Trinity identifies Jesus as the incarnation of God, united in essence (consubstantial) but distinct in ...
, and
God the Holy Spirit For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being God.Grudem ...
reveals Himself through the divine record of scripture, and that salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is received through the response of personal faith and repentance.
Baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
by triune
immersion Immersion may refer to: The arts * "Immersion", a 2012 story by Aliette de Bodard * ''Immersion'', a French comic book series by Léo Quievreux * ''Immersion'' (album), the third album by Australian group Pendulum * ''Immersion'' (film), a 2021 ...
and the
Lord's supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...
are considered ordinances of the church.
Foot washing Foot washing is the act of cleansing one's feet. Foot washing may also refer to: * Maundy (foot washing), a religious rite involving foot washing observed by various Christian denominations * Wudu Wuḍūʾ ( ar, الوضوء ' ) is the Islamic ...
, the dedication of children, prayer for the sick,
laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious practice. In Judaism ''semikhah'' ( he, סמיכה, "leaning f the hands) accompanies the conferring of a blessing or authority. In Christian churches, this practice is used as both a symbolic and formal met ...
, and
anointing Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or oth ...
with oil are important accepted practices, but are not called ordinances. A distinctive of the Brethren in Christ (together with other Anabaptist denominations) is the practice of "Community Hermeneutics". This is the practice that the interpretation of the scriptures is to be done by the church in community, rather than being the responsibility of the church hierarchy or left to the individual Christian.


Status

At the denomination's 2006 General Conference, the Brethren in Christ Church in North America had about 295 churches in the United States and Canada. As of 2001, in the United States there were 20,739 members in 232 churches. Pennsylvania remains the hub of the denomination, with nearly half its congregations and a majority of its members. However, there are numerous congregations in other states, particularly Florida, Ohio, and California. Denominational headquarters is in
Grantham, Pennsylvania Grantham is an unincorporated community in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, best known today for the Christian liberal arts college, Messiah University, whose students make up most of its population. Hi ...
, next to the Grantham BIC Church and
Messiah University Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. O ...
. There are 1,100 churches in 23 countries with a worldwide membership of around 80,000. The BIC church maintains some connection to its Mennonite-influenced heritage by partnering in ministry with the
Mennonite Central Committee Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is a relief service, and peace agency representing fifteen Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and Amish bodies in North America. The U.S. headquarters are in Akron, Pennsylvania, the Canadian in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ...
. The church organization is divided into seven regional conferences (each represented by a bishop who sits on the Leadership Council) and one subconference. The conferences are as follows: Allegheny, Atlantic, Great Lakes, Midwest, Pacific, Southeast, and Susquehanna; the subconference is centered around
Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, and focuses on
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
ministries.
Messiah College Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. O ...
in Grantham, and
Niagara Christian Collegiate Niagara Christian Community of Schools (NCC, formerly known as Niagara Christian Collegiate) is a private school located on the Niagara River just outside Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1932 by the Brethren in Christ Churc ...
in
Fort Erie, Ontario Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is directly across the river from Buffalo, New York, and is the site of Old Fort Erie which played a prominent role in the War of 1812. Fort Erie is one of N ...
, Canada, are affiliated with the BIC. The church is also has affiliations with a number of camps, conference centers, and ministries, as well as Evangel Publishing House in
Nappanee, Indiana Nappanee is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, Elkhart and Kosciusko County, Indiana, Kosciusko counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 6,648 as of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. Census and had grown to 6,913 by the 2 ...
, and Christian Light Bookstores in Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.


BIC Canada

In 2012, the Canadian Conference of the Brethren in Christ and the General Conference of the Brethren in Christ recognized the advantage for both of being independent Churches. Both approved a separation affirmation. The result was the development of BIC Canada and the BIC in the USA. Both continue to work collaboratively with one another and yet recognize their distinctive national identities and structures. In 2017, BIC Canada changed its name to "Be in Christ Church of Canada". Be In Christ Canada has three different expressions of churches - Community Churches,
The Meeting House The Meeting House is an Anabaptist church located in the Greater Toronto Area suburb of Oakville, Ontario. It consists of nineteen regional sites meeting mostly in cinemas, each of which has a lead pastor with a team of elders and part-time st ...
, and Reunion.


Noted Brethren in Christ people

* Jay Smith, Christian apologist *
Bruxy Cavey Timothy Bruce Cavey (born 1965), known as Bruxy Cavey, is a Canadian author and former pastor. He is also the author of ''The End of Religion'' and ''Reunion''. Cavey, along with Greg Boyd, has been an important voice in recent discussions of ...
, author and former pastor *
Harold Albrecht Harold Glenn Albrecht (born October 15, 1949 in Kitchener, Ontario) was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Kitchener—Conestoga from 2006 until 2019. He defeated the incumbent Liberal MP, Lynn M ...
, Canadian former Member of Parliament for the riding of
Kitchener—Conestoga Kitchener—Conestoga (formerly known as Kitchener—Wilmot—Wellesley—Woolwich) is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. Its population in 2021 was 107,134. ...
in Ontario, founder of Pathway Community Church in Kitchener, Ontario.


See also

*
Messiah College Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. O ...
*
Niagara Christian Community of Schools Niagara Christian Community of Schools (NCC, formerly known as Niagara Christian Collegiate) is a private school located on the Niagara River just outside Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1932 by the Brethren in Christ Churc ...
*
Old Order River Brethren The Old Order River Brethren are a River Brethren denomination of Anabaptist Christianity with roots in the Radical Pietist movement. As their name indicates, they are Old Order Anabaptists. History The denomination began about 1778 in Pennsy ...
*
United Zion Church The United Zion Church is a River Brethren Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite Church and the Radical Pietistic movement. A body that became known as ''River Brethren'' began about 1778 in Pennsylvania. They were a group of breth ...
*
Jay Smith (Christian apologist) Jay Smith (born 1953)
April 11, 2011
is an American
* Brethren in Christ Church Society


Notes


References

*''Encyclopedia of American Religions'', J. Gordon Melton, editor *''Handbook of Denominations in the United States'', by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood *''Profiles in Belief: the Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada'', by Arthur Carl Piepkorn *''Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000)'', Glenmary Research Center *''Quest for Piety and Obedience: The Story of the Brethren in Christ'', Carlton O. Wittlinger (1978) *''Two Hundred Years of Tradition and Change: The Brethren in Christ in Canada'', E. Morris Sider (1988) *Brensinger, Terry L., ed. ''Focusing Our Faith: Brethren in Christ Core Values''. Nappanee, IN: Evangel Pub. House, 2000.


External links


beinchrist.ca - Official Be In Christ Church of CanadaOfficial BIC US websiteBrethren in Christ Historical Library and Archives – Archives of Messiah CollegeThe Sider InstituteLibraryThing.com BIC Catalog
– ''unofficial'' listing of librarything.com catalog of BIC related books.
Profile of Brethren in Christ Church on the Association of Religion Data Archives websitegameo.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brethren In Christ Church Anabaptist denominations Religious organizations established in the 1770s Protestant denominations established in the 18th century Anabaptism in Indiana Members of the National Association of Evangelicals Holiness denominations Brethren denominations in North America River Brethren Radical Pietism Holiness pacifism