Mennonite Brethren Churches
Encyclopedia
The Mennonite Brethren Church was established among Russian Mennonites in 1860 and has congregations in more than 20 countries representing well over 300,000 believers as of 2003.
movement they were subsequently influenced by Europe
an pietism
, which found its way into the Mennonite colonies of the southern Russian Empire
. Mennonite immigrants from West Prussia
who had been influenced by pietistic leaders transplanted those ideas to the large Molotschna
colony. The pastor of a neighboring congregation, Eduard Wüst, reinforced this pietism. Wüst was a revival
ist who stressed repentance and Christ as a personal savior
, influencing Catholics, Lutherans
and Mennonites in the area. He associated with many Mennonite leaders, including Leonhard Sudermann.
In 1859, Joseph Höttmann, a former associate of Wüst met with a group of Mennonites to discuss problems within the main Mennonite body. Their discussion centered on participating in communion
with church members who were unholy or not converted
and baptism
of adults by immersion.
On January 6, 1860, this growing group of Mennonites influenced by a combination of Prussian Mennonite pietism, contacts with Moravian Brethren and indirectly through the influential preaching of Eduard Wüst, met in the village of Elisabeththal, Molotschna and formed the Mennonite Brethren Church. They felt the Mennonites had grown cold and formal, and were seeking greater emphasis on discipline, prayer and Bible study. The group presented a document to the elders of the Molotschna Mennonite Churches which indicated "that the total Mennonite brotherhood has decayed to the extent that we can no more be part of it" and fear the "approach of an unavoidable judgment of God." The immediate catalyst for the new organization was the discipline placed on a body of brethren who met to observe communion in a private home without the elders' sanction. The Mennonite Brethren were also in contact with and influenced by German
Baptists J. G. Oncken
and August Liebig.
The Mennonite Brethren movement spread throughout the Mennonite colonies and produced many distinguished leaders, particularly in Molotschna. These include P. M. Friesen (educator and historian), Jakob and Abraham Kroeker (writers), Heinrich Braun (publisher), Peter Braun (educator) and A. H. Unruh (educator). Jakob Kroeker (1872–1948) was one of the most prolific Mennonite writers, completing a fourteen volume Old Testament
commentary. By breaking religious and cultural patterns that had become a hindrance to Mennonite society, the contribution of the Mennonite Brethren allowed all Mennonites groups in Russia to pursue a more wholesome Christian
life.
Because of growing pressure by the Czarist government and later because of the political turmoil of the Russian Revolution significant number of the Mennonite Brethren moved to the United States
, Canada
, Paraguay
and Mexico
. In the Soviet Union
their organizational structures ceased to exist by 1930 due to the Communist persecution. At that time some remaining Mennonite Brethren moved from Ukraine
to the republics of the Soviet Central Asia
. After World War II
several Mennonite Brethren churches emerged in that region. In 1966 they joined the Evangelical-Baptist Union — an umbrella organization tightly controlled by the Soviet government.
, 188 congregations with 26,219 members in the United States, and 28 congregations with 1872 members in Japan
. Some of the churches of the Bund Taufgesinnter Gemeinden in Germany
are Mennonite Brethren (about 12 congregations). There are also 45 independent Mennonite Brethren congregations in Germany with 13,250 members.
History
Originating in the MennoniteMennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
movement they were subsequently influenced by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an pietism
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
, which found its way into the Mennonite colonies of the southern Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. Mennonite immigrants from West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
who had been influenced by pietistic leaders transplanted those ideas to the large Molotschna
Molotschna
Molotschna Colony was a Russian Mennonite settlement in what is now Zaporizhia Oblast in Ukraine. Today is called Molochansk with a population of under 10,000. The settlement is named after the Molochna River which forms its western boundary. Today the land mostly falls within the Tokmatskyi and...
colony. The pastor of a neighboring congregation, Eduard Wüst, reinforced this pietism. Wüst was a revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
ist who stressed repentance and Christ as a personal savior
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
, influencing Catholics, Lutherans
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and Mennonites in the area. He associated with many Mennonite leaders, including Leonhard Sudermann.
In 1859, Joseph Höttmann, a former associate of Wüst met with a group of Mennonites to discuss problems within the main Mennonite body. Their discussion centered on participating in communion
Closed communion
Closed communion is the practice of restricting the serving of the elements of Holy Communion to those who are members of a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation...
with church members who were unholy or not converted
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
and baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of adults by immersion.
On January 6, 1860, this growing group of Mennonites influenced by a combination of Prussian Mennonite pietism, contacts with Moravian Brethren and indirectly through the influential preaching of Eduard Wüst, met in the village of Elisabeththal, Molotschna and formed the Mennonite Brethren Church. They felt the Mennonites had grown cold and formal, and were seeking greater emphasis on discipline, prayer and Bible study. The group presented a document to the elders of the Molotschna Mennonite Churches which indicated "that the total Mennonite brotherhood has decayed to the extent that we can no more be part of it" and fear the "approach of an unavoidable judgment of God." The immediate catalyst for the new organization was the discipline placed on a body of brethren who met to observe communion in a private home without the elders' sanction. The Mennonite Brethren were also in contact with and influenced by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Baptists J. G. Oncken
Johann Gerhard Oncken
Johann Gerhard Oncken was a pioneer German Baptist preacher, variously referred to as the "Father of Continental Baptists", the "Father of German Baptists" and the "Apostle of European Baptists". Oncken, Gottfried Wilhelm Lehmann , and Julius Wilhelm Köbner were known as the Baptist cloverleaf ....
and August Liebig.
The Mennonite Brethren movement spread throughout the Mennonite colonies and produced many distinguished leaders, particularly in Molotschna. These include P. M. Friesen (educator and historian), Jakob and Abraham Kroeker (writers), Heinrich Braun (publisher), Peter Braun (educator) and A. H. Unruh (educator). Jakob Kroeker (1872–1948) was one of the most prolific Mennonite writers, completing a fourteen volume Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
commentary. By breaking religious and cultural patterns that had become a hindrance to Mennonite society, the contribution of the Mennonite Brethren allowed all Mennonites groups in Russia to pursue a more wholesome Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
life.
Because of growing pressure by the Czarist government and later because of the political turmoil of the Russian Revolution significant number of the Mennonite Brethren moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
their organizational structures ceased to exist by 1930 due to the Communist persecution. At that time some remaining Mennonite Brethren moved from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
to the republics of the Soviet Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
several Mennonite Brethren churches emerged in that region. In 1966 they joined the Evangelical-Baptist Union — an umbrella organization tightly controlled by the Soviet government.
Status
Currently (2003), there are Mennonite Brethren congregations in more than 20 countries representing well over 300,000 believers. The largest conferences are the Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Church of India, with 103,488 members in 840 congregations, and the Communauté des Eglises de Frères Mennonites au Congo, with 85,648 members in 629 congregations. There are 225 congregations with 34,864 members in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 188 congregations with 26,219 members in the United States, and 28 congregations with 1872 members in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Some of the churches of the Bund Taufgesinnter Gemeinden in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
are Mennonite Brethren (about 12 congregations). There are also 45 independent Mennonite Brethren congregations in Germany with 13,250 members.
See also
- Bethany College (Saskatchewan)
- Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren ChurchesCanadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren ChurchesThe Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches is an association of Mennonite Christians with origins in southern Russia. It is part of the larger Mennonite Brethren Church and shares some common history with the US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.-Background:A small group of...
- Canadian Mennonite UniversityCanadian Mennonite UniversityCanadian Mennonite University is a Christian university located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that awards three and four-year degrees in a variety of programs...
- Columbia Bible College (Abbotsford, British Columbia)Columbia Bible College (Abbotsford, British Columbia)Columbia Bible College is an institution of higher education in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The college states that its mission is to prepare people for a life of discipleship, service and ministry...
- Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in IndiaConference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in IndiaConference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India is the largest Mennonite denomination of India. Its membership exceeds 100,000 persons. It has 103,000 members in 840 congregations. The Presiding officer for the conference is Dr P B Arnold...
- École de Théologie Évangélique de MontréalÉcole de Théologie Évangélique de MontréalThe École de théologie évangélique de Montréal is a biblical seminary located in Montreal, Québec, Canada. The seminary currently maintains a close partnership with Université de Montréal's faculty of religious studies.-Programs:...
- Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno Pacific UniversityFresno Pacific University also known as FPU is an accredited Christian university located in Fresno, California, United States. It was founded in 1944 by the Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. The university awarded its first bachelor of arts degree in 1965...
- Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary
- Immanuel SchoolsImmanuel SchoolsImmanuel Schools are Christian schools located in different areas of Reedley, California dedicated to religion and education. The schools offer a K-6 Immanuel Elementary school, a 7-8 Immanuel Junior High School, and a 9-12 Immanuel High School...
- International Committee of Mennonite BrethrenInternational Committee of Mennonite BrethrenThe International Committee of Mennonite Brethren was officially launched at the 1990 Mennonite World Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a partnership of global Mennonite Brethren conferences....
(ICOMB) - Japan Mennonite Brethren ConferenceJapan Mennonite Brethren ConferenceThe Japan Mennonite Brethren Conference, or 日本メノナイトブレザレン教団 Nihon Menonaito Burezaren Kyoudan, is an organization serving the Mennonite Brethren churches of Japan....
- Tabor College, KansasTabor College, KansasTabor College is a four-year Christian liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1908 by members of the Mennonite Brethren and Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Christian churches...
- US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
External links
- Mennonite Brethren Churches in Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online