Apologizing for the Moravians: Spangenberg's “Idea Fidei Fratrum

After Zinzendorf's death in 1760, August Gottlieb Spangenberg became the major leader of the Moravian Church. Spangenberg's historical and doctrinal publications helped define Moravian theology and practice in the second half of the eighteenth century. In this article, the author argues that the Idea Fidei Fratrum (1779), Spangenberg's most important theological work, was primarily written as an apology for the Moravians as they were struggling with their public image after the death of Zinzendorf. It also serves as a rare example of a systematic theology written by a Moravian leader. By marginalizing key aspects of Zinzendorf's theology and placing Moravian teaching on the foundation of the Augsburg Confession, the Idea Fidei Fratrum was a public demonstration of the theological orthodoxy of the Moravian Church.