Beginnings 1775–1788 · tradition
Brethren in Christ: River Brethren
A Pennsylvania movement with Anabaptist and Pietist roots that emerged between 1775 and 1788.
The Brethren in Christ began near Marietta in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, between 1775 and 1788. Their Anabaptist background interacted with Pietist emphases on personal faith and transformed life. Neighbors called them River Brethren because many lived along the Susquehanna River.
Later history included migration, mission, and engagement with Wesleyan Holiness and evangelical movements. The chart places this related stream alongside Mennonite histories. It is distinct from the Schwarzenau Brethren, whose beginning was in Germany in 1708, and from the Mennonite Brethren of the Russian Empire.
Sources for this history: [1] [2]
