Pietism

Pietism is a movement within Lutheranism that focuses on personal faith and living a good Christian life. It started in the late 1600s in what we now call Germany thanks to a Lutheran teacher named Philipp Spener. He taught that people should grow in their own spiritual lives and show deep devotion.

From Germany, Pietism spread across Europe to places like Switzerland, Scandinavia, and the Baltics. It also crossed over to North America with German and Scandinavian settlers. There, it helped create a larger movement called evangelicalism.

In the 1800s, a Pietist revival in Scandinavia was led by Lars Levi Laestadius, starting what we now call Laestadian Lutheran theology. This idea is still part of some churches today. Pietism also inspired other Protestant traditions, such as Methodism and the Schwarzenau Brethren.

Now, the word “pietism” can mean putting a lot of effort into personal religious feelings and practices, even if it isn’t linked to Lutheranism or Christianity.

Beliefs

Pietistic Lutherans often meet in small groups, called conventicles, apart from their regular church services. These groups help each other grow in their faith and try to live good Christian lives. They believe that true Christians have a special moment when they decide to change and follow Jesus more closely. They work hard to live holy lives by following what they read in the Bible.

By country

Germany

Pietism stayed strong well into the 18th century and beyond. In the United States, it influenced groups like the German Evangelical Church Society of the West, which later became part of the United Church of Christ. Even today, Pietism lives on in certain groups within the Evangelical Church in Germany.

The 1800s also brought a renewal of Lutheran beliefs, emphasizing the unique identity of Lutherans and their historic teachings.

Indonesia

The Batak Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia blends worship styles from the Dutch Reformed Church and carries influences from Pietism due to historical missionary work.

Scandinavia

In Denmark, Pietistic Lutheranism grew popular in 1703, with people meeting for prayer and Bible reading.

Pietistic Lutheranism reached Sweden in the 1600s through the writings of important leaders. It received support from Archbishop Erik Benzelius, who promoted these practices.

Laestadian Lutheranism, a form of Pietistic Lutheranism, remains active in Scandinavia today, started by Lars Levi Laestadius in the 19th century.

History

Forerunners

Before Pietism became a movement, many people wanted the church to change. They asked for a return to practical and faithful Christian living. Important people included Jakob Böhme, a Christian mystic, and Johann Arndt, whose book True Christianity was very popular. Others, like Heinrich Müller, spoke out against some church practices, and Johann Valentin Andrea was a theologian who supported these ideas.

Founding

The movement began with Philipp Spener, who was born in Rappoltsweiler, now part of France. Spener thought the Lutheran church needed to focus more on moral and religious renewal. He studied in Strasbourg and was influenced by his time in Geneva, where he saw a strong focus on moral living. In 1675, Spener wrote Pia desideria (Earnest Desire for a Reform of the True Evangelical Church), sharing six ideas to improve church life, like studying the Bible together and living a faithful Christian life.

Early leaders

Spener’s ideas inspired others, including August Hermann Francke, who helped start a new university in Halle. The Pietist movement grew, spreading through Germany and influencing many. It helped revive the Moravian Church and began Protestant missions. One famous missionary was Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg, who became the first Pietist missionary to India.

Establishment reaction

Some church leaders were concerned about Pietism. They saw it as a threat to public order or traditional beliefs. They sometimes challenged Pietists, questioning their views or limiting their activities.

Later history

By the mid-1700s, Pietism had a big influence but also helped lead to the Enlightenment, which shifted focus away from the church. Pietism stressed personal faith and the role of everyday people in the church. In the 1800s, Pietist ideas helped unite Lutheran and Reformed churches in Prussia, forming the Evangelical Church of the Union. In Scandinavia, Lars Levi Laestadius led a Pietist revival that continues today. In 1900, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren was founded, keeping Pietist traditions with a focus on personal conversion.

Pietistic Lutheran denominations

Pietistic Lutheranism influenced groups like the Church of Norway. Some Pietistic Lutherans stayed in these groups, while others formed new ones. In the 1800s, Lars Levi Laestadius led a revival in Scandinavia, creating what is now called Laestadian Lutheran theology. This theology is followed by the Laestadian Lutheran Churches and some congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Other Pietist Lutheran groups formed too, like the Eielsen Synod and the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations in Norway, led by Hans Nielsen Hauge. In 1900, the Church of the Lutheran Brethren was started, focusing on having a strong personal connection to faith.

Cross-denominational influence

Main article: Radical Pietism

Radical Pietism includes Christian churches that chose to separate from Lutheran traditions to focus on living a holy life. These churches include the Mennonite Brethren Church, Community of True Inspiration, Baptist General Conference, and others like the Evangelical Covenant Church and the Evangelical Free Church.

Pietism also helped start the Methodist movement in 18th-century Great Britain, especially through the work of John Wesley. Many American religious groups today still show the impact of Pietism, particularly among groups called Evangelicals. German immigrants brought these ideas to places like Pennsylvania and New York, shaping many religious traditions in America.

Influence on science

The Merton Thesis is an idea about early experimental science. It was created by Robert K. Merton. Like Max Weber’s idea linking Protestant beliefs to economic growth, Merton thought that Protestant Pietism helped encourage scientific discovery. This idea has sparked many discussions among scholars.

Impact on party voting in United States and Great Britain

Further information: Ethnocultural politics in the United States

In the United States, people who valued strong personal faith often supported the Whigs and later the Republicans. The more they focused on personal faith, the more likely they were to support the Republican party. These groups included Scandinavian Lutherans, as well as Northern Methodists, Northern Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Disciples of Christ, and some smaller groups. Most of these groups were located in the northern states, while some in the South tended to support the Democrats.

In England during the late 19th and early 20th century, Protestant groups such as Methodists, Baptists, and Congregationalists, known as Nonconformists, largely supported the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party received strong support from these Methodist groups.