A slogan in the religious sense is a short phrase from the Bible with a certain appeal. ‘Lord, I trust you’ - a color panel with these words hung in every home of members of the brotherly Hernguters community in Sarepta. The Hernguters were representatives of the Protestant movement in Christianity.
The phrase ‘Lord, I trust you’ reflects in the best possible way the peculiarity of the Hernguter doctrine - the so-called ‘religion of the heart’, the emotional experience of a person of unity with Christ as the guardian of the world.
In addition to this main slogan set at the center of the Hernguters faith, community members listened to ‘Slogan of the day’ every day at morning prayers. It gave the Sareptians strength for the whole day, consolation, and encouraged thought and action. The Hernguters believed that ‘Slogan of the day’ determines the divine destiny of a person and leads the community of the faithful.
The tradition of daily slogans was introduced by Count Nikolay ZIntzendorf after the birth of the Fraternal Society in the German town of Herngut. In the early years, people of different confessions gathered in the community. The slogans of the day were one of the ways to strengthen unity among the Herrnhut. On May 3, 1728, ZInzendorf began day after day to select words from the Bible, every morning the count’s messenger brought these words as a slogan to the inhabitants of Herrnhut.
Later, brothers specially appointed by the Directorate of the community, having a theological education and a good knowledge of the Bible, began to draw lots of slogans annually in May. In 1731, these slogans were first printed for the year ahead. Today, slogans are being printed for three years in advance, because a suitable prayer and song is also being sought for a verse chosen from the Bible.
The drawing of lots goes like this: a bowl is prepared with 1500 different slogans, from which 365 are drawn. It is performed by several people. The number of each slogan is read out, and then the Old Testament place in the Bible is found for each card index. All this is recorded in the protocol. Currently, slogans are printed in 41 languages.
The common European tradition to inscribe sayings from holy books and prayers on the walls of rooms has ancient roots. Even in the Old Testament, the command to put the word of the Lord on houses is mentioned: “And let these words, which I command you today, be in your heart… and write them on your doorposts and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6: 9, 11:20).
The early Christians attached to the doorframe a scroll of parchment made of leather containing parts of the prayer. Due to its sensitivity to external conditions, it was often placed in a protective case, but over time, the texts of prayers written on paper embroidered on fabric were transferred to rooms.
The phrase ‘Lord, I trust you’ reflects in the best possible way the peculiarity of the Hernguter doctrine - the so-called ‘religion of the heart’, the emotional experience of a person of unity with Christ as the guardian of the world.
In addition to this main slogan set at the center of the Hernguters faith, community members listened to ‘Slogan of the day’ every day at morning prayers. It gave the Sareptians strength for the whole day, consolation, and encouraged thought and action. The Hernguters believed that ‘Slogan of the day’ determines the divine destiny of a person and leads the community of the faithful.
The tradition of daily slogans was introduced by Count Nikolay ZIntzendorf after the birth of the Fraternal Society in the German town of Herngut. In the early years, people of different confessions gathered in the community. The slogans of the day were one of the ways to strengthen unity among the Herrnhut. On May 3, 1728, ZInzendorf began day after day to select words from the Bible, every morning the count’s messenger brought these words as a slogan to the inhabitants of Herrnhut.
Later, brothers specially appointed by the Directorate of the community, having a theological education and a good knowledge of the Bible, began to draw lots of slogans annually in May. In 1731, these slogans were first printed for the year ahead. Today, slogans are being printed for three years in advance, because a suitable prayer and song is also being sought for a verse chosen from the Bible.
The drawing of lots goes like this: a bowl is prepared with 1500 different slogans, from which 365 are drawn. It is performed by several people. The number of each slogan is read out, and then the Old Testament place in the Bible is found for each card index. All this is recorded in the protocol. Currently, slogans are printed in 41 languages.
The common European tradition to inscribe sayings from holy books and prayers on the walls of rooms has ancient roots. Even in the Old Testament, the command to put the word of the Lord on houses is mentioned: “And let these words, which I command you today, be in your heart… and write them on your doorposts and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6: 9, 11:20).
The early Christians attached to the doorframe a scroll of parchment made of leather containing parts of the prayer. Due to its sensitivity to external conditions, it was often placed in a protective case, but over time, the texts of prayers written on paper embroidered on fabric were transferred to rooms.
