Brotherhood Church
Encyclopedia
The Brotherhood Church is a Christian anarchist
and pacifist
community. An intentional community
with Quaker origins has been located at Stapleton
, near Pontefract, Yorkshire
, since 1921.
minister called John Bruce Wallace started a magazine called "The Brotherhood" in Limavady
, Northern Ireland
. Wallace was influenced by the views of Henry George
and Edward Bellamy
. In 1891 Wallace moved to London and took over a derelict church in Southgate Road
, Hackney
, naming it "The Brotherhood Church." The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
used the building in 1907 for their 5th Congress
.
Subsequent communities were established by a Tolstoyan
named John Coleman Kenworthy in Croydon
, Surrey
in 1894 and Purleigh
, Essex
in 1896. Residents at Croydon and Purleigh included Aylmer and Louise Maude
and Vladimir Chertkov
. However both these communities ceased shortly after they were established, as Kenworthy fell out with Chertkov and argued with Aylmer Maude over the English translation of Tolstoy's works. Based on a letter from Tolstoy, Kenworthy was under the impression that he had exclusive rights over some of Tolstoy's texts. Aylmer Maude, on the other hand, believed the reason for the failure of the colony was due to Kenworthy's autocratic and irresponsible behaviour.
In 1897 several members, some from a Quaker background, moved to Leeds
. The receipt of a legacy enabled the group to relocate to a seven and a half acre smallholding
at Stapleton
in 1921. Another Purleigh splinter group established the Whiteway Colony
in 1898, funded by a Quaker journalist.
are vegetarian, grow much of their own organic food
and attempt to live independently from the government
. They are affiliated to the Peace Pledge Union
, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
and War Resisters' International
. Residents have included Len W. Gibson (1919–2007) who was a lifelong peace campaigner and conscientious objector
.
Christian anarchism
Christian anarchism is a movement in political theology that combines anarchism and Christianity. It is the belief that there is only one source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable, the authority of God as embodied in the teachings of Jesus...
and pacifist
Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Christian pacifists state that Jesus himself was a pacifist who taught and practiced pacifism, and that his followers must do likewise.There have been various notable...
community. An intentional community
Intentional community
An intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and often follow an alternative lifestyle. They...
with Quaker origins has been located at Stapleton
Stapleton Colony
The Stapleton Colony, based in Stapleton, North Yorkshire is a Christian pacifist and anarchist community, and the only remaining colony of the Brotherhood Church.In 1897 several members of the Brotherhood Church, some from a Quaker background, moved to Leeds...
, near Pontefract, Yorkshire
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
, since 1921.
History
The community can be traced back to 1887 when a CongregationalistCongregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister called John Bruce Wallace started a magazine called "The Brotherhood" in Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Wallace was influenced by the views of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
and Edward Bellamy
Edward Bellamy
Edward Bellamy was an American author and socialist, most famous for his utopian novel, Looking Backward, set in the year 2000. He was a very influential writer during the Gilded Age of United States history.-Early life:...
. In 1891 Wallace moved to London and took over a derelict church in Southgate Road
Southgate Road
Southgate Road is a street that runs from Baring Street in the south to the junction with Mildmay Park and Ball's Pond Road in the north. The street forms a part of the B102 road, leading from Newington Green to The City. The west side of Southgate Road is in the London Borough of Islington; and...
, Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, naming it "The Brotherhood Church." The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party , also known as Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party or Russian Social Democratic Party, was a revolutionary socialist Russian political party formed in 1898 in Minsk to unite the various revolutionary organizations into one party...
used the building in 1907 for their 5th Congress
5th Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The 5th Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was held in London between May 13 and June 1, 1907. The congress was the largest in attendance of the congresses of the unified RSDLP. Thirty-five session of the congress were held in the Brotherhood Church in Hackney, during which...
.
Subsequent communities were established by a Tolstoyan
Tolstoyan
The Tolstoyan movement is a social movement based on the philosophical and religious views of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy . Tolstoy's views were formed by rigorous study of the ministry of Jesus, particularly the Sermon on the Mount....
named John Coleman Kenworthy in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
in 1894 and Purleigh
Purleigh
Purleigh is a village on the Dengie peninsula about south of Maldon in the English county of Essex. The village is part of the Purleigh ward of the Maldon district.-History:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1896. Residents at Croydon and Purleigh included Aylmer and Louise Maude
Aylmer and Louise Maude
Aylmer Maude and Louise Maude were English translators of Tolstoy's works, and Aylmer Maude also wrote his friend Tolstoy's biography. After living many years in Russia the Maudes spent the rest of their life in England translating Tolstoy's writing and promoting public interest in his work...
and Vladimir Chertkov
Vladimir Chertkov
Vladimir Grigoryevich Chertkov was a Russian writer and secretary of Leo Tolstoy, and one of the most prominent Tolstoyans.-Family and childhood:...
. However both these communities ceased shortly after they were established, as Kenworthy fell out with Chertkov and argued with Aylmer Maude over the English translation of Tolstoy's works. Based on a letter from Tolstoy, Kenworthy was under the impression that he had exclusive rights over some of Tolstoy's texts. Aylmer Maude, on the other hand, believed the reason for the failure of the colony was due to Kenworthy's autocratic and irresponsible behaviour.
In 1897 several members, some from a Quaker background, moved to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. The receipt of a legacy enabled the group to relocate to a seven and a half acre smallholding
Smallholding
A smallholding is a farm of small size.In third world countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of...
at Stapleton
Stapleton Colony
The Stapleton Colony, based in Stapleton, North Yorkshire is a Christian pacifist and anarchist community, and the only remaining colony of the Brotherhood Church.In 1897 several members of the Brotherhood Church, some from a Quaker background, moved to Leeds...
in 1921. Another Purleigh splinter group established the Whiteway Colony
Whiteway Colony
Whiteway Colony is a residential community in the Cotswolds in the parish of Miserden near Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK. The community was founded in 1898 by Tolstoyans and today has no spare land available with over sixty homes and one hundred and fifty colonists...
in 1898, funded by a Quaker journalist.
Stapleton Colony
The Stapleton ColonyStapleton Colony
The Stapleton Colony, based in Stapleton, North Yorkshire is a Christian pacifist and anarchist community, and the only remaining colony of the Brotherhood Church.In 1897 several members of the Brotherhood Church, some from a Quaker background, moved to Leeds...
are vegetarian, grow much of their own organic food
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
and attempt to live independently from the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. They are affiliated to the Peace Pledge Union
Peace Pledge Union
The Peace Pledge Union is a British pacifist non-governmental organization. It is open to everyone who can sign the PPU pledge: "I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war...
, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
and War Resisters' International
War Resisters' International
War Resisters' International is an international anti-war organization with members and affiliates in over thirty countries. Its headquarters are in London, UK.-History:...
. Residents have included Len W. Gibson (1919–2007) who was a lifelong peace campaigner and conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
.