Lutheran Pietism began with Spener. Several distinctive characteristics were established by Spener and often taken to extremes:
1. A de-emphasis upon orthodox doctrine. While many in his generation were overly contentious about philosophical points, Spener was a union theologian who had few problems with Reformed doctrine.
2. Lay-led cell groups or conventicles were the key method of Pietism, and they spawned all kinds of doctrinal aberrations.
3. Looking for results made Lutheran Pietists focus on methods rather than relying on the Word to be effective.
Here is a Pietistic hymn, which displays the some aspects of the movement:
"Since I thought I was a Christian
And knew how to speak about it,
I needed the church and altar,
I sang and gave to the poor.
I had no terrible vices,
And yet it was only hypocrisy"
Quoted by John Pless
The Muhlenberg tradition (General Synod, General Council, ULCA - the biggest component of the LCA) was born in Pietism and soon promoted revivalism. Pless has this interesting statement about the General synod hymnal:
"Schmucker's pietism makes it possible for him to adapt the new measures of revivalism for Lutheran use. This adaptation can be seen clearly in the General Synod's Hymns Selected and Original of 1828. This hymnal stands in the pietistic tradition with hymns arranged topically not according to the liturgical year or catechetical themes but the being and characteristics of God and the ordo salutas. It is especially telling that in the section designated "The Means of Grace" six hymns are included on prayer, nineteen on the spiritual pleasures of worship in God's house, five on Baptism, and fourteen on the Lord's Supper. None of the great sacramental hymns of Lutheranism are included in this collection. " (ibid)
Lutherans follow the Scriptures in emphasizing the Word and Sacraments, while Pietistic hymns and services emphasize prayer and experiences of joy. As Pless noted, this leads to worship as performance for God rather than receiving grace through His chosen instruments of grace.
Francke
Francke began with lecturing on the Bible, when that practice was greatly neglected. Spener contacted him and Francke expanded the outreach of Pietism. Halle University was established to promote the movement.
Francke established an orphanage and his charitable work expanded, influencing many to come to Halle and see his work. Halle also became the center of the Danish missionary efforts in India.
Pietism was really the start of world missionary work, so many of the unionists of today talk about world missions as a way of promoting Pietism without naming their favorite movement.
Missouri, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic) missionary types see Pietism and Fuller as essential for their work. Since outreach is primary, false doctrine is not a concern for them. Unionism breeds doctrinal apathy, and doctrinal apathy fosters unionism. How can it be wrong when it feels so good?
Francke's son-in-law, Freylinghausen, edited Pietism's hymnal. A hymn is not bad simply because a Pietist wrote it. Some hymns from that era are excellent and worth singing in Lutheran services. However, Pietistic worship has always moved away from the liturgy, creeds, orthodox preaching, and Means of Grace hymns to favor prayer and personal experience.
As mentioned above, Lutheran Pietism in America degenerated into revivalism and actual union congregations where Lutheran and Reformed doctrine, catechisms, and communion existed side by side. There are many historic cases in WELS where this existed for decades. No one in those congregations thought anything wrong with having Lutheran communion one Sunday and Reformed communion the next. But many today see nothing wrong with training a man at Fuller Seminary and making him the president of Mequon for "spoiling the Egyptians."
Unlike today's Lutheran Pietists, Francke was enormously successful in his efforts. However, Halle Pietism, by emphasizing works at the expense of doctrine, quickly degenerated into a Unitarian school of apostasy, where it continued to exert a vast influence over Lutherans through double-justification.
At this point there are two sources clearly identified for the double-justification scheme of UOJ and Subjective Justification. One is Burk, the son-in-law and collaborator of Bengel, the Wuerttemberg Pietist. The other is the Pietist Knapp at Halle, senior to Tholuck, who trained Hoenecke.
PS - Note this about the Franckean Synod, named after Francke:
"Franckean Synod.
Organized May 25, 1837, in Minden, New York, by a number of men of W Conf. of Hartwick* Syn. The Franckean Syn. did not only fail to adopt the AC but also failed to declare its belief in some fundamental doctrines of the Bible, e.g., the Trinity and the deity of Christ. It held aloof from all other Luth. syns. until it was admitted to the General* Synod of the Ev. Luth. Ch. in the US 1864. Its admission contributed to the disruption of the Gen. Syn. and the founding of the General* Council of the Ev. Luth. Ch. in N. Am. The Franckean Syn., Hartwick Syn., and the New York and New Jersey Syn. merged to form the New York Syn. of the Gen. Syn. 1908. See also Slavery and Lutheranism in America; United Lutheran Church in America, The, Synods of, 15." LCMS website
Next lesson on Pietism - Zinzendorf and Wesley.
