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Discussion Forum : Revivals And Church History : Spirit of the Moravian Church

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 Spirit of the Moravian Church


An account of the ethos of the Moravian Church is given by one of its British bishops, Clarence H Shawe.[9] In a lecture series delivered at the Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Shawe described the Spirit of the Moravian Church as having five characteristics: simplicity, happiness, unintrusiveness, fellowship and the ideal of service.

[b]Simplicity[/b] is a focus on the essentials of faith and a lack of interest in the niceties of doctrinal definition. Shawe quotes Zinzendorf's remark that The Apostles say: 'We believe we have salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ ....' If I can only teach a person that catechism I have made him a divinity scholar for all time (Shawe, 1977, p 9). From this simplicity flow secondary qualities of genuineness and practicality.

[b]Happiness[/b] is the natural and spontaneous response to God's free and gracious gift of salvation. Again Shawe quotes Zinzendorf: There is a difference between a genuine Pietist and a genuine Moravian. The Pietist has his sin in the foreground and looks at the wounds of Jesus; the Moravian has the wounds in the forefront and looks from them upon his sin. The Pietist in his timidity is comforted by the wounds; the Moravian in his happiness is shamed by his sin (p 13).

[b]Unintrusiveness[/b] is based on the Moravian belief that God positively wills the existence of a variety of churches to cater for different spiritual needs. There is no need to win converts from other churches. The source of Christian unity is not legal form but everyone's heart-relationship with the Saviour.

[b]Fellowship[/b] is based on this heart-relationship. Shawe says: The Moravian ideal has been to gather together kindred hearts ... Where there are 'Christian hearts in love united', there fellowship is possible in spite of differences of intellect and intelligence, of thought, opinion, taste and outlook. ... Fellowship [in Zinzendorf's time] meant not only a bridging of theological differences but also of social differences; the artisan and aristocrat were brought together as brothers and sat as equal members on the same committee (pp 21,22).

The ideal of [b]service[/b] entails happily having the attitude of a servant. This shows itself partly in faithful service in various roles within congregations but more importantly in service of the world 'by the extension of the Kingdom of God'. Historically, this has been evident in educational and especially missionary work. Shawe remarks that none could give themselves more freely to the spread of the gospel than those Moravian emigrants who, by settling in Herrnhut [ie, on Zinzendorf's estate], had gained release from suppression and persecution. (p 26).

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Church


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2009/8/1 0:13Profile









 Re: Spirit of the Moravian Church

Praise God for that word, dear brother Greg, how I love you. The Moravian heartbeat is what I've been concentrating on a while now, their heart cant lines up with the Heart of God, and the Love of Jesus so righteously and perfectly....

Mind you, they werent "perfect", there was period between 1743 and 1750 where the flock went from child-like Faith to childish behavior, and it brought great reproach upon Zinzendorf and just GRIEVED him, just isnt the whole Moravian leading a template we can use today?

"The Order of the Mustard Seed", Greg...I cant wait to see you in the flesh, and remember I will be living at the Church, Praise God! and there will always be a bunk there for you, along with hot meals, and Jesus love.

oh and by the way, I have been praying that God send you a Godly woman to take as a wife and best friend, please know that. She's just around the corner Greg...you know that.

In Jesus' love, neil

 2009/8/1 1:26





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