The Theology of the Czech Brethren from Hus to Comenius

Craig Atwood addresses the serious lack of comprehensive treatments in English of the history and development of Moravian theology, from its origins in the Hussite movement to the work of Comenius. Moravians were the first Western church to make separation of church and state a matter of doctrine and policy. The Unity's vision for social and educational reform also sets it apart. Its theology centers on the key concepts of faith, love, and hope. The Unity--the heartbeat of the so-called Czech Reformation--was engaged with society and with other churches and did not retreat to isolationism, as did several movements in the Radical Reformation. Rather, the Unity continued to evolve as political and theological climates changed.

Craig D. Atwood teaches theology at the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is also the author ofCommunity of the Cross: Moravian Piety in Colonial Bethlehem (Penn State, 2004).