THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
"As a result of President Obama visiting Central Texas to take part in numerous speeches and fundraisers, Austin residents were forced to endure crippling gridlock on major roads and interstate 35."
"According to Alex Jones who commuted to and from work during the delays, police had the roads blocked for hours, even after the Obama motorcade had passed. After leaving the Infowars studio at around 3PM, roads were still shut down as the emperor stopped for barbecue."
Headline Act: Lord And Savior Obama:
Published on Jul 11, 2014
Infowars reporter Lee Ann McAdoo interviews people waiting in line to see Obama perform at the Paramount Theater in Austin, TX.
"Not content to control the education of children, the billionaire founder of Microsoft is funding the manufacture of a microchip that will control the conception of children, as well."
"An MIT offshoot known as Microchips is the beneficiary of an endowment from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation earmarked for the research and development of the contraceptive chip that will be implanted under the skin and will prevent impregnation for up to 16 years."
"Women who are implanted with the device will daily receive 30mg of levonorgestrel, the primary hormone present in the so-called morning after pill. The “morning after pill” is not strictly speaking only a contraceptive. Several studies have shown that while the hormone present in the pill, and in Bill Gates's new microchip, could serve as a contraceptive, it could also serve as an abortifacient."
Infants are baptized most commonly, but all forms of baptism are accepted (infant or adult; pouring, sprinkling or immersion).
Without defining the mode or method (i.e. the "how"), Moravians believe that they receive the true Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion (see "Catholic real presence" and the Lutheran notion of sacramental union ). This is most clearly seen in Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg's Idea Fidei Fratrum, and in the Easter Morning Litany. Individual believers may believe in Transubstantiation, Consubstantiation, or a "spiritual presence" (as Catholics)
Simplicity is a focus on the essentials of faith and a lack of interest in the niceties of doctrinal definition.
Unintrusiveness is based on the Moravian belief that God positively wills the existence of a variety of churches to cater for different spiritual needs. There is no need to win converts from other churches.
Fellowship is based on this heart-relationship. Shawe says:The Moravian ideal has been to gather together kindred hearts.... Where there are 'Christian hearts in love united', there fellowship is possible in spite of differences of intellect and intelligence, of thought, opinion, taste and outlook. Fellowship [in Zinzendorf's time] meant not only a bridging of theological differences but also of social differences
BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA (June 22, 2014) – The 2014 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province has approved a proposal to allow the ordination of gay and lesbian individuals, whether single, married or in covenanted relationships.
By a vote of 181-62, synod delegates approved the proposal, which also includes provisions to revise the Book of Order of the Moravian Church Northern Province to reflect this change, and a call to create a rite for solemnizing covenanted relationships for use in the Northern Province.
The Synod is the highest judicatory of the Moravian Church Northern Province.
As delegates waited to learn the outcome of the vote, they sang hymns and spontaneously stood hand in hand in a circle around the assembly hall. They continued singing in harmony after the results were announced.
“Moravians understand that God’s call to us is to welcome all people, because God’s embrace is far larger than our capacity to imagine,” said the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Miller, president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church Northern Province. “The 2014 Synod responded to God’s leading to receive the gifts of gay and lesbian individuals who wish to serve as ordained servants in the Moravian Church Northern Province.”
“This decision came following much prayer and consideration and many differing opinions were expressed during debate,” said Miller. “We know that there are Moravians who deeply love God, who honor the authority of Scripture and love the Moravian Church who do not agree with this resolution. It is my prayer that as Moravians, in relationship with one another, we can continue to walk together in love, even as we acknowledge our differences.”
This decision affects only those in the Northern Province and has no direct impact on the other provinces in the worldwide Moravian Unity. The decision also came with a clear direction that no congregation will be forced to call a gay or lesbian pastor, as that decision lies with the congregations’ Boards of Elders and Trustees.
“This resolution is one more step in a long series of Northern Province Synod resolutions regarding the church’s view of homosexual persons in our culture and our church,” said Miller. The Moravian Church Northern Province has been in conversation about the life and service of lesbian and gay people for more than 40 years. As early as 1974, the Synod of the Northern Province declared that homosexual persons are under God’s care. At four Synods since then, delegates have addressed the topic of homosexuality.
The Synod of 2010 mandated that the Northern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference sponsor congregational forums for collaborative dialogue and prayerful discernment of the Christian service of homosexual individuals, and to bring legislation on the topic for consideration by the 2014 Synod.
All proposals received prior to synod were considered by the Church and Society Committee. The resulting proposal was reviewed and revised in that committee at the 2014 Synod and brought to the Synod floor for discussion and decision only after considerable deliberation.
During an earlier session of the 2014 Synod, delegates approved a resolution that affirmed the Northern Province’s commitment to be inclusive of differing views regarding the ordination and call of gay and lesbian clergy in covenanted relationships and that clergy and members are free to express their perspectives. Additionally, Synod encouraged the Provincial Elders’ Conference to offer follow-up gatherings for congregations following the conclusion of the 2014 Provincial Synod.
Following the announcement of approval of a resolution allowing the ordination of gay and lesbian pastors, whether single, married or in covenanted relationships in the Moravian Church Northern Province, bishops of the Unitas Fratrum share prayers and insights.
A History of The Moravians:
Published on Jul 1, 2014
This is a video about the history of a religious group called the Moravians that came to settle in Pennsylvania.
Ecumenical Relations With Apostate Organizations & Churches
The Moravian Church provinces are members individually of the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. Most provinces are also members of their national councils of churches, such as the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) in Germany and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the US, the all African Council of Churches, the Caribbean Council of Churches, the Jamaica Council of Churches. The American Southern Province was instrumental in the founding the North Carolina Council of Churches. The British Province is of the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (formerly the British Council of Churches) and has an interim Communion agreement with the Church of England. The two North American provinces are in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Northern Province of the Moravian Church voted June 18, 2010 to enter into full communion with the Episcopal Church. The Moravian Church's Southern Province also voted to enter into full communion with the Episcopal Church during its synod in September 2010. Each province can independently enter into full communion relationships.[21] In the 1980s there were discussions in England by which an agreement was created that would have created full communion between the Moravians, Presbyterians, Methodists, and the Church of England. The Presbyterians and Methodists would have accepted the Historic Episcopate, but since the Moravians already had this, they would have changed nothing. This agreement fell through because the General Synod of the Church of England did not give approval.
MORAVIANS APPROVE ORDINATION OF HOMOSEXUALS (Friday Church News Notes, July 11, 2014, www.wayoflife.orgfbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The Northern Province of the Moravian Church of North America recently approved the ordination of homosexuals (Religious News Service, Jun. 24, 2014). The decision at its 2014 synod was approved by a vote of 181-62. The Moravians also determined to create a religious ceremony for “same-sex couples.”Elizabeth Miller, president of the Northern Province’s Elders’ Conference, says, “Moravians understand that God’s call to us is to welcome all people, because God’s embrace is far larger than our capacity to imagine.” Indeed, God invites all people to salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ, but only those who repent and trust Christ are received. The apostle Paul preached “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). The Moravian Church was founded by Jan Hus, who was burned at the stake in 1415 by the Roman Catholic Church, and has gone through various transformations. In the 17th and 18th centuries it displayed a vigorous, sacrificial missionary spirit, though remaining committed to theological errors such as infant baptism.It has long been liberalized and was one of the first members of the modernistic World Council of Churches.(See The World Council of Churches, which is available as a free eBook from www.wayoflife.org.) Worldwide, the Moravian Church claims more than 1 million members, with most in eastern Africa.
