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The elders apparently believed that Dunn himself was denying that the way to salvation is through Jesus. If he was rejecting the denomination's central tenet, they did not believe that he should continue as a pastor. But the loyalty and courage of the congregation at Messiah in defending Dunn persuaded the elders to delay action for a year while church leaders talked with Dunn about his belief. Last week, the conference said that Dunn can keep his pastorate, and Dunn said, "I have come to the place where I believe I can affirm the Ground of the Unity." The Ground of the Unity, the Moravian statement of faith, includes the statement that there is no salvation apart from Christ. Some Moravians - liberals and conservatives - will be skeptical about this turn of events. The Rev. Bob Sawyer, the conference president, spoke of Dunn's having changed as he talked with denominational leaders. Though Dunn's lectures and article brought the differences of opinion within the church out into the open, he is not the only Moravian to have considered such questions. Some liberals may wonder how much pressure was applied during the year, and more fundamentalist Moravians may question the sincerity of Dunn's transformation. Perhaps Dunn sparked a healthy exercise of Moravian conscience, openness and community. Some participants in the conversations said that they resulted in a rediscovery of what it means to be Moravian. It could also be that when they really talked to one another, Dunn and church leaders found that they were never far apart on the issues that really matter. Those who question Dunn's transformation should remember that central to the Christian faith is the concept of "Judge not, that ye be not judged," and the belief that no mortal can see into the heart and conscience of another. Moravians and their faith should be the stronger for having found a way to air questions and bridge differences.
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