A Brief History of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church is led by Sydney-based businessman Bruce Hales and has approximately 56,000 members worldwide. Based on published information and accounts from former members, the geographic breakdown is broadly: UK (18,000), Australia (16,000), New Zealand (8,000), United States and Canada (6,000), with smaller communities in Argentina, the Caribbean, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden (approximately 6,000). They are also known as the Exclusive Brethren.

Origins

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church is a Christian denomination that originated in the early 19th century in Plymouth, Devon, England. It was founded by a group of Christians who were dissatisfied with the practices of the Church of England and sought to return to what they believed were the teachings and practices of the early church.

The origins of the Plymouth Brethren can be traced back to the 1820s, when a group of Christians in Dublin, Ireland, began meeting for Bible study and prayer. Among these Christians were John Nelson Darby, a former Church of Ireland clergyman, and Benjamin Wills Newton, a curate in the Church of England. The group grew in numbers and began to meet in Plymouth, Devon.

The Plymouth Brethren were committed to returning to the simple, unadorned worship of the early church. They rejected the hierarchical structure of the established churches and instead believed in the priesthood of all believers, placing a strong emphasis on Bible study and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In 1830, the Plymouth Brethren officially broke away from the Church of England and the first Plymouth Brethren chapel was built in Plymouth. The movement soon spread throughout England and Ireland, and later to North America, Australia and India.

John Nelson Darby was one of the movement's key leaders — a prolific writer and theologian credited with developing the doctrine of dispensationalism, which holds that God interacts with humanity in different ways across different time periods. This concept has had a significant influence on evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity, particularly in the United States.

The Plymouth Brethren developed a distinctive style of worship characterised by simplicity and informality. They rejected formal clergy and liturgy, emphasising congregational singing, prayer and the sharing of personal testimonies. They also practised open worship, in which any member of the congregation could share a message or prayer during the service.

Over time, the Plymouth Brethren became increasingly fragmented as different groups developed their own interpretations of the movement's teachings. The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — also known as the Exclusive Brethren — is one of the largest and most conservative groups to have emerged from this movement, placing a strong emphasis on separation from the world and the maintenance of strict moral standards.

The Aberdeen Incident

In 1970, the three-day meetings were held over various weekends across the UK. James Taylor Jr, the then-leader, had already ministered in Reigate and Preston before arriving in Aberdeen towards the end of July. As was customary, the leader stayed with one of the local elders, and Taylor Jr was a guest of leading Aberdeen member James Alec Gardiner at his home in Abbotswell Crescent in the Tullos/Kincorth area of Aberdeen. Earlier in his UK visit, Taylor Jr had stayed in Harrow with English Brethren couple Alan and Madeline Ker, who had since flown to Scotland and were also present in Aberdeen.

On Saturday 25th July, Taylor Jr ministered at the three-day meeting held at the Music Hall in Aberdeen. It was reported that his address — fuelled by whisky, his lubricant of choice — included swearing, blasphemy and was rambling and incoherent. The congregation responded with laughter, at times hysterically.

That evening, back at the home of James Gardiner, events escalated. Gardiner and another leading Brethren member, Stanley McCallum, had grown concerned about the amount of time Taylor Jr was spending alone in his bedroom with Madeline Ker. After knocking repeatedly on the door without response, they opened it to find Taylor Jr in bed with a naked Mrs Ker. Taylor Jr left the following morning and returned to New York.

The story received national press coverage and, through a series of denials and shifting accounts from Taylor Jr, the scandal continued to unfold. A photograph also emerged of Taylor Jr with Mrs Ker, taken while her husband Alan was away on business. The incident reverberated throughout the Brethren worldwide. It culminated in Taylor Jr excommunicating communities from fellowship, with many communities shunning Taylor Jr in return. This was particularly pronounced in Scotland, where followers left in large numbers. In total, it is believed that approximately half of the global Taylor Plymouth Brethren left fellowship in the weeks that followed.

Taylor Jr died just a few months later, in October 1970. The new leader, James Symington — a farmer from North Dakota — subsequently claimed the Aberdeen Incident had been a revival for the Exclusive Brethren. The Plymouth Brethren's own website describes Taylor Jr, after ministering on four continents in the months before his death, as having been "physically exhausted."

In a final twist to the Aberdeen story, the grandson of the late Madeline Ker is today employed by Sante Group — the company that was awarded Covid contracts of approximately £950 million under its previous name, Unispace. Madeline and Alan Ker went on to become directors of the long-established family business Orthene Chemicals, which is now run by their son Charles. Techniclean Supply was part of Orthene Chemicals prior to being sold to two other Brethren families in 2018, and was itself awarded a PPE contract worth £20 million in 2020.

Leaders

The following individuals have led the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church since the early 20th century: