Moravians

[AngCath]

I don't know much about this denomination and would appreciate any information offered.
thanks

 

[Philip]

You'll probably get more answers asking in the Lutheran Forum. Moravians are grouped with them.

 

[depthdeception]

I don't know much about this denomination and would appreciate any information offered.
thanks

Moravians grew out of the Pietistic movement of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Count Zinzendorf was an early leader who organized a community of believers at his famous "Hernhutt." Facing persecution, many of the Moravians immigrated to the United States, seeking religious tolerance and freedom. Interestingly enough, John Wesley ("founder" of Methodism) met the Moravians and was deeply influenced by their theology, even though he eventually came to disavow the more extremist elements.

The Moravians stress a deep piety of life. A major and distinctive factor of their theology is the emphasis on the role of experience in the life of the believer, especially as evidenced in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 

[AngCath]

thank you very much

 

[Dmckay]

This link will give you all the information you might want, from the hhorses mouth, as it were:
http://www.moravian.org/

 

[Vaudois]

Moravians grew out of the Pietistic movement of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Count Zinzendorf was an early leader who organized a community of believers at his famous "Hernhutt." Facing persecution, many of the Moravians immigrated to the United States, seeking religious tolerance and freedom. Interestingly enough, John Wesley ("founder" of Methodism) met the Moravians and was deeply influenced by their theology, even though he eventually came to disavow the more extremist elements.

The Moravians stress a deep piety of life. A major and distinctive factor of their theology is the emphasis on the role of experience in the life of the believer, especially as evidenced in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

That was about as clear as an answer as I have ever seen! Hats off!

 

[depthdeception]

That was about as clear as an answer as I have ever seen! Hats off!

Thank you!

 

[Vaudois]

You're more than welcome. I love church history, of all denominations, and appreciate good solid reporting like what you did.
So much of what is passed off as "history" is stilted and smacks of a party spirit. I get tired of wearing galoshes. Hence the praise to-you-ward!

 

[Dale]

I was a member of the Moravian Church for a number of years. The Moravians are often said to have been founded by Count Zinzendorf, but this is not really true. The Moravians really go back to the teachings of Jan Hus, who was martyred sixty years before Martin Luther. Hus, an influential critic of the Catholic Church, was given safe passage by a Catholic ruler, then double crossed and burned at the stake.

The Moravian Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit on their congregation on August 13 of each year.

The early Moravians were the first to send missionaries to slaves in the Caribbean, and the church is still active and alive in that area. Missionary activity by Moravians has had an important influence on the history of Christianity, although many of those originally evangelized by Moravian missionaries wound up as members of other churches.

 

[Vaudois]

Yes, Dale is being more precise: the Bohemeian Brethern were long before the Count. He sorta adopted them.Moravian history is a bit complex, as it is very very old, and pretty underground due to papal persecution.
I have spent some time in the Czech republic and even the Slovak Republic: the Brethern are still there in many forms.

 

[depthdeception]

I was a member of the Moravian Church for a number of years. The Moravians are often said to have been founded by Count Zinzendorf, but this is not really true. The Moravians really go back to the teachings of Jan Hus, who was martyred sixty years before Martin Luther. Hus, an influential critic of the Catholic Church, was given safe passage by a Catholic ruler, then double crossed and burned at the stake.

The Moravian Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit on their congregation on August 13 of each year.

The early Moravians were the first to send missionaries to slaves in the Caribbean, and the church is still active and alive in that area. Missionary activity by Moravians has had an important influence on the history of Christianity, although many of those originally evangelized by Moravian missionaries wound up as members of other churches.

Yes, good point. I merely wished to point out that C.Z was an "early leader" of the movement.

 

[Vaudois]

John "The Goose" Hus is one of the first saints I'm looking up when I get to heaven. Been to his ancient Bethlehem Chapel in Prague and walked the sight of his being burned at the stake.

Anyone have any leads on the Bohemian Brethern?

 

[depthdeception]

Been to his ancient Bethlehem Chapel in Prague and walked the sight of his being burned at the stake.

Wow! I'm totally jealous! Lucky!

 

[Vaudois]

Wow! I'm totally jealous! Lucky!

Luck? Naw...I was unconverted then, and God was taking me on a Grand Tour all around Europe, without my knowledge. I found a book after I was saved that traced almost my entire route, explaining the real facts about those places I had been and lived in.

Last year (again, unplanned) I saw the two cages still hanging from the Munster Cathedral, hundreds of feet up, where radical Anabaptists were left on display to die after severe torture in 1556 (I think)...They are kept spotlessly cleaned.

I asked my German guide why they were still there.

He said "The priest told me 'So they will never forget!'"

If ya like Reformation history, I'm your man. No armchair scholar jazz for me....ummm but I do read sitting down, too!

 

[cristoiglesia]

Greetings and blessings to all,


I was a Moravian minister for 25 years before becoming a Catholic priest. I was reared in Winston-Salem, NC and attended Friedburg Moravian Church which is one of the oldest churches in the Southern Province. The information about the Moravian church is accurate so far but I would like to add a few things.

The Moravian church is the remnants of the Hussite movement that survived the 30 Years War. There is conflicting information that estimates that as many as two million to as little as two hundred thousand Hussites were killed in the war. Less than a hundred survived to start the Moravian church.

Moravians differ from most of the Protestant Churches in several distinctive ways. The major religious holiday for Moravians is Easter where Christmas is relatively minor compared to Easter. One of the largest religious ceremonies in the world occurs on Easter morning in Old Salem at Home Moravian church.
The service consists of over 5000 band members who play antiphonally, half being at the church and the other half at God's Acre (cemetary). The band at the church leads the congregation to the cemetary. This service has been attended by as many as a million people but I understand that in recent years the atendance has been declining as has church membership.

Some of the Moravian customs are somewhat different than other churches. The Moravians bury men,women an children in different sections of the cemetary, symbolizing that there are no marriages recognized in heaven. The Moravians also maintain apostolic succession and believe in the real corporeal presence in the Eucharist. The old choir system is gone but in the church there remains remnants of the old system of children being raised and eductoated by the congregation. The services are Liturgical in nature with worship rather than teaching being the main focus of the worship service. When guests would come to a Moravian service for the first time they would usually comment that there was a kind of sweetness in the method of worship with a quiet reverance.

If you have any questions I will be happy to answer them from my over 50 years in the church. Thanks for your interest.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

 

[Vaudois]

Fr. Joseph: Was it 25 or 50 years as a Moravian? I'm confused. Also what urged you from the Moravian fellowship to the Polish Catholic one?

 

[cristoiglesia]

Fr. Joseph: Was it 25 or 50 years as a Moravian? I'm confused. Also what urged you from the Moravian fellowship to the Polish Catholic one?

I am sorry for the confusion. I was born into the Moravian Church and remained a member for fifty years, twenty-five of those years as a minister.

I have been a missionary for most of my years in ministry serving in the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Southern Africa (Zimbabwe) and now the Philippines.For six years prior to becoming a priest I was a professor at a Roman Catholic seminary in the Philippines.

For many years I had been disturbed by what I believed was theological error that my former church was falling into. First they ordained a female bishop and then they commissioned a committee to investigate ordaining practicing homosexuals. My friend since childhood was on the committee and said that it would be done but they were waiting to see what the repurcussions were in the Anglican Church. Due to this I could no longer continue as a Moravian minister.

I considered becoming a Roman Catholic priest but the Philippine Cardinal, Sin, did not allow Priests from Protestant denominations. I would have to move back to the US to become a Roman Catholic Priest. I did not want to leave the Philippines. My colleagues at the Seminary syuggested I investigate the Orthodox and the Old Catholics and that is how I ended up in the Polish National Catholic Church.May the Lord bless you abundantly and have mercy on you.

In Christ,
Fr. Joseph

 

[Vaudois]

Yes, those are certain major changes for Moravians.
However to leave Protestantism as a pastor to merge withCatholicism as a priest is a great leap, especially when the gay and woman priest issues ARE very much a Catholic problem too.

Are you willing to talk about this more in depth, comparing Moravian theology (not ethics) with RC theology?

 

[cristoiglesia]

Yes, those are certain major changes for Moravians.
However to leave Protestantism as a pastor to merge withCatholicism as a priest is a great leap, especially when the gay and woman priest issues ARE very much a Catholic problem too.

Are you willing to talk about this more in depth, comparing Moravian theology (not ethics) with RC theology?

Sure it would be a blessing to me to discuss that with you. Where would you like to start.

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

 

[Vaudois]

Gee....How about your mental shift in regards to history.

Moravians (and Brethern) were excommunicated, proscribed, banished and martyered in Poland and Bohemia. How do you rationalize Rome's actions or Rome's support of secular actions against your former spiritual forefathers?