For Those Interested in the Peace Heritage of the Church of the Brethren
Brethren Peace and Nonresistance Testimony
There is much lively debate about the historic and contemporary Brethren commitment to peace and what form it will take in our time. Here are some contributions for your study and reflection. May they challenge you and touch your heart, that the Church of the Brethren and the Christian church as a whole may come to life as a people of peace for this time.
Question to Annual Meeting, 1865 (Civil War era):
"Can a brother be held as a member of the church who will, when put in the army, take up arms and aim to shed the blood of his fellowman?"
Answer: "He cannot."
Cited in D. Durnbaugh, "The Brethren and Nonresistance," in The Pacifist Impulse in Historical Perspective, Harvey L. Dyck, ed. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996), 131.
Church of the Brethren Annual Conference Statements:
More Statements of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference
http://www.brethren.org/ac/ac_statements/INDEX.HTM
Articles
Dale Brown: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"
Andrew Loomis: "Prophetic Pragmatism"
Ronald Gordon: "Pacifism in the Mold"
Background on Brethren Belief
The Brethren Revival Fellowship provides five essays on Brethren peace testimony:
Documents from International Historic Peace Church Consultation
Bienenberg, Switzerland, June 25-29, 2001
Church of the Brethren General Board
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