This page is hosted by JournalNow.com, web site of the Winston-Salem Journal. This story was originally published Thursday, May 16, 2002. To search for other articles on this subject go to www.archivesnc.com. © Winston-Salem Journal

Over the years we have been able to make many contributions to our life together, but by nature our influence is typically quiet and in the background. Indeed, one writer said that a basic characteristic of our church is "unobtrusiveness." So we are not used to headline and editorial-page publicity, but we do choose to live and serve in the present, not in the past.

Ministry is changing in a culture that is changing, and that brings diversity, conflict and anxiety. The Journal has graciously noted, "The Moravians have historically believed that disagreements can, if handled properly, enrich the church and help to renew it and keep it vital in changing times." That has been true in large part because of the importance we place on relationships. In fact, we believe that sustaining relationships with one another is a divine imperative.

We affirm the major historic creeds of the Christian church, beginning with the Apostle's Creed. Our liturgies and hymns serve as a basic expression of our very Christ-centered belief. But we have found over the centuries that dogmatic doctrinal definition is neither necessary nor helpful to a growing life of faith.

Along with the other provinces of the worldwide Moravian Unity we affirm a statement called The Ground of the Unity. This statement was developed in 1957, in part to bring unity and a hopeful faith expression after the divisions and enmity of World War II. It superseded a list of eight "basic truths."

While The Ground of the Unity speaks of eternal things, it is also very much grounded in the world in which we live. It is a living and dynamic statement. The most recent change in The Ground of the Unity was in 1995, when our church saw a need to state more precisely the place of Holy Scriptures in defining our life.

In the course of our long history, Moravians have learned to work on beliefs in a communal fashion and resist focusing on just isolated doctrinal propositions. This is in keeping with what our recent synod directed and, indeed, consistent with how our worldwide Unity Synod has helped shape our beliefs as well.

Compiling a list of current teachings and labeling each teaching as true or false is not always helpful. Such a list might well include items that can and should receive a clear and ringing affirmation. Other items may have different meanings to different people. For this, as well as reasons of relationship and respect for one another, in our tradition, prayer, study and conversation are more appropriate ways of dealing with beliefs than a simple affirmation or denial.

An example is this statement from The Ground of the Unity. "We believe and confess that God has revealed Himself once and for all in His son Jesus Christ, that our Lord has redeemed us with the whole of humanity by His death and His resurrection; and that there is no salvation apart from Him."

Our recent synod chose not to adopt a resolution focused on this statement, not because Moravians deny it, but because we do not want to force a meaning from the statement that is not really there. Increasingly we live and minister in a context where we have much closer contact with people of other faiths and cultures.

Another of our recent synods affirmed, "The Moravian Church has a long tradition of cooperation with and abiding respect for persons of other religions." This has not changed. We adopted a resolution affirming The Ground of the Unity as a current statement of our doctrine and life. We called our congregations to a time of study and prayer over this statement and its meaning for our life and belief together and urged that we work intentionally on divisions that exist among us over doctrine and faith. This approach to matters of doctrine has not only helped Moravians deal with diversity and conflict but has also strengthened our ability to focus on Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Chief Elder of our church.

In good Moravian fashion, I close by emphasizing that this is anything but "the last word." We have work to do as a province. We are already engaging in conversations among persons who have not talked together enough in recent years. We have a heritage that has served us well in times of controversy and we draw on it now.

We are confident that the work in which we are now engaged will strengthen the Moravian Church and as a result enable us to continue to contribute to the vitality of the community in which we live and serve.