Qualities and Beliefs of the Church

Some of the qualities and beliefs of the church include:

• The Brethren believe that one should be able to make a conscious and uncoerced commitment to Jesus Christ before becoming a member of the church. This is why we practice adult (or believers) baptism.
• Along with the Friends and Mennonites, we make up the three traditional "peace churches." We believe all war is wrong and look instead to the example of Jesus Christ, whose ministry spoke of peace and justice.
• Just as Jesus set us an example, we believe in serving others and are organized in the area of assisting victims of natural disasters through Brethren Disaster Relief Service projects.
• Again through Jesus example, we practice several rites and ordnances symbols which enrich our common faith. These include, among others, the Love Feast, sharing communion, and (as mentioned above) baptism.
• The Church of the Brethren continually tries to address contemporary issues from a biblical perspective. We seek biblical guidance so we can better understand God's revelation in todays world and respond locally and globally.
• We have no written creed, believing we should remain open to fresh truths with Christ as our final authority, as He is revealed in the New Testament.

For a more complete overview of the Church of the Brethren, see:
The Church of the Brethren Yesterday and Today, Donald F. Durnbaugh, ed., Brethren Press, 1986.