Moravian Lovefeast

A yearly tradition at Furman University, Moravian lovefeasts originated from “agape” meals held in homes during the New Testament-early Christian era. This service of love and light includes the singing of hymns in the Moravian tradition, the serving of sweet buns and coffee, and the distribution of candlelight.

The holding of lovefeasts, after the practice of the Apostolic Church, has come to be one of the outstanding customs of the Moravian Church. Lovefeasts originated in the first gathering of Christians after Pentecost. The early believers met and broke bread together, thereby signifying their union and equality. These meals of the church family were associated with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, which followed them. They were called agape, from the Greek word for love connoting the highest type of spiritual love.

Gradually the agape lost its devotional character, and toward the end of the fourth century the Church gave it up. The lovefeast of Apostolic times was resuscitated in its original simplicity by the Moravian Church in 1727. After the memorable celebration of the holy communion on August 13, seven groups of the participants continued to talk over the great spiritual blessing which they had experienced and were reluctant to separate and return to their own homes for the noonday meal. Count Zinzendorf, sensing the situation, sent them food from his manor house, and each group partook together, continuing in prayer, religious conversation, and the singing of hymns.

This incident reminded Zinzendorf of the primitive agape, and the idea was fostered until lovefeasts became a custom in Moravian life. The servics were introduced wherever new settlements were founded, and thus found their way to America. Wherever its fullest liturgical development exists, the lovefeast is a service of solemn dignity in which the finest Moravian Church hymns and stately music may be heard, but without any surrender of its central idea.

Melanie C. Gordon, Proclaimer, Assistant Chaplain, Furman University

Other participants: Dr. Vaughn CroweTipton, University Chaplain, Vice-President for Spiritual Life, Assistant Professor of Religion and Rev. Lindsay Small, Associate Chaplain.

Musicians: Kaitlyn Applewhite, Laura Woody, and others

Sponsor: Rev. Lindsay Small and Dr. Vaughn CroweTipton