The Schwenkfelder Church is a small Christian body that predates the Pietist movement, but shares many of its characteristics.
Founded in 1782, the roots of the Schwenkfelder Church go back to 1519. The church is named for Caspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig, a German theologian and Protestant reformer who fell out with Martin Luther over a number of issues, including Luther's teachings of the real presence of the body and blood of Christ during the Lord's Supper.
Schwenkfeld also opposed war, oath-taking, and secret societies, teaching that the government had no right to command an individual's conscience and that believers must show evidence of regeneration. He rejected infant baptism, and denominations, which is why he avoided forming a denomination during his lifetime.
Martin Luther expelled Schwenkfeld and his followers from Silesia in 1540, and published several sermons against Schwenkfeld's teachings.
Schwenkfeld did not organize a church, but he did gather together a fellowship of Christians who accepted his teachings, and they became known as the Schwenkfelders.
In the early 1730s, groups of Schwenkfelders came to North America, settling in Pennsylvania. A denomination was formed in 1782 that was known as the Society of Schwenkfelders and became the Schwenkfelder Church in 1909. The Schwenkfelder Church has remained small, and some of its congregations have dual membership with the United Church of Christ. Today, all of its churches are within fifty miles of Philadelphia.
Theologically, the Schwenkfelder Church is somewhere between the Protestant Reformation of Martin Luther and the Radical Reformation of the Anabaptists.
Like most Christian bodies, the Schwenkfelders teach that the Bible is the source of Christian theology, but they believe that the Scriptures are dead without the inner workings of the Holy Spirit.
They believe, as their founder did, that the divinity of Jesus was progressive, his human nature becoming more and more divine, but without losing its human identity. The human nature of believers can be changed through faith, regeneration, and spiritual growth.
As each congregation is autonomous, matters of doctrine and practice may vary from congregation to congregation. All congregations will practice adult baptism, but some congregations baptize infants, while others practice the consecration of infants.
While Schwenkfeld stood in opposition to war, the Schwenkfelder Church recognizes the right of individuals in such decisions.
Schwenkfelder ordination, licensure, and authorization of ministry is conducted by the Schwenkfelder Ministerium and the Executive Council of the Schwenkfelder Church, but congregations select their own minister through a self-regulated search process.
Memberships may be transferred from other churches and denominations.
The Society of the Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles is a lineage society open to descendants of the Schwenkfelders who arrived near Penn's Landing from 1731 to 1737. Although it is not affiliated with the Schwenkfelder Church, the Society's website and any other sites affiliated with it may be listed here.
The concentration of this category is on the Schwenkfelder Church. Sites representing the denomination or any of its congregations or associated organizations or corporations may be submitted to this category.
Recommended Resources
Located in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, the congregation offers both traditional and contemporary style worship services. Its Sunday schedules, a calendar of programs and events, directions, and staff and administrative contacts are published to the site. Its history, teachings, and practices are outlined, and a gallery of photographs, an audio archive of past sermons, and a pastor’s blog are included.
http://www.centralschwenkfelder.com/
The preaching ministry of the Rev. David W. McKinley, the senior pastor of Central Schwenkfelder Church, the site offers a biographical staff of the Rev. McKinley, along with some of his messages, statements pertaining to the core values of the church, God’s mission for the church, and living a life of purpose. Other topics include the church’s programs for Christian education, missions and services, and Bible study.
https://davidmckinley.me/
Established in 1965 by the Palm Schwenkfelder Church, the preschool facility is an educational activity of the church. Enrollment in the school is non-denominational. Its philosophy of education, 2-day, 3-day, and 4-day classes are highlighted, and a description of its classrooms is included. Directions, its tuition and fees, the board of directors, administrative contacts, and announcements are included.
http://www.palmcountrydayschool.com/
The Palm, Pennsylvania church is part of the Schwenkfelder Church denomination, as well as an associate member of the United Church of Christ. Directions are given, and its location is shown on a map, along with a history of the Schwenkfelder Church, a profile of the congregation, its buildings, and its grounds. A schedule of services, a calendar of events, photos, video, and weekly bulletins are featured.
http://palmschwenkfelderchurch.com/
Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center
Commissioned by the General Conference of the Schwenkfelder Church in 1885, the organization was designated the Schwenkfelder Historical Library in 1890, the collection found a permanent home next to the Carnegie Library in 1947, but was moved to a new building in 2001, when it took its current name. Its collections and exhibits, educational programs, library, and archives are set forth, along with its hours and contacts.
http://www.schwenkfelder.com/
Society of the Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles
Although not affiliated with the Schwenkfelder Church denomination, the Society does work with the denomination and the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center in providing genealogical and historical information of the Schwenkfelders who arrived in the New World between 1731 and 1737. Its organizational structure, membership, and annual meeting programs are set forth, along with project reports and historical information.
https://schwenkfelderexilesociety.org/
The ecumenical, non-denominational choir performs every December, starting off the Christmas season. Made up of members from more than thirty area churches today, the choir began in 1927 as a combined choir of all the Schwenkfelder churches. Participating churches are acknowledged, along with its executive board, director, and instrumentalists, a history of the choir, photographs, and music clips from past concerts.
http://www.unitedchoir.org/
