The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living (MCCL) is a core doctrinal statement of the Moravian Church in America. Based on the original Brotherly Agreement written by Count Zinzendorf to outline guiding principles to help organize the life of the Herrnhut community, the MCCL is a statement of what the Moravian Church most values, intended to guide our decisions as a community of faith.
Part of the MCCL—The Witness of the Christian Citizen—addresses how Moravian Christians should approach life as a citizen of a democratic society. In Jesus Still Lead On, An Exploration of the Ground of the Unity and The Covenant for Christian Living, the Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood expands on what this part of the MCCL means in today’s world. We offer the excerpt of this section here.
The Witness of The Christian Citizen (paragraphs 25, 26 and 27)
We will be subject to the civil authorities as the powers ordained of God, in accordance with the admonitions of Scripture (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14) and will in nowise evade the taxes and other obligations which are lawfully required of us (Romans 13:7).
Considering it a special privilege to live in a democratic society, we will faithfully fulfill the responsibilities of our citizenship, among which are intelligent and well-informed voting, a willingness to assume public office, guiding the decisions of government by the expression of our opinions and supporting good government by our personal efforts.
Though giving our loyalty to the state of which we are citizens, we do recognize a higher loyalty to God and conscience (Acts 5:29).
These paragraphs all address the role of Christians in civil society. This is another area in which the Moravian Church has changed its teachings as society has changed. When the church began, most people in Europe lived in kingdoms ruled by monarchs who ascended the throne by birthright instead of skill in ruling. Today most Moravians in the world live in democracies in which leaders are chosen by the people and in which those who rule are subject to the same laws as the people. We are no longer “subjects” of kings, princes and emperors; we are free “citizens” of the republic. This is a profound change in world history, and the Covenant reflects that change.
It is important to remember that the New Testament was written in the Roman Empire at a time when Christianity was an illegal religion. In Romans 13, the Apostle Paul offered advice to Christians on how to live in the empire. He urged Christians to pray for the emperor and obey the emperor’s laws, except laws that required people to worship idols and false gods. This chapter of the Bible has a long and sometimes painful history in the Christian church. Some rulers claimed that God granted them absolute authority over their subjects and Christians must obey their commands even when they were unjust or cruel.
Remember that the Moravian Church began as an illegal church. The authorities in Bohemia used Romans 13 to persecute our Moravian ancestors and force them to be baptized in the Catholic Church. Many Moravians were persecuted by the state because of their refusal to serve in the military, swear oaths, kneel before Catholic altars and other things they considered contrary to Jesus’ teachings. The Inquisition and the imperial authorities quoted Romans 13 to justify torturing, exiling and imprisoning religious dissidents like the Moravians simply because they chose to worship separately and follow the simple teachings of Jesus. It is helpful to realize that Moravians, unlike many churches, have never been supported by the state. We have always been a free church separate from the government. As such we have never been large or had the power to force governments to follow our teachings.
For much of our history, Moravians tried to distance themselves from politics and the government. Sometimes we established separate communities, like Bethlehem, Lititz and Salem, where we could live according to our own laws rather than getting involved in worldly affairs. There have been many occasions when Moravians refused to take up arms even in defense of their nation. At times, the Moravian practice of avoiding political entanglements ran the danger of ignoring Jesus’ call to establish justice on the earth. Unlike the Quakers who were leaders in social reform movements in the 19th century, Moravians tried to avoid political protest and engagement. Moravians went so far as to justify the holding of slaves because it was the law of the lands in which they served.
As nation after nation followed the United States’ example of democratic government governed by laws instead of arbitrary rule, the Moravians came to realize that Christians can and should become involved in elections and in legislatures. Democracy allows us to speak on behalf of laws that reflect Christian values without violating the separation of church and state. The Covenant was revised to reflect this new political reality in which we are citizens who should use our ballots and our voices to promote justice for all and to increase peace on earth. Moravians who live in North America enjoy the blessings of a government based on the idea of the social contract, and the Covenant reminds us that we need to fulfill our part of the contract. Many Moravians now serve in public office as part of their Christian vocation.
Even so, we recognize the obligation of Christians to resist evil laws by peaceful means. Our church officially endorses the Barmen Declaration of 1934 that was written by pastors in Germany in opposition to the actions of the Nazi government. The Barmen Declaration reaffirmed the Christian conviction that God rather than the State is truly sovereign. Moravians in various countries have sometimes refused to cooperate with laws that violate human rights, but the Moravian church has never preached violence or rebellion against a legitimate government.
As part of the Jesus Still Lead On study guide, the author lays out several questions for contemplation and discussion:
- Why is it a duty for Christians to pay what is justly required of them by their governments?
- How does this statement in the Covenant reflect the understanding of a social contract as part of God’s design for human society?
- What are your responsibilities as a Christian citizen in a free society?
- Do you think Moravian pastors and teachers should use their positions to influence people’s votes before elections?
- Should the church express its views to elected officials through letters and other means?
- What issues do you think Moravians should address politically?
- Are there times when patriotism or partisanship conflicts with our Christian values and sense of worldwide Unity?
- What do you think it means to be loyal to the state or the nation? Does this mean not criticizing the government’s actions or attitudes?
- Can you think of times in history when it would have been good if Christians had resisted the laws or actions of their governments?
Jesus Still Lead On, An Exploration of the Ground of the Unity and The Covenant for Christian Living, by the Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood is available from the IBOC.
