| Brethren in Christ Church | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Anabaptist[1] |
| Theology | River Brethren[2] |
| Associations | National Association of EvangelicalsMennonite World Conference |
| Origin | c. 1778 Marietta, Pennsylvania |
| Separations | Calvary Holiness Church (1964)[3] |
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| Anabaptism |
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 A 1685 illustration byJan Luyken, published inMartyrs Mirror, ofDirk Willems saving his pursuer, an act of mercy that led to his recapture, after which he was burned at the stake nearAsperen in the present-dayNetherlands |
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TheBrethren in Christ Church (BIC) is aRiver Brethren Christian denomination. Falling within theAnabaptist tradition of Christianity, the Brethren in Christ Church has roots in theMennonite church, with influences from the revivals ofRadical Pietism and theholiness movement.[1][4][5] They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites.[2][6] The Canadian denomination, which formerly shared a name with its American counterpart, is now calledBe In Christ.[7]
The Brethren in Christ have their headquarters inPennsylvania. It loosely shares an early connection with theUnited Brethren back to 1767. The Brethren in Christ trace their denomination back to a group of Mennonites who lived just north ofMarietta, Pennsylvania, on the east side of theSusquehanna River. 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 thatbeliever's baptism by triune immersion was the scriptural form of baptism. The River Brethren of the 18th century also held to a firm reliance on the centrality of Jesus in Scripture, especially the literal application of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5-7.
Being Anabaptists, the River Brethren emphasized the beliefs ofnonresistance andnonconformity to the world.[6] Their origin in theRadical Pietistic revivals led the River Brethren to emphasize "the conversion experience, a strong devotional life, and testimony."[6]Jacob Engle 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 theAmerican Civil War, when required by the Union government of the United States to register as a body that held peaceful, non-combatantnon-resistance 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 socialpacifism, 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 ofconscientious objection.
Other branches of the River Brethren include theOld Order River Brethren (org. 1843), theUnited Zion Church (org. 1855), and theCalvary Holiness Church.
About the turn of the 20th century, the Brethren in Christ was influenced by theholiness movement.[6]
Members of the Brethren in Christ Church foundedMessiah College in 1909 (Grantham, Pennsylvania), and theNiagara Christian College (later Niagara Christian Community of Schools) in 1932 as a Christian preparatory school inOntario, Canada.
The church's current Articles of Faith and Doctrine were adopted in 1986 and emphasize the understanding of the inspired scriptures by the church in community with the illumination of theHoly Spirit, the "centrality ofChrist" in the divine revelation, the necessity of holiness, nonviolence and the importance of community. The church believes thatGod the Father,God the Son, andGod the Holy Spirit 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 by triuneimmersion and theLord's supper are consideredordinances of the church.Foot washing, the dedication of children, prayer for the sick,laying on of hands, andanointing 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 "CommunityHermeneutics" in which the interpretation of the scriptures is to be done by the church in community, rather than being the responsibility of the church hierarchy or that of the individual Christian.
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.[8] Pennsylvania remains the hub of the denomination, with nearly half its congregations and a majority of its members.[9] However, there are numerous congregations in other states, particularly Florida, Ohio, and California.[9] Denominational headquarters is inGrantham, Pennsylvania, next to the Grantham BIC Church andMessiah University.
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 theMennonite Central Committee.
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 aroundMiami, Florida, and focuses onHispanic ministries. Messiah University in Grantham, andNiagara Christian Collegiate inFort Erie, Ontario, 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 inNappanee, Indiana,[10] and Christian Light Bookstores in Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
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. They continue to work collaboratively with each other and yet recognize their distinctive national identities and structures. In 2017, BIC Canada changed its name to "Be in Christ Church of Canada."[11]
Be In Christ Canada has three different expressions of churches: Community Churches,The Meeting House, and Reunion.
Direct descendants of the Anabaptists are present-day Mennonites, Hutterites, Amish, and some groups of Brethren, such as the Mennonite Brethren, the Church of the Brethren and the Brethren in Christ
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