Southern Synod passed this heavily modified version of a Resolution on Salvation that was not allowed to go to floor for vote.

FINAL REVISED VERSION WAS NOT RECOGNIZABLE FROM ITS ORIGINAL VERSION

Ministers and lay persons author a synod resolution to submit to the 2002 Southern Synod. Their simple affirmation of Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone sent church leaders scurrying to prevent it from being presented as it might offend those who believe differently. The final version of Resolution 54 was not even recognizable from the original Resolution Affirming Salvation Through Christ Alone. Some Committee members who revised the resolution did not anticipate it would be used as a directive not to make a strong and public affirmation of salvation through Christ by leaders of our church.

See response to this posting from Rev Timothy Byerly 5/29/03
Re. Response Birth and Death of a Resolution 8/20/03

To Synod 2002

Resolution

Subject: A Call for Dialogue and Healing

From: World Outreach

WHEREAS, the body of Christ present in the Moravian Church suffers anguished brokenness because of divisions over matters of doctrine and faith; and

WHEREAS, the brokenness and divisions injure our common witness in a time of great opportunity and open doors for ministry in a world that is itself broken; and

WHEREAS, the Moravian Church, Southern Province, has accepted, with the whole of the Unitas Fratrum, the Ground of the Unity as its doctrinal statement; and

WHEREAS, the "Unitas Fratrum takes part in the continual search for sound doctrine" and "maintains that all creeds formulated by the Christian Church stand in need of constant testing in the light of the Holy Scriptures" ( Ground of the Unity sections on "God's Word and Doctrine" and "Creeds and Confessions"); therefore be it

RESOLVED THAT: the members of this Synod of the Southern Province covenant to confess and repent of the attitudes and actions that have brought us to this brokenness; and

RESOLVED, THAT the Provincial Elders Conference and the Bishops of the Southern Province, give leadership to a process, starting with the clergy, that will encourage and enable the church to address the divisions over matters of doctrine and faith; and

RESOLVED, THAT this process be .considered as a "search for sound doctrine” and a "testing" of the Ground of the Unity "in the light of the Holy Scriptures, and

RESOLVED, THAT the PEC and Bishops call the members of the Southern Province to fervent prayer, intercession and fasting for the church during this process, and

RESOLVED, THAT the results of this process be reported to the congregations, to other provinces and to the Unity Board, and be it further

RESOLVED, THAT this process include attention to the Ground of the Unity and other expressions of the faith and order of the Moravian Church.