Editing Church of the Brethren (section)

=== Peace ===
The Church of the Brethren is one of the historic [[peace churches]], which includes Quakers, Amish, Apostolic and Mennonite churches. This is because two of the Brethren's fundamental beliefs are nonviolent resolution of conflict and nonresistance to evil, which they combine with antiwar and peace efforts around the world. The church's commitment to love the enemy and use nonviolence is summarized in its phrase, "all war is sin" (Annual Conference, 1935), and the fact that many Brethren have refused to engage in military service.

During the [[American Revolution]] and the [[American Civil War]], Brethren required their members to abstain from military service, believing that obedience to Christ precluded such involvements. Until the early 20th century, Brethren baptismal applicants were required to promise that they would uphold the church's teaching about "being defenseless". During the Second World War, Brethren worked with the government to create a system of alternative service, which would allow conscientious objectors to serve their nation and humanity through nonviolent service. [[Civilian Public Service]] was a result of the three historic peace churches collaborating with the U.S. government. While the government provided tools and materials and their work was managed by agencies such as the Soil Conservation or Forest Service,  "the historic peace churches funded all the expenses for the men, including food, administrative costs, and a tiny monthly stipend of $2.50" ({{Inflation|US|2.5|1941|r=0|fmt=eq}}).<ref name="google43">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9WTtr8EL74C&q=editions&pg=PA43 |title=The Amish and the State |author=Donald B. Kraybill |page=43 |date=May 28, 2003 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=9780801872365 |access-date=November 15, 2015}}</ref> Alternative service has evolved into Brethren Volunteer Service, a church agency that places many young people and some older persons in volunteer human-service jobs, usually for a one-year term.

Despite the church's official stance, there are many members of the Church of the Brethren that do not agree with pacifism. This was made particularly evident when, during the Second World War 80% of young Brethren draftees entered active duty in the military.<ref>{{cite book|author=Carl F Bowman|title=Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a Peculiar People|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|year=1995|page=467}}. See also {{cite book|author=Donald F Durnbaugh|title=Fruit of the Vine: A History of the Brethren 1708–1995|publisher=Brethren Press|year=1997|page=474}}</ref> Recent national surveys of the Brethren suggest that only a minority of the current membership views military service as wrong.<ref>Bowman, Carl (1987). ''A Profile of the Church of the Brethren''. Elgin, IL: Brethren Press.  See also Bowman, Carl (2008), ''Portrait of a People: The Church of the Brethren at 300''. Elgin, IL: Brethren Press.</ref>