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Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC)

Brethren · 1890 · Worldwide

The fellowship that continued with F. E. Raven in 1890 and, under James Taylor Sr. and his successors, developed a distinctive doctrine of ongoing ministry through recognized leaders and an increasingly strict separation; the 1970 Aberdeen incident under James Taylor Jr. produced a massive exodus. Today the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, membership 54,000+.

Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC) was formed in 1890. Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC) continues today. Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC)'s institutional line runs back through The Brethren movement, Church of England, Roman Catholicism to the post-apostolic church. No body on this tree is the assembly of Acts 2; where a body claims that, the claim appears in the claimed-lineage layer.

Between the post-apostolic church and Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC) stand 4 divisions along the institutional line, counting separations and disputed forks, not mergers, renewals or national organizations.

At a glance

Formed
In 1890
Family
Brethren
Region
Worldwide
Key figures
F. E. Raven, James Taylor Sr., James Taylor Jr.
Cause tags
Doctrine
Also known as
Exclusive Brethren (common usage); Raven-Taylor Brethren → Plymouth Brethren Christian Church; Taylorites; PBCC

What it separated from

Bodies organized out of it or separated from it: Glanton Brethren.

On the tree

Raven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC) and its institutional line back to the post-apostolic churchAD 33The church at Pentecost: On divine groundThe church at Pentecost: on divine groundtoday10042443145110541534182718901908The post-apostolic church (The spine)The post-apostolicchurchDepartureChurch of the East (Church of the East)Church of the EastChurch of the EastThe conciliar church (The spine)The conciliar churchDepartureThe Chalcedonian church (The spine)The Chalcedonian churchDepartureOriental Orthodoxy (Oriental Orthodox)Oriental OrthodoxyOriental OrthodoxEastern Orthodoxy (Eastern Orthodox)Eastern OrthodoxyEastern OrthodoxRoman Catholicism (Catholic)Roman CatholicismNot gatheredChurch of England (Anglican)Church of EnglandAnglicanThe Brethren movement (Brethren)The Brethren movementOn divine groundRaven–Taylor Brethren (PBCC) (Brethren)Raven–Taylor Brethren(PBCC)BrethrenGlanton Brethren (Brethren)Glanton BrethrenBrethren

Solid lines are separations and unions; dashed lines are renewals that began inside a body; dotted gray lines are national organizations of one communion; a diamond marks a fork event where neither side is drawn as the one that left. Every line runs back to the post-apostolic church; no body descends from the assembly of Acts 2. Dashed gray boxes mark the institutional line after the apostles, shown as departure; no line of descent is drawn from Pentecost. A verdict appears on a box once its section is published.

The event

The Raven question, 1890

F. E. Raven's teaching (from 1888) on eternal life and the Person of Christ was judged fundamentally erroneous by opponents and defended by supporters. Bexhill separated from Raven on June 29, 1890, and those who went on with him became the Raven line.

Adherents

About 54,000 adherents (self-reported claim, as of 2026).

A figure the body itself has stated, often years old, with no census apparatus behind it.

Source: grokipedia Exclusive Brethren page

Sources

Brethren division and merger chronology: R. A. Huebner, courtesy of Present Truth Publishers (free PDF).

Research compiled July 2026. Page data built 2026-10-31.