Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 29:1 (Mar 2020)
Article: Frank Jabini, Book Review Of "Brethren And Mission: Essays In Honour Of Timothy C. F. Stunt"
Author: Franklin S. Jabini

Conspectus 29:1 (March 2020) p. 151

Frank Jabini, Book Review Of Brethren And Mission: Essays In Honour Of Timothy C. F. Stunt

Franklin Jabini

Brethren and Mission: Essays in Honour of Timothy C. F. Stunt edited by Neil TR Dickson and Thomas J Marinello. Studies in Brethren History. Ayrshire: Brethren Archivists and Historians Network, 2016.

About the Author

Dr Franklin Jabini is professor of Intercultural Studies Emmaus Bible College.

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the beliefs of the South African Theological Seminary.

This article: https://www.sats.edu.za/jabini-brethren-and-mission

1. Introduction

A review of this important work requires an introduction to the Brethren and the Studies in Brethren History series. Plymouth Brethren are known under different names such as Brethren, the Assemblies Movement, Christian Brethren, or New Testament Churches. According to a recent survey with data from 101 countries covering mostly Open Assemblies, there are more than 30,000 assemblies worldwide, with an estimate of more than 2 million adult attendees. Whereas the movement seems to be in decline in the North, there is growth in the South. More than 70% of the attendees live in the Global South (Jabini 2018).1

The Brethren Movement started in Europe in the second half of the 1820s, at the time of the Evangelical Awakenings in Europe. The Awakenings led to a renewal in national churches and the establishment of independent churches, free churches, and (Brethren)

Conspectus 29:1 (March 2020) p. 152

assemblies. Christians participating in this renewal emphasized personal spiritual experience, the authority of the inspired word of God without dead orthodoxy, avoiding what is worldly without becoming ascetic or legalistic, the imminent return of the Lord Jesus without avoiding daily responsibilities, and Christian activities without a social gospel (Jabini 2018).

In 1848, the Brethren experienced a major split, which divided the movement into Open Assemblies and Closed Assemblies (also referred to as Exclusive Assemblies). Open Assemblies generally allow all Christians to participate in their weekly Lord’s Supper. Each local church is autonomous. Closed Assemblies, on the other hand, practise a ‘close table’, allowing only those believers within the worldwide circle of fellowship to participate at the Lord’s Supper (Ouweneel 1977–8; Grass 2012). Sadly, the Closed Assemblies experienced many splits that saw different ‘exclusive’ groups. One of these exclusive groups is the Taylorites. Eve...