United Zion Church
Encyclopedia
The United Zion Church is a small Christian
denomination with roots in the Mennonite
church and German pietism
.
A body that became known as River Brethren began about 1778 in Pennsylvania
. They were a group of brethren near the Susquehanna River that had separated from the Mennonites. As such groups of brethren were often named by their location, they were called River Brethren. The majority of churches descending from the River Brethren are known as the Brethren in Christ Church
.
Bishop Matthias Brinser was excluded from the River Brethren in 1855, and he organized his followers into a separate group, originally known as United Zion's Children. The reason for the exclusion of Brinser and his followers was that he had led them in building a meeting house for worship. The church incorporated as United Zion Church in 1954. They are similar in doctrine and practice to the Brethren in Christ Church. Church organization allows for settling basic matters at the district conference, with a general conference being the highest level of church authority.
The church consists of less than 1,000 members in 13 congregations in three Pennsylvania counties. Also there are 2 overseas churches located in Santiago, Chile. These churches began as a single church plant in 1988 in the Maipu suburb of Santiago. This church was locally given the name Fuente de Vida.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination with roots in the Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
church and German pietism
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
.
A body that became known as River Brethren began about 1778 in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. They were a group of brethren near the Susquehanna River that had separated from the Mennonites. As such groups of brethren were often named by their location, they were called River Brethren. The majority of churches descending from the River Brethren are known as the Brethren in Christ Church
Brethren in Christ Church
The Brethren in Christ Church is an Anabaptist Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite church, pietism, and Wesleyan holiness. They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites.-Background:...
.
Bishop Matthias Brinser was excluded from the River Brethren in 1855, and he organized his followers into a separate group, originally known as United Zion's Children. The reason for the exclusion of Brinser and his followers was that he had led them in building a meeting house for worship. The church incorporated as United Zion Church in 1954. They are similar in doctrine and practice to the Brethren in Christ Church. Church organization allows for settling basic matters at the district conference, with a general conference being the highest level of church authority.
The church consists of less than 1,000 members in 13 congregations in three Pennsylvania counties. Also there are 2 overseas churches located in Santiago, Chile. These churches began as a single church plant in 1988 in the Maipu suburb of Santiago. This church was locally given the name Fuente de Vida.
External links
- Official website
- United Zion Church at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineGlobal Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineThe Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to Mennonites and Anabaptism. The mission of the project is to provide free, reliable, English-language information on anabaptist-related topics....