Conservative Anabaptism includes theologically conservative
Anabaptist
Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. ...
denominations, both in doctrine and practice.
Conservative Anabaptists, along with
Old Order Anabaptists and assimilated mainline Anabaptists, are a subset of the Anabaptist branch of
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
.
Conservative Anabaptists adhere to
Anabaptist doctrine, such as the belief in
nonresistance and the observance of
plain dress
Plain dress is a practice among some religious groups, primarily some Christianity, Christian churches in which people dress in clothes of traditional modest design, sturdy fabric, and conservative cut. It is intended to show acceptance of trad ...
(including the
headcovering), while making judicious use of modern technology.
commonly observed in many Conservative Anabaptist churches include "
baptism
Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
,
communion,
footwashing,
marriage
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
,
anointing with oil, the
holy kiss, and the
prayer covering."
Conservative Anabaptists may have
Sunday school
]
A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes.
Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...
, hold
revival meetings, or operate their own
Christian schools
A Christian school is a religious school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization. These schools often include religious education and worship in their curriculum. They may also have a distinct Christian mission or philosophy.
...
(
parochial school
A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...
s).
Additionally, Conservative Anabaptist fellowships are often engaged in
evangelism
Evangelism, or witnessing, is the act of sharing the Christian gospel, the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is typically done with the intention of converting others to Christianity. Evangelism can take several forms, such as persona ...
and
missionary work
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...
; a 1993 report showed that Conservative Anabaptist denominations in general grew by fifty percent overall within the previous fifteen years.
Among Conservative Anabaptists are the
Dunkard Brethren Church
The Dunkard Brethren Church is a Conservative Anabaptist denomination of the Schwarzenau Brethren tradition, which organized in 1926 when they withdrew from the Church of the Brethren in the United States.
The Dunkard Brethren Church observes ...
,
Conservative Mennonites
Conservative Mennonites include numerous Conservative Anabaptist groups that identify with the theologically conservative element among Mennonite Anabaptist Christian fellowships, but who are not Old Order groups or mainline denominations.
Co ...
, and
Beachy Amish
The Beachy Amish Mennonites, also known as the Beachy Amish or Beachy Mennonites, are a Conservative Anabaptist tradition of Christianity.
Commonalities held by Beachy Amish congregations include adhering to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith ...
, as well as the
Bruderhof Communities
The Bruderhof (; German for 'place of brothers') is a communal Anabaptist Christian movement that was founded in Germany in 1920 by Eberhard Arnold. The movement has communities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Paragu ...
,
Apostolic Christian Church and the
Charity Christian Fellowship.
Conservative Anabaptists form 15% of Anabaptist Christianity as a whole.
In response to a perceived laxity in adherence to Anabaptist doctrine and practice, certain Conservative Anabaptist denominations, such as the
Biblical Mennonite Alliance and the
Dunkard Brethren Church
The Dunkard Brethren Church is a Conservative Anabaptist denomination of the Schwarzenau Brethren tradition, which organized in 1926 when they withdrew from the Church of the Brethren in the United States.
The Dunkard Brethren Church observes ...
, were formed after adherents separated from their parent (usually mainline Anabaptist) bodies;
on the other hand, the
Beachy Mennonites are composed of individuals who left
Old Order Anabaptist groups and "were deeply committed to evangelism and mission work."
Other Conservative Anabaptist denominations, such as
Charity Christian Fellowship, have been organized by people from diverse backgrounds.
Various congregations lend support to Christian Aid Ministries, a Conservative Anabaptist missionary and relief organization known for posting
billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
messages throughout the United States and Canada.
''Beside The Still Waters'' is a
daily devotional
A daily devotional is a religious publication that provides a specific spiritual reading for each calendar day. Many daily devotionals take the form of one year devotional books, with many being tailored specifically for children, teenagers, stude ...
widely used by Conservative Anabaptists.
References
Further reading
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External links
Church Index - Conservative Anabaptist churchesConservative Anabaptist PlacesChristian Aid Ministries{{Anabaptists
Anabaptism