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Rio
Terrace Community Moravian Church-Occult workshop
Edmonton, AB T5R2Z9 Ph. 780 487-0211:
For years North Americans have been fascinated
with the subject of angels. We shall see it has also become a subject
teeming with deception and one more way Satan uses to turn people's eyes away
from Jesus Christ. (see article
and news letter)
Rev. Dr. Douglass P. Norwood, Jr.
February 1, 2003:
I left the Northern Provincial synod in June
2002 feeling like my mother or some other close relative had just died. I
couldn't hold back the tears. I could not participate in the synod communion,
but stood outside with about 30 other people instead. My grief was not based
solely on one issue, although one issue, of course, has attracted the most
attention.
(see article)
Olivet Moravian decision about the World Council of Churches
Feb 26, 2005
After much study, discussion and prayerful consideration over the past two
years, our joint boards voted unanimously not to support the WCC
(see letter sent to
PEC)
Rev.Truman Dunn Moses Lecture review fall 2001:
Rev. Dunn writes of his
personal belief, “I do not believe that Jesus is the only way to
find “salvation.”...Nor do I believe that Moravians or Christians have a
lock on religious “truth”.
He wonders why we insist that “Christianity” is somehow superior
to all other pathways to
God.
Rev. Dunn calls for a reformation through death
of the Moravian Church as we Know it,
allowing the “old ways” of exclusive “truths” to die.
He says the first “truth” that must go is
“the narrow and arrogant claim that Jesus is the only way to salvation”.
(see article)
Rev.Truman Dunn
rejoins the fold writing:
The Moses Lectures reflected a very
personal perspective about my convictions and my hopes for the Moravian Church.
However, my life and faith as a Christian is not lived in isolation. I am a part
of a larger faith community, the Moravian Church. And, I seek to stand within
that larger tradition of the Moravian Church while still maintaining the
integrity of my own personal belief and experience of the presence of God.......I have found that I indeed affirm the Ground of the Unity as the belief of
our church, even as I seek to be a part of our continual search for sound doctrine.
(see letter)
Resolution 54 Southern Synod 2002:
Careful study of this account, along with the
versions of the resolution as it evolved, will reveal the
transformation of a Document intended to reaffirm the authority of
Scripture and its message of Salvation through Christ alone. It is
apparent that leaders of our denomination were influential, to a
large degree, in redirecting the Resolution. The final fatal blow came
from an amendment on the floor by Bishop Graham Rights that removed
all remaining statements that called for reaffirmation of our doctrinal
statements of belief.
Resolution 54 went from calling for affirming our faith to a call
for preserving relationships.
In light of the fact that a minister used his position to
teach that Christ is not the only way to salvation, this effort by our
leaders might be seen as self serving, keeping
leadership intact at the expense of our mission to witness the message
of Scripture
(see
article)
Oscar Tesh
Walnut Cove, NC
What are we passing on to those who follow us: "The Faith of
our Fathers" or a watered-down ineffective substitute? I am a 5th generation
Moravian who wants a denomination that is unbending in the non-negotiable truths
of the Bible. We must be true to GOD and that means making hard decisions.
(see article)
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The Moravian Forum is not maintained or supported by the
Moravian Church of North America. This web site is maintained by members
of the Moravian Church to document and discuss issues of Faith and Order in our
Moravian denomination.
We have preserved and made available newspaper
articles in our Moravian's in the News section that demonstrates why
evangelicals are taking issue with PEC President Bob Sawyer media
statements and actions of church leaders.
Northern Provincial Synod and Southern Provincial Synods actions
related to homosexuality (Resolution 6) and Theology and beliefs
related to salvation (Resolution 54) are carefully reviewed in light of
historical and biblical understanding.
Letters from our leaders and
laity letters are available that demonstrate and discuss the issues that
concern Moravians.
The Moravian forum also
provides a forum page that encourages visitors to ask questions and
comment on issues and concerns in the Moravian Church.
The Moravian Library
contains documents and statements that define our faith and beliefs. The
Audio Library contains messages and sermons from Moravian Pastors and
other teachers that emphasize our evangelical and historical roots.
Special stories of interest are included that relate to current issues in the
Moravian Church.
”……….Asked
about my theology, I take the Bible and speak with all my soul. I believe
everything written in this book.
Asked to state my confession of faith. I refer them to the “Apostles
Creed”. My model of prayer is the
Lord’s Prayer, my rules of living
the “Ten Commandments.” But what will the sophisticated people of the world say
to that? Perhaps they smile at the childish old man. But I have found Christ and
he is everything to me. My whole life has been a pilgrim journey. Nowhere have I
found an abiding city. But now my heavenly fatherland, to whose threshold my
leader., my light, my savior has lead me, looms up before me. For me the thing
necessary is to forget what is behind and to hasten toward the prize of the
heavenly call of God. ...If any of you preachers who have no congregations of
your own to which to minister, are left, serve Christ wherever you are, in any
evangelical church which may desire your services. Only walk in that simplicity
in which I had borne and nurtured you. Walk In the straight and middle path,
neither flattering one party to the disparagement of the other, nor allowing
yourselves to be used as partisans In factional strife among parties. But rather
make that your care that love and concord and all common good reign In the
church. But Joining a communion In which ye find the truth of the gospel of
Christ, pray for Its peace and seek Its upbuildlng In good." It was a hope and
prayer that a seed would survive.
John Comenius
Message from John Comenius to the Brethren in his
poignant treatise, The Bequest of the Dying Mother, the Unity of the
Brethren. while serving as Bishop of the
Church 1650
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Rev. Aden Ward
Madison, WI 53711:
How wonderful it would be if we could
now step out in front of society and officially accept and preside over gay and
lesbian unions and accept gay and lesbian clergy with their partners.
(see article)Rural
Hall Moravian Church statement on Sexual Morality
Feb 8, 2004
Whether divorce, premarital sex among teens, gambling, abortion, or a host of
other moral issues, the church is confused; and because of this confusion, is no
longer the salt-and-light influence to the world that Jesus called for it to be.
The ability of the Church to evangelize is being hampered because the lives,
attitudes and beliefs of Christians who claim to follow the Bible are
indistinguishable from those who don't believe.
(see article)
Posted on the Southern Provincial web site- Removed after protest:
This statement, one of four, posted on the
official web site of the Moravian Church Southern Province was removed as
ministers and laymen protested in disbelief. Its was posted in a section
of the web site that was offered by the office of the PEC to explain the PEC
decision to allow Truman Dunn to remain as pastor of Messiah Moravian Church
after his teaching that Christ was not the only way to salvation.
Its message that we don’t know whether strict “belief in Christ” (understood as
intellectual assent to faith) is in fact the ONLY way to God appears to mirror
and support the statement that had lead to such division one year ago.
Suggesting that Rev Dunn's position is now accepted as official church position.
(see statement)
Moravian Minister and writer:
"Exactly. In all the talk about the Holy
Spirit bringing "new revelation" to the mainline churches, "revelation" that
contradicts Scripture, we have echoes of ancient Montanism (see
here), as
well as some of the bizarre elements of modern Pentecostalism (think of Benny
Hinn telling television audiences that the Spirit had informed him there are
nine Persons in the Trinity). When the so-called "voice of the Spirit" is
detached from the authority of Scripture, the result is the enthronement of the
desires of the individual.
Or the crowd. A modern, Western
twist on this old heresy is the wedding of it to democracy. Votes taken at
denominational assemblies are equated with the "voice of the Spirit," at least
when they provide the desired result. And of course when the desired result is
not forthcoming (say at the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist
Church, which refused to allow same-sex blessings or the ordination of sexually
active gays), then the majority is "refusing to listen to the voice of the
Spirit."
The willingness to pit the Spirit against the Scripture in the
interest of ever-elusive cultural relevance is a recipe for anarchy."(see
article)
Believers at Mizpah
By signing
this resolution ( which
never came up at our recent Synod) we affirm and support the veracity of the
Holy Scripture, The
Ground of
the Unity, the Church Order of the Unitas Fratrum, and the historic faith
and practice of the Christian Church for 2,000 years, the Ancient Unity ( since
March 1, 1457 ) and the Renewed Moravian Church ( since August 13, 1727) to the
present, that Jesus Christ is, in fact "the way, the truth and the life and that
no one comes to the father except through Me". ( John 14:6). To say or think
anything otherwise, ie , that Christ is just one way among many, would be a
rejection of the Holy Scripture, and in effect, calling Christ a liar. We are
not prepared under any circumstances to do this as this issue strikes at the
very heart of the Christian Faith.
(see letter)
“Make Jesus Christ your Lord and Master,
seek the guidance of the Word and His Spirit, and we shall have no differences
with you. We offer you in all sincerity our Christian fellowship. We call you
‘Brother.’”
Message from Bishop Kenneth Pfohl while serving as minister at Home Moravian
Church August 12, 1917
(see entire
message)
My concern and that of others
with whom we have spoken is that the Moravian Church remain
faithful to the Biblical basis of our faith and the
commitment to our Savior, Jesus Christ. To that end
we are anxious to give our support to the group
that is making that stand known.
Signed,
(Dr.)
Samuel B. Marx.
1/12/03 |
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