The Plymouth Brethren is a designation for a loosely connected group of conservative, evangelical Christian churches with roots in early 19th century Britain, and which is also known as the Assembly movement.
The Plymouth Brethren are unrelated to any of the Anabaptist Brethren denominations. Within the fellowship, they are referred to as "Brethren" or "Christian Brethren." Like the Restorationist bodies, they have chosen to forsake denominational structures and titles in order to meet simply as Christians.
Plymouth Brethren assemblies usually have no official name, headquarters, or denominational institutions. To the larger extent, they are a fellowship of churches that are similar in theology and practices. There have been several schisms in the movement over the years and there are two which have adopted official names, the Churches of God and the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, and the Churches of God has structured itself as a denomination.
All of the forms of Plymouth Brethren are evangelical and are distinguished from some of the other Protestant churches in that they strive to model themselves after the New Testament churches, and have no ordained clergy, although some have appointed full-time pastors. The Brethren give emphasize the significance of observing the Lord's Supper, which is celebrated weekly.
Some within the movement reject the term "Brethren" because they believe that it sets them apart from other Christians or consider it to be old-fashioned.
Although there are several factions, most are associated with one of the two larger divisions of the Plymouth Brethren: Open Brethren or Exclusive Brethren, the former being the most widespread.
The Open Brethren were so named because they welcomed all Christians to their observance of the Lord's Supper, while the Exclusive Brethren reserved communion for members. In the United Kingdom, the Open Brethren are often referred to as the Christian Brethren.
Although many of the Exclusive Brethren assemblies now offer open communion as well, the division, which occurred in 1848, remain. The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church is a division within the Exclusive Brethren.
Although there are variations within assemblies, generally speaking, the various factions of the Plymouth Brethren don't differ much on theological issues. Open Brethren assemblies are autonomous and without official membership rolls, while Exclusive Brethren requires members to be affiliated with a home assembly. Open Brethren hold to believer's baptism, while Exclusive Brethren will baptize households, using the New Testament example of Cornelius and others. The Churches of God employs a denominational structure but, like other Plymouth Brethren, has no ordained clergy.
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church also has no ordained clergy, but has established a hierarchical organizational structure dominated by one person, known as the Elect Vessel, the Man of God, or the Lord's Servant. The PBCC is the strictest of the Exclusive Brethren, holding themselves separate from all that is considered evil, including open means of communication, such as radio, television, and the Internet. For members of the PBCC, all social activities are reserved for those with whom they celebrate the Lord's Supper, excluding even family members who are not part of the assembly. Eating in public places such as restaurants and hotels is to be avoided. Women are to be fully subservient to men and do not serve in roles where they would be in the position to direct men. Similar to the Amish, members who are excommunicated are to be cut off from all contact, including family members.
Another faction of the Plymouth Brethren are the Closed Brethren. Contrary to an obvious linguistic interpretation, the Closed Brethren are not another name for the Exclusive Brethren but are a conservative faction within the Open Brethren. Also known as Gospel Hall Brethren, the Closed Brethren believe, similar to the Exclusive Brethren, that only those who are recognized as part of an equivalent assembly should take part in the Lord's Supper, as an association with evil defiles the communion meal.
As if that wasn't confusing enough, some of the Exclusive Brethren, seeking to differentiate themselves from the more extreme Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, have rebranded themselves as Closed rather than Exclusive.
Historically, all of the factions of the Open and Exclusive Brethren have been known as Plymouth Brethren, and that is largely the case yet in North America and Northern Ireland. However, in Australia and New Zealand, most Open Brethren no longer use the "Plymouth" label because of widespread negative media coverage of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, which has been accused of being a cult. Nevertheless, the PBCC is the larger body of Plymouth Brethren in these countries.
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Recommended Resources
The Archive is a digital collection of material related to the Plymouth Brethren movement. An introduction to the project is given, along with guidelines for contributors, site updates, and links to related material. The collections include historical documentation, various Brethren manuscripts, periodicals, hymnology, and textual articles sorted by author, as well as photographs of houses, gravestones, meeting rooms, and other places of significance to the movement.
https://www.brethrenarchive.org/
Christian Brethren in New South Wales, Australia
Operated and funded by the Secretariat of the NSW Assemblies Evangelistic Mission, the site supports the mission of the Christian Brethren Assemblies and acts as a portal to NSW assemblies and para-assembly organizations and ministries. Included is a list of Assemblies in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, a notice board, calendar of events, and contact information for the Christian Brethren.
http://www.christianbrethren-nsw.org.au/
John N. Darby and the Brethren Assemblies
John Nelson Darby was one of the most influential figures in the Plymouth Brethren movement and the founder of the Exclusive Brethren. His work during the early years of the movement is highlighted, including its growth, difficulties, and eventual schism and recovery, albeit within the various branches. Other Brethren who played a significant part in the founding and structure of the movement are also discussed.
http://www.johndarby.org/
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (Exclusive Brethren)
The history of the Plymouth Brethren goes back to the early 1800s in England, where there was a growing dissatisfaction with the Anglican Church. Although the Plymouth Brethren share some characteristics with the Anabaptist Brethren movement, its origins are Protestant. A profile and history of the Protestant body is given, and its gospel halls and churches may be located through the site.
http://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (Exclusive Brethren) Global Blog
A project of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, the site offers news and reports from Plymouth Brethren congregations and ministries throughout the world, which are categorized by region and topic. Topics include church life, community, dispelling the myths, our life, and education. An archive of past articles is included, arranged by year, going back as far as 2012.
https://www.theplymouthbrethren.org/
The Brethren Archivists and Historians Network
With the goal of encouraging the study and writing of the history of the Christian Brethren movement, the organization collects historical archives, encourages research into the history of the movement worldwide, assists those who are writing on such topics, and supports the publication and distribution of historical works on the Brethren. BAHN also publishes the Brethren Historical Review and other publications.
http://www.brethrenhistory.org/
The Plymouth Brethren Movement
Created by someone who grew up in the Plymouth Brethren movement, the site offers a history of the movement, including book references, poems, exhortations, treatises on various doctrinal, ecclesiastical, and prophetic subjects, along with the Olivet Discourse. A directory of organizations that publish and distribute Bibles, gospel tracts, commentaries, and other materials, as well as references and citations and a list of related sites.
http://www.plymouthbrethren.com/
