peace churches

The Brethren Church

The Church of the Brethren is one of the historic peace churches. Historically, they have partnered with Quakers and Mennonites in their publications and other peace efforts. Its position is summarized in the phrase, “all war is sin” (Annual Conference, 1935). Many Brethren have declined to engage in military service. Some have been imprisoned for that stance. During the American Revolution and the American Civil War, Brethren required their members to abstain from military service, believing that obedience to Christ precluded such involvements. Until the early twentieth century, baptismal applicants were required to promise to follow the church’s teachings regarding “being defenseless.” The vision of the Brethren Church today is to embrace a NEW DAY of transformed leadership, resulting in transformed congregations, whose mission is the transformation of communities in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

The Mennonite Central Committee

The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496–1561), who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders. The teachings of the Mennonites were founded on their belief in both the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ, which they held to with great conviction despite persecution by the various Roman Catholic and Protestant states. Rather than fight, the majority survived by fleeing to neighboring states where ruling families were tolerant of their radical belief in adult baptism. Over the years, Mennonites have become known as one of the historic peace churches because of their commitment to nonviolence. MCC seeks to demonstrate God’s love by working among people suffering from poverty, conflict, oppression and natural disaster. MCC serves as a channel for interchange by building mutually transformative relationships. MCC strives for peace, justice and the dignity of all people by sharing our experiences, resources and faith in Jesus Christ.

The Religious Society of Friends

The Religious Society of Friends is a religious movement, whose members are known as Friends or Quakers. The roots of this movement are with some 17th century Christian English dissenters, but today the movement has branched out into many independent national and regional organizations, called Yearly Meetings, who, while sharing the same historical origins, have a variety of names, beliefs and practices. FWCC offers powerful databases to bring you information about the Quaker world and ways to be involved. Find a Quaker organisation by name, location, or type of service, or browse the whole list. Browse their service projects around the world or search by name, location, project needs, or find a match for your volunteer skills.