2024 Walter Vivian Moses Lecture in Moravian Studies

How did the Moravian Church Northern Province live out its faith and values in the publicsquare, and how is it expressing its values today? Over the past fifty years, the theological landscape in the Moravian Church in North America has been moving outward in ever widening circles, both as we understand God and God’s mission to the world, and also how we understand God’s radical embrace of all people. While this expansion began in the late 20th century, it continued at a faster pace in the early 21 st century as a result of cultural context and growing reflection upon God’s call to God’s people. The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller will explore the intersection of missional ecclesiology and public theology as it relates to how the church speaks to the world today. Based on her research and leadership experience as President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church Northern Province from 2010-2023, Betsy will reflect on the challenges, contributing factors, and future opportunities for the church to live as agents of God’s transforming love in the world.

The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller was raised in Bethlehem, PA and earned a B.A. in History from Middlebury College in Vermont. After teaching in a bilingual, elementary Catholic School in south Texas for three years, she prepared for congregational ministry at Moravian Theological Seminary, graduating with an M.Div. in 1985. For twenty years, she served on the pastoral staff at the Lake Mills Moravian Church in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. In 2005, she pursued a 5-year Doctor of Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Her thesis, Old Wine in new wineskins: Moravian Traditions as Missional Practices, continues to inform her missional theology. She served the Western District of the Moravian Church as Director of Congregational Leadership and Resources. In 2010, she was elected as President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church Northern Province, a position she held until her retirement from active ministry in 2023. Betsy continues to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Moravian Theological Seminary. She serves as the Ecumenical Officer of the Moravian Church Northern Province and volunteers at Essentials Café in Bethlehem. Betsy enjoys walking, kayaking, snowshoeing, traveling, and spending time at her vacation cottage in the mountains of Vermont.

Host or Publisher Moravian Seminary