The Moravian Church in North America
The Moravians were a small group of Christians that gathered together to form a church in 1457. The Moravian church is a historic church that originated in ancient Bohemia and Moravia, modern day Czechoslovakia.
The Moravian Church in North America has always felt education is a vital part in the Moravian church life. They have a strong traditional emphasis on a musical heritage in their worship service. They believe in Ecumenical cooperation with other faiths in their community. Parish life of the congregation is the foundation of The Moravian Church in North America. The Moravian Church is a charter member of the World council of Churches as well as the National Council of Churches in the USA.
The Moravian Church in North America established schools from the earliest appearance in America. There was a Moravian Seminary for Women founded in Bethlehem Pennsylvania in 1742 and the Nazareth Hall for Boys established in 1759. They established the Moravian Theological Seminary in 1858 to train ministers for America. The school was incorporated and called the Moravian College and Theological Seminary in 1863.
They extended to Southern California, the Eastern and the Midwestern states and the District of Columbia. The headquarters of The Moravian Church in North America is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
History
The Moravian church is a historic church that originated in ancient Bohemia and Moravia, modern day Czechoslovakia. These countries converted to Christianity in the mid ninth century. Gradually Bohemia and Moravia was taken over by the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Rome. There were some of the people who protested and held on to the traditional Protestantism.
The Moravian Church established its own ministry using its own hymnal and catechism. They published the entire Bible in 1593. The Moravian Church spread into Poland because of persecution that occurred in 1557. The Thirty Year War brought more persecution to the Moravian church from 1618-1648. The Protestants of Bohemia were defeated.
There was a renewal of the Moravian church in the 18th century with the encouragement of the Imperial Court Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf lived from May 26, 1700 to May 9, 1760 and was a German religious reformer and became the bishop of the Moravian Church.
The Moravians arrived in the America and unsuccessfully attempted to establish a Moravian settlement in Georgia from 1735 to 1740. They then settled in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. They spread the gospel principally to the American Indians.
The Moravian Church established a settlement in North Carolina in 1753 and soon became the headquarters of the North and South provinces of the Moravian Church of America. The Moravian Church in America Southern Province became established as a self-governing body after the Unity Synod of 1848. The Southern Province added churches in Winston, Salem, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
The Moravians arrived on the shores of North America in 1735. They had permanently established their way of life in Pennsylvania by 1740. They followed the tradition of the Unity of Brethren. Their ministers were all trained in Europe and because of the Napoleonic wars it was difficult for the ministers to get to America. The Moravian Church Synod authorized the establishment of a Seminary. A Theological Seminary was located to Bethlehem Pennsylvania and originated from a humble beginning in 1858.
The Moravian Church spread with the German emigrants to the Midwest. The Northern Province divided into the Eastern, Western and Canadian districts. It was after World War 11 the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America spread to Southern California.
Belief
The Moravian Church in North America believes in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They believe and confess that God has revealed Himself in His son Jesus Christ. They believe Jesus Christ is the Lord and Redeemer of the whole of humanity by His death and His Resurrection. They believe there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ.
The Moravian Church in North America believe in the Covenant for Christian Living. They proclaim Jesus Christ is Lord. They believe their Christian life depends on their effort and upon God the Father, who in Jesus Christ accepts all as heirs of God.
The Moravian Church in North America believe God has called many and they believe it is possible to have disagreements within the Church. They believe it is their responsibility to demonstrate within the life of the congregation the unity that is created by God to make them one under the control of God. They believe this shows the validity of their faith.
The Moravian Church in North America believe in mutual respect with all other children of God in other Christian Churches. They believe it is imperative to avoid all disputes and respect others opinions as well as other ceremonies from other churches. They believe it is through the grace of Jesus Christ that the different denominations have received their gifts also from God. They believe the Church of Christ should enrich their lives and welcome the contributions from other church.
The Moravian Church in North America believe in accepting other creeds of the Christian Church. They honor the Apostles’ Creed, Augsburg Confession and the Nicene Creed. The motto of the Moravian Church is “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love.”
The Moravian Church in North America believe in Baptism that unites all with the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. They believe they have died to sin and should walk in a newness of life. They believe their Christian faith must be nourished in order to live fundamental lives. They believe they must grow as Christian through faith, family devotions and study, personal prayer and accepting spiritual development provided by the Church.
The Moravian Church in North America believe in Baptism by sprinkling administering the Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They do infant Baptism, giving the responsibility to the parents and the congregation. They believe it is through Baptism the individual receives the pledge of forgiveness of sin and the admission into the covenant of God through the blood of Christ.
The Moravian Church in North America believe the Holy Communion is a sacrament. The Moravian Church in America Southern Province does not believe in characterizing the mysteries of the presence of Christ in the communion elements. They believe that the believers are participates in the covenant with Christ as the Savior and with other believers in Christ. It is a Church service of praise and prayer using the singing of hymns as the elements of the Communion is being distributed. They believe the Holy Communion is a time of fellowship and a special covenant with Christ and with each other.
The Moravian Church in North America believe their lives are a sacred trust. The take being faithful stewards is imperative to their faith and the giving of their time, talents and their financial resources.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “The Moravian Church in North America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2747,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “The Moravian Church in North America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2747,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “The Moravian Church in North America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2747, (accessed).
