A Scientist and a Poet Discuss Roses (When Wesley Met Zinzendorf)
The Moravian Church had a great influence on John Wesley. Wesley first met some Moravians on a ship to the American colonies. He befriended more of them when he had returned to England. He visited their community in Herrnhut, Germany, and was impressed. Then things began to change. As Wesley encountered more Moravians, he began … Continue reading A Scientist and a Poet Discuss Roses (When Wesley Met Zinzendorf) →
Joshua Nickel	Church History, Moravian Church	 November 7, 2017 December 6, 2017 3 Minutes
Count Zinzendorf’s Weird Help/Hurt Relationship With the Moravian Church
One of the most interesting aspects of Joseph Hutton’s History of the Moravian Church is his portrayal of Count Zinzendorf. As Hutton tells the story, Zinzendorf is both the good guy and the bad guy. His quirks and faults were as big as his virtues. No doubt his generosity and wisdom was essential for the … Continue reading Count Zinzendorf’s Weird Help/Hurt Relationship With the Moravian Church →
The Unexpected Advice That May Have Saved John Wesley’s Ministry
John Wesley’s ministry was saved from shipwreck by some unexpected advice. At least that’s how Joseph Hutton described the matter in his History of the Moravian Church. This story finds its place in Moravian church history because the man who gave Wesley that advice was a Moravian minister named Peter Boehler. Wesley met Boehler in … Continue reading The Unexpected Advice That May Have Saved John Wesley’s Ministry →
The Key Factor That Set the Moravian Missionaries Apart
The Moravian church experienced a move of God in 1727 at Herrnhut, Germany. Many people affected by that revival spent the rest of their lives doing missionary work in foreign lands. The sending began in 1732. Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann set sail for the Caribbean Island of St. Thomas. The sending continued for decades. … Continue reading The Key Factor That Set the Moravian Missionaries Apart →
The Importance of Book Serendipity (1727 Version)
Serendipity is being in the right place at the right time. Book serendipity is stumbling upon the right book at the right time. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines serendipity as the “luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for.” When those valuable or pleasant things are books, that’s book … Continue reading The Importance of Book Serendipity (1727 Version) →
The Generosity and Forgiveness That Led to the Revival of the Moravian Church
Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church, Part 6 In 1727, a revival came to the town of Hernnhut, Germany. It led to a missionary movement that affected the world. It also brought new life to the Church of the Brethren, a 270-year-old church that had almost been persecuted out of existence. This happened because … Continue reading The Generosity and Forgiveness That Led to the Revival of the Moravian Church →
The Pre-Reformation Protestants Search for Like-Minded Brethren
Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church, Part 5 By 1491, the Church of the Brethren was successfully established as a Bible-based, independent alternative to the State-sponsored church. There were two perspectives they could have taken at this point. They could have said to themselves, “There’s no church like us in the world. We’re the … Continue reading The Pre-Reformation Protestants Search for Like-Minded Brethren →
Joshua Nickel	Church History, Moravian Church	 October 31, 2017 December 6, 2017 3 Minutes
When the Saints Were the Early Adopters of Technological Innovation (and Were Accused of Being Taught by the Devil to Read)
Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church, Part 4 The ancient Church of the Brethren, the forerunner of the Moravian Church, began in 1457. At the time, the printing press had been around for less than twenty years (since 1440). Historian Joseph Hutton said the Church of the Brethren “made a use of the printing … Continue reading When the Saints Were the Early Adopters of Technological Innovation (and Were Accused of Being Taught by the Devil to Read) →
Joshua Nickel	Church History, Moravian Church	 October 29, 2017 December 6, 2017 1 Minute
The Church of the Brethren Repudiated the Teachings of Their Visionary Patriarch Within a Generation
Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church, Part 3 The Church of the Brethren had its beginning in about 1457. At the time, they considered Peter of Chelcic to be their spiritual father. Peter wasn’t part of the church. He was either dead or close to death by 1457. Still, his influence was acknowledged by … Continue reading The Church of the Brethren Repudiated the Teachings of Their Visionary Patriarch Within a Generation →
Joseph Hutton's History of the Moravian Church, Part 2 It took three different men with three different gifts to start the Church of the Brethren. Joseph Hutton tells the story in his History of the Moravian Church. The first was the writer, Peter of Chelcic. This man spent the mid-1400’s calling the church to return … Continue reading The Writer, the Preacher, and the Leader: The Beginning of the Church of the Brethren →