Church of the Brethren (Czech Republic)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren.
Church of Brethren
Církev bratrská
Congregationalist
AssociationsInternational Federation of Free Evangelical Churches
Conference of European Churches
HeadquartersPrague, Czech Republic
Origin1880
Merger ofCzech Free Evangelical Church and Free Reformed Church
Official websiteportal.cb.cz
cb.sk

Church of the Brethren (

Congregationalist missionaries in Prague.[1] In the Czech Republic, the church reports having over 11,000 in almost 80 congregations.[2] In Slovakia, it is organized in 22 congregations.[3] The church is member of International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches and the ecumenical councils of churches in their respective countries.[4][5]

History

The Free Reformed Church (later: Church of the Brethren) was formed in 1882 by a merger of the Czech Free Evangelical Church (established in 1868 near

evangelical
influences. After 1918, the church rejected the merger with the newly created
Těšín
with predominantly Polish members merged with the church. In 1967, the church adopted the new name Brethren Church to express the inclusion of non-Czech members. In 1993, following the Velvet Divorce the church legally separated into two independent churches, which closely cooperate on international level. The two churches organize an annual General Conference of the Church of the Brethren.

Organization

The church is based upon semi-independent congregations, made up of members, who elect their own representatives into the council of elders ("staršovstvo"). Each congregation is also administered by an ordained pastor, and is subject to all the binding documents of the whole church. Individual congregations are regionally grouped into seniorates (

Congregationalist and Presbyterian
polities.

References

  1. ^ "Církev bratrská | Historie a současnost Církve bratrské". portal.cb.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  2. ^ "Církev bratrská | Kdo jsme". portal.cb.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  3. ^ "Cirkev bratská". cb.sk. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  4. ^ "Ekumenická rada církví - Texty". www.ekumenickarada.cz. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  5. ^ "ERC:: Ekumenická rada cirkví v SR". www.ekumena.sk. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  6. ^ "Constitution of the Church of the Brethren".

External links