‘Portrait of a People’ reports on 2006 Brethren Member Profile.

"Portrait of a People: The Church of the Brethren at 300" by Carl Desportes Bowman is now available from Brethren Press. The book reports the results of the 2006 Brethren Member Profile, a major sociological study of the Church of the Brethren. Bowman has been a professor at Bridgewater (Va.) College, and previously carried out a survey of the denomination in 1985. He also is author of "Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a ‘Peculiar People.’"

In "Portrait of a People," readers will discover new information about Brethren beliefs and practices, which Brethren Press notes may surprise, please, or even dismay. The survey covers Brethren beliefs about God and the afterlife; attitudes about military service, abortion, and politics; practices in the area of personal Bible study, worship, and love feast; and much more.

Order the book for $15.95 plus shipping and handling, or order a pack of five copies for small group study for $60 plus shipping and handling; call 800-441-3712.

Source: 6/4/2008 Newsline