Westminster 09 2c

The final paper was from Bruce Jenkins from Caversham, Reading - a fascinating look at the Moravians and their amazing missionary work. The Moravians are sometimes typified as having heat without light and so Bruce looked first at how much light they had then considered what we can learn from their "heat". The Moravians trace their roots to Hus. The Independent Episcopal Church began in the 15th century long before the Reformation. In 1721 a remnant set up in Herrnhut at the invitation of Count Zinzendorf. In 1727 the Moravian Pentecost brought revival. A neglected part of studies of the great awakening is the role of these people. They are certainly outside the main stream but had an important influence. In 1732 Zinzendorf was banished from Saxony. Moravian Societies were formed in various places such as Fetter Lane in London. In England they were able to get recognition as part of the established church. In the 1740s they experienced what they call the sifting time. By the end of that period they were mired in debt and in 1755 Zinzendorf returned to Germany in shame. The Moravians practiced strict segregation of the sexes, other divisions, women in ministry, ecumenism, use of the lot, voluntary socialism, children removed from parents while still young, etc. They were a great mixture. They focused on Christ but gave expression to this in ways that disgusted most people. It was very much a personality cult around Zinzendorf. Though accused of antinomianism they were very legalistic. They were very frugal but got into financial trouble through mismanagement and over indulgence. Having had the background there were then three points on their
1. Provocative piety - Evaluating Moravian doctrine and practice
They can be spoken of as Non-confessional Lutheran Pietists. They were essentially people of the heart. What mattered to them was not orthodoxy but authentic spiritual experience. Zinzendorf referred to the Holy Spirit as Mother. This is not a doctrinal point but an attempt to express things experientially. It was the same impetus that led to Zinzendorf's blood and wounds theology. They saw the wounds as a mark of Christ's humanity and spoke graphically of the need to hide in the wounds and to delight in them. Cf The Litany of the wounds. It was only a step to eroticising the relationship between Christ and his church. The notorious Appendix 12 to their hymnal was overtly sexual. Their worship then went in a very vivid, spectacular even sensual direction. These practices became a scandal. Today Moravians say the sifting period 1743-1750 was the limit of this temporary aberration. However, the phenomenon was longer and less unusual than they claim. They were not popular when they were most controversial. Wesley was converted through the Moravians but slowly became disillusioned and wrote against them (1745) as antinomians. He was not bitter against them. Whitefield reluctantly distanced himself from them. He wrote a letter to Zinzendorf admonishing him. The Moravians defended themselves but lost the support of the evangelicals. Zinzendorf himself was a curious mixture. The author of such mad novelties also wrote Jesu Thy blood and righteousness and showed many marks of evangelical understanding. He was quite self-contradictory and an autodidact who refused to speak precisely. The explanation of all this is the lack of a confession of faith, the predominance of a youth culture at the height if their influence. The core explanation is a wholly inadequate view of and use of Scripture. Zinzendorf did not believe in verbal inspiration. He actually said that "The fact that the Bible has so many errors (scarcely a book today would be published with so many) is, for me at least, the an unassailable proof for its divinity". Even today Moravians use Bible texts deliberately removed from their context.
2. Missionary practice - Describing the principles
Zinzendorf believed that the nations would not be converted until the Jews were. He believed the Jews would not be converted until they saw Christ's wounds. This idea was subsequently rejected and mission flourished to an astounding degree. It was voluntary. They sent out artisans. The emphasis was on enthusiasm rather than education. Study was done in medicine, geography and languages. Missionaries were given the money to get to the port of departure then worked their passage. Whether a missionary would marry or not was decided by lot. Their message - they rejected the established method and started with Christ rather than God, creation, fall, law, etc. People know there is a God, it was felt, but not about Christ - that is what they need to know. They used a picturesque narrative method in line with their theology. Spannenburg, Zinzendorf's successor, however, was quite orthodox.
3. Exemplary passion - learning from Moravian missionary zeal This what made their contemporaries admire them even if they could not work with them. They gave long, long years of service and many died on the field. What maintained that zeal? Seven things were suggested
1. Readiness to make the world their home (part of their history) 2. Profound experience of God 3. Inspiring leadership 4. Whole church mission involvement 5. Prayer 6. Constant exposure to mission 7. Commitment to mission