Moravians & the Revolution: Caught in the Crossfire Special Exhibit

Overview

Moravians and the Revolution paints a picture of a pacifist pietist community that found itself caught up in a conflict that would ultimately transform its way of life. Moravians in Pennsylvania had to walk a delicate balancing act between their religious ideals of pacifism and the interests of American patriots, the British government, and indigenous groups in the region. As Church leaders worked to maintain peace in their communities, their desire for freedom from entanglements with the outside world was tested during the Revolutionary War.

Through rare objects in the collection of the Moravian Historical Society and the stories of European settlers, free and enslaved Africans, and indigenous converts, visitors will discover the experiences of everyday people in the Lehigh Valley’s Moravian settlements during the war.