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The Peculiar People are an offshoot of the Wesleyan denomination. Founded in 1838 in Rochford, England by John Banyard, they derive their name from an alternate translation of the phrase "Chosen people" taken from the book of Deuteronomy. Church membership peaked in the 1850s but declined until 1956 when the Peculiar People merged with other groups to form the Union of Evangelical Churches. The Peculiar People practice a puritanical form of worship, considering themselves bound by the literal interpretation of the King James Bible. They do not seek medical care in cases of sickness instead relying on prayer as an act of faith. This has led to judicial criticism when children have died due to lack of treatment. The Peculiar People count fewer than 20 churches today.
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