Raven and the Time of Divisions

Divisions in the Brethren movement occurred already during Darby’s lifetime and cannot be simply reduced to the split between an Open and Exclusive wings. The chapter discusses the 1936 classification of the US Bureau of Census in six groups, from Brethren I to Brethren VI, and the extension of this model by American scholars to include Brethren VII, VIII, IX, and X. Several smaller ‘Exclusive’ groups eventually merged into Brethren III, which came to be known as Reunited Brethren, although Brethren IV are also ‘Exclusive’ and did not participate in these mergers. For each group, the essential elements of its history and doctrine are presented. The crucial role of Frederick Edward Raven is also discussed, thus introducing the final chapter, where the Ravenite group, or Brethren IV, is presented as a case study.