Brethren, Church of the, was organized in Germany in 1708 by Alexander Mack. The group was persecuted in Germany, and the church was reorganized in America in 1719 at Germantown, Pa. The religion spread through Pennsylvania, the Shenandoah Valley, and westward to the Pacific Coast. The church has sponsored mission work in India, China, Nigeria, Sudan, and Ecuador, and service work in Europe, Puerto Rico, Latin America, the Near East, and the Far East. It operates six colleges and a seminary. Headquarters are in Elgin, Ill. The church is a member of the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States.
A principle of the group is baptism by trine, or triple immersion, and they were once called Dunkers (from the German tunken, to immerse). Brethren believe in peace, brotherhood, temperance, and simple living. They teach the way of alternative service in place of military conscription.
