what religion are you?

[BlueXJ]

Originally Posted by drakan1908

Here you go Mike, this can explain it better than I can:

Brethren, German Baptist religious group. They were popularly known as Dunkards, Dunkers, or Tunkers, from the German for "to dip," referring to their method of baptizing. The Brethren evolved from the Pietist movement in Germany. The first congregation was organized there in 1708 by Alexander Mack. Persecution drove them to America where, under Peter Becker, they settled (1719) in Germantown, Pa. From that and other settlements in Pennsylvania they spread westward and into Canada. The Brethren oppose war and advocate temperance, the simple life, plain dress, and "obedience to Christ rather than obedience to creeds and cults." The original group, at present the largest in the United States, is the Church of the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers); the local churches are united by an annual conference that elects a general board to supervise the national church program. From the Church of the Brethren there have been separations into the Seventh-Day Baptists, German Baptists (1728; see Beissel, Johann Conrad); Church of God (New Dunkards, 1848); Old German Baptist Brethren (1881); and the Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers, 1882). The Brethren baptize by trine immersion, the candidate being immersed once for each member of the Trinity. They practice foot washing and the love feast.

Thanks Brian. that was quite helpful. Is the church still located predominantly in the Germantown area with small congregations in areas like yours in Virginia?

[drakan1908]

I don't know Mike. I haven't been in years, I have a few Aunts and Uncles that still go there but I haven't been since the wife and I got married. I never saw any German Baptist or Dunkard influence but then I've been going since I was small and probably wouldn't know what to look for. This was the church my Mom's family went to. My Dads family went to a small country church called Doe Run Christian church it had a congregation of about 30 on any given Sunday(depends on what the tobacco crop was doing). The Brethern church had a congregation of approx. 70 on any given Sunday. My favorite church was one my grandparents on my mothers side went to ,when they were not in Florida ,was outside Woodlawn Va. and the congregation was about 15 or so. They shared a minister with 3 other churches so he only came once a month. The rest of the Sundays, one of my aunts that lived in Woodlawn would play the organ, take requests for hymns and everybody would sing.

[dispensationalist]

All religions are systems of activities that are required to make one acceptable to God. The ONLY religion ever instituted by God was Judaism, and He's not doing that, at this time.

Christianity is NOT a religion, but rather, faith in the actions of another (our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) on our behalf.

I am, therefore, a Bible-believing Christian.