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Moravian Church in North America | |
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Classification | Proto-Protestant |
Scripture | Holy Bible |
Theology | Hussite (Bohemian) with Pietist Lutheran influences |
Polity | Modified Episcopal |
Associations | CCT, CMEP, NCC, WCC |
Full communion | Anglican Church of Canada Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada United Methodist Church |
Territory | Canada, United States |
Origin | c. 1740 |
The Moravian Church in North America is part of the worldwide Moravian Church Unity. It dates from the arrival of the first Moravian missionaries to the United States in 1735, from their Herrnhut settlement in present-day Saxony, Germany. They came to minister to the scattered German immigrants, to the Native Americans and to enslaved Africans. They founded communities to serve as home bases for these missions. The missionary "messengers" were financially supported by the work of the "laborers" in these settlements.[1] Currently, there are more than 60,000 members.[2]