The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the Historic Peace Churches.

The Brethren movement got its start in 1708 in central Germany when the first small Brethren group were baptized in the Eder River in the village of Schwarzenau. The first Brethren came together as a Radical Pietist and Anabaptist movement. The Church of the Brethren today continues to bring together a rich theology of Holy Spirit-led believers, forming community based on discipleship to Jesus Christ. As a peace church, the Church of the Brethren has maintained a strong commitment to nonviolence, no force in religion, emphasis on just peace, and service to others around the world.

Today the Church of the Brethren includes nearly 1,000 congregations in 24 districts across the United States and Puerto Rico, with more than 100,000 members total. In Nigeria, there are as many as a million Brethren attending worship in Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Thousands more are members of independent Church of the Brethren denominations in India, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Spain. New Brethren-related groups are emerging, most prominently in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Through a commitment to “Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully, Simply, Together,” the Church of the Brethren stays connected with its membership, and with the wider Christian and ecumenical community. Connections are made through disaster response ministries, a volunteer service program, workcamps, a denominational magazine, outdoor ministry centers, church-related colleges and universities, Bethany Theological Seminary, national gatherings, and more ministries.

To learn more about the Church of the Brethren go to www.brethren.org .