Moravian Church

The Moravian Church is considered the oldest Protestant denomination in the world. Its official name is the Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of Brethren. Although the terms Protestant and Moravian were not used until the sixteenth century, the Moravian religion was founded in 1457 in what is now the Czech Republic. However, its roots can be traced back to theologian Jan Hus (1369–1415), who challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Moravian Church was the first of what became known as Protestant churches. Protestantism was founded in the sixteenth century when Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation by questioning the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. He and his followers believed the Catholics were not being true to Christian beliefs. They broke away from the Catholic Church and called themselves Protestants. Protestantism is one of the three major branches of the Christian religion, along with the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. About one-third of all Christians in the world are Protestants.

The new Protestant sect gained many followers and branched out with the development of numerous other sects, such as the Moravians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Baptists. Moravians account for about 1.1 million of the Protestants worldwide, according to the Moravian Church.

Into the mid-2020s, the Moravian Church is divided into twenty-four provinces. Only three of these include the United States. The Northern Province of the Moravian Church is based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and has around twenty thousand members in seventeen US states and two Canadian provinces. The Southern Province is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and includes nearly nineteen thousand members throughout the Southern states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. Alaska, which also has Moravian congregations, is a separate province.

History

The history of the Moravian Church began in ancient Bohemia and Moravia (now the Czech Republic). People in these countries followed the teachings of Christianity provided by Greek Orthodox missionaries in the ninth century. People in these areas eventually began following the Roman Catholic religion.

During the late fourteenth century, Jan Hus, a Czech theologian, began speaking out against the Catholic religion. He led a protest movement and gained followers. The church accused Hus of heresy, and he was burned at the stake in 1415 in what is now Germany. His followers persevered after his death, and in 1457, formed the Unity of Brethren, which later became the Moravian Church (also known as Unitas Fratrum or Unity of Brethren). This happened roughly sixty years before the rise of Martin Luther and the creation of Protestantism.

By the beginning of the 1500s, the Moravian Church had nearly two hundred thousand members in more than four hundred parishes. The religion caught on in Poland by the 1550s. Wars eventually led to its decline, however, by the 1620s.

Interest in the Moravian Church grew due to the work of Count Nicolaus Zinzendorf, who gave refuge to those fleeing persecution in Bohemia and Moravia on his estate in 1722. He formed a community there and sent missionaries to spread the Moravian faith.

These missionaries carried their message to America during the colonial period. The settlement in Savannah, Georgia, failed. However, their message impressed Anglican clergyman John Wesley, an eventual founder of the Methodist religion.

The Moravians eventually established a permanent American settlement in Pennsylvania in 1741. By the nineteenth century, Moravian settlements spread throughout the colony and to other Northern colonies. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, became the headquarters for the religion. Later, the Moravians moved into the Southern colonies, establishing a headquarters in what is now Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Moravian Church became one of the first members of the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches. It established several schools throughout the United States, including the Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem. It continued its reach into other parts of the world, such as Canada, Africa, and the Caribbean. In 2018, both the Northern and Southern Provinces of the church voted to enter into a full communion relationship with the United Methodist Church.

Beliefs

The Moravian Church shares beliefs similar to other Christian religions. Followers believe in one God, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They believe that God is the head of the church. They believe that having a relationship with Jesus Christ enables them to have a relationship with God and with one another.

Moravians follow the teachings of the Bible, closely adhering to the messages of the Old Testament and New Testament. They follow the statements of the Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed, and Nicene Creed to confess sins, reject heresy, and encourage followers to obey the teachings of the Bible.

The Moravian Church recognizes two sacraments: baptism and communion. Baptism is held at birth or acceptance of faith, and communion is held several times a year. Individual churches can dictate how and when communion is celebrated. Communion is offered to all baptized adult Christians.

The Moravian Church prepares a list, or lectionary, of recommended scripture to be read at each service. Its use is not enforced, just suggested. Music is an important part of Moravian services. In addition, followers are encouraged to dress as they wish for service.

Organization

The Moravian Church recognizes priests of all faiths. Bishops are typically elected, and they have the ability to ordain ministers, presbyters, and deacons. Both men and women can serve in these leadership roles within the church.

The church is organized into twenty-four self-governing provinces governed by a Provincial Synod. The Unity Synod, which meets every seven years, oversees the church as a whole and decides on doctrine and guidelines for all Moravians. The Unity Board serves as the council of the church and includes one member from each provincial board. The church allows each province to issue rulings on social issues, such as allowing same-sex marriage, ordaining LGBTQ+ people as clergy, using birth control, and receiving abortions. For example, in 2014, the Northern Province Synod voted to permit the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy regardless of marital status and called for a rite to solemnize marriage between same-sex couples. The Southern Province Synod, on the other hand, affirmed by resolution in 2018 that it was the decision of pastors within their congregations as to whether they would perform same-sex marriages.

Bibliography

Moravian Church in North America, www.moravian.org. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

“Moravian Synod to Allow Gay Ministers to Marry.” Associated Press, 12 May 2018, apnews.com/article/776448f54477422caa828af33b6d0a68. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Our Origin & Growth." Unitas Fratrum, www.unitasfratrum.org/about-unitas-fratrum/our-origin-growth. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Protestantism." ReligionFacts, 4 Sept. 2024, www.religionfacts.com/protestantism. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

“Quick Facts About the Moravian Church.” Moravian Seminary, www.moravianseminary.edu/center-moravian-studies/moravians?utm‗source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.