Old Order Brethren Explained

Old Order Brethren are Old Order plain groups of the Schwarzenau Brethren, as well as the River Brethren—both Anabaptist Christian traditions.^[1] There are five of these “Old Order” groups of the Schwarzenau Brethren:

• Old German Baptist Brethren, emerged 1881, with about 4,500 members the largest of these Old Order groups and more liberal than the following three groups.
• Old Brethren, emerged 1913, with about 250 members in 2000, a bit more conservative than the Old German Baptist Brethren, with decision making authority being in the local congregations rather than Annual Meeting, but in many aspects similar to the OGBB.
• Old Order German Baptist Brethren, emerged 1921, with about 125 members in 2000, a horse and buggy group that uses tractors for field and agricultural work.
• Old Brethren German Baptists, emerged 1939, with about 130 members in 2015, a horse and buggy group that also uses horses for field work, the most conservative group.
• Old German Baptist Brethren, New Conference, emerged 2009, with about 2,800 members, a more liberal split from the Old German Baptist Brethren.

The Old Order River Brethren are divided into three subgroups.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Donald Durnbaugh (editor): The Brethren Encyclopedia, Volume II K-Z, Philadelphia 1983, pages 970-972
2. Simon J. Bronner: Encyclopedia of American Folklife, London and New York, 2006, page 909.