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Getting To Know Our Ecumenical
Partners:
The Moravians
by Rocky Piro,
Commission on Ecumenical Relations Chair
In 1997, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took a historic step and entered
into full communion with three Protestant churches from the
Reformed tradition: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed
Church in America, and the United Church of Christ. In 1999, the
ELCA and the Moravian Church in America established full
communion. In this month’s Spirit, we are beginning a
series on our new ecumenical partners. We begin with the
Moravians, a mainline Protestant denomination founded a century
before the Reformation.
The Moravians (officially the
Unity of the Brethren, or in Latin Unitas Fratrum) may be viewed
as the oldest of the Reformation churches. With more than five
hundred years of history, the Moravian Church is older than the
Lutheran, Presbyterian, or Anglican churches. The denomination
became known as the “Moravian” Church in the 18th Century,
because most of its members came from the province of Moravia, now
in the Czech Republic. The denomination was among the first to
publish the Bible in the common language, and the first to print
common language hymnals.
Moravians trace their origins
to the teachings and influence of the Czech reformer, John Hus
(1371-1415). Hus, a Roman Catholic priest and professor at the
University of Prague, lived at a time of tumultuous division in
the Western Church. He taught that the Gospel should be available
in the common language rather than in Latin. He also preached that
the communion bread and wine should be freely available to all
believers, and objected to abusive practices in the church,
including the sale of indulgences. Hus was burned at the stake as
a heretic at the Council of Constance. His excommunication was
lifted in the 20th Century by Pope John Paul II.
In his day, Martin Luther
(1483-1546) was often called the “German Hus.” The Bohemian
Brethren, as the first Moravians were called, were in dialogue
with Luther and his colleagues. They shared many of the same
positions, including the 21 doctrinal articles of the Augsburg
Confession of the Lutheran Church.
Moravians also use portions of Luther’s Small Catechism
in several services of worship. Moravians and Lutherans always
were and still are in close relationship in Europe and Africa.
Some Moravian groups overseas even belong to the Lutheran World
Federation.
Today, the worldwide Moravian
Church numbers 740,000 persons. In Canada and the US there are
55,000 Moravians, with many in Northeastern Pennsylvania, North
Carolina and the Upper Mid-West.
Moravians have worked for
Christian unity throughout their history, and are founding members
of the World Council of Churches and the National Council of
Churches. Moravians are encouraged to live out their faith through
service to those In need. Their mission work has concentrated on
the poor and the powerless, and groups largely unreached by other
denominations. Today, the Moravian Church continues to have a
strong influence in the world mission movement, with active
churches in Central America, the Caribbean, southern Africa and
India.
The first worship service to
celebrate full communion between the ELCA and The Moravian Church
in America was held January 27, 2000 in Winston-Salem, North
Carolina. The order for this service , prepared by the ELCA’s
Division for Congregational Ministries, is available at the
website for ecumenical affairs at www.elca.org/ea/.
“Question-and-Answer” materials on full communion with the
Moravians, as well as ordering information for the report on
Lutheran-Moravian dialogues (titled Following Our Shepherd to Full
Communion), are also available on the ELCA’s website at www.elca.org. To learn more about
the Moravian Church visit the website: www.moravian.org.
Motto of the Moravian Church
is:
In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, liberty
In all things, love.
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