This PEC letter was removed from their web site after objections, "Jesus is the only way to Salvation"

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 response letters

A Moravian Understanding of “Jesus is the only way to Salvation”

We do believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation in that the saving work of Christ has made possible a restored, forgiven, grace-filled, loving relationship with God for all of God’s creation since left on our own we fail (i.e. “miss the mark”, which is the literal translation of the biblical word “sin”)

St. Paul used the phrase “through Christ God is reconciling the world unto himself”. In that sense then, wherever God is “saving” it is through Christ, whether we see it or understand it or not. Historically and theologically then Moravians have professed, taught and believe that:

1.. Jesus is the way to God for anybody.

2.. God’s saving work for his creation through Christ is for the benefit of everybody.

3.. Where the saving work of God is present, there is Christ.

4.. Since we do not, and should not, seek to control the saving will of God, we don’t know whether strict “belief in Christ” (understood as intellectual assent to faith) is in fact the ONLY way to God (for example, Gods covenant with the Jews is older than ours!) That is why our Ground of the Unity says, “But just as the Holy Scriptures do not contain any doctrinal system, so the Unitas Fratrum also has not developed any of its own because it knows that the mystery of Jesus Christ, which is attested to in the Bible, cannot be comprehended completely by any human statement.” This does not mean that we think all religions are the same and that it’s just a buffet religious world out there. It does mean that we don’t have to judge or persecute other faiths and think we know what God might be doing or not doing through them.

5.. So as Moravians we witness to our personal relationships with Christ, serve the world and its people for Christ, and in discipleship hold up Christ to all (after all, he gave his life for the whole world - “Christ and him crucified...”). We leave the rest in faith to a merciful and loving God