Christina Petterson, PhD, of Christiansfeld, Denmark, presents: “Changes in Bethlehem, Changes in the Unity: Inner and Outer Aspects of Moravian Organisation”

In Moravian parlance, the terminology of “inner and outer” is broadly used to distinguish between spiritual and organizational matters. In his memoir, the clothmaker Gottlieb Oertel (1714–1767) from Silesia stated that he always wanted to do something more meaningful or “inner” (innerlich), instead of the external business (äußerliche Dinge) to which his skills were being devoted. This terminology is also used in Bethlehem to discuss the problems with the mission in St Thomas in the 1740s when the missionaries there placed too great an emphasis on profits and economic issues. Cammerhof, who was corresponding with St Thomas, contrasted their concern with outer matters with Bethlehem, where inner and outer were in harmony, and the outer subordinated to the inner.

After Zinzendorf’s death, the organizational changes in the Unity meant that these two spheres were separated, not only in Bethlehem but in Moravian missions in general. The significance of this for the Unity and its missions was far-reaching, in that it meant that economic matters were separated from their spiritual purpose, and took on a life of its own. The lecture will explore this process of separation and its ramifications.

This free lecture will be presented in person in the Saal, Moravian Theological Seminary (Bahnson Center), with a reception to follow, and will be available as a live online webinar.

With a background in theology, Dr. Petterson’s internationally recognized research expertise is in the historiography of social change, archival research, and critical (gender) theory.

Time: 7:00 — 8:30pm EDT

Free!

Registration