Pietism, Part II, Adult Education,
Bethany Lutheran Church
Spener was born 55 years after the Book of Concord, 1580, was published.
As Schmid's History of Pietism noted, the Thirty Years War and caesaropapism contributed to the decline of the Lutheran Church. Caesaropapism means the secular rulers took control of the church.
Spener did two things which continue to influence Lutherans today. Copying the former Catholic Labadie, he organized cell groups. He also wrote Pia Disideria, which began as a preface to a popular book. The agenda in the book included cell groups and a downplaying of doctrinal differences.
Using small groups to promote piety has always been popular in the Roman Catholic Church. Since they see themselves as The Church, their congregations are often large and impersonal. The various societies organized around Mary encourage intense devotion and a focus upon one's personal experience. A congregation may have many different small devotional groups. Labadie took this into the Reformed church, which was especially destitute from its elimination of the Sacraments. Labadie's prescription was another version of the papal method.
Differences between the Lutheran Confessions and Pietism
Method versus the Word of God
The cell group (affinity, share, care, or home Bible study) is a method. Those who deny the efficacy of the Word will necessarily turn to a method to produce the fruits they desire. If they are not satisfied, they will tweak their method until they get what they want. For example, cell groups tend to degenerate into Pentecostalism. Pentecostal cells look for a bigger buzz by turning to holy laughter, miraculous dental work, and claims of raising the dead.
Luther allowed that faithful preaching may produce no visible results for 20 years, but that was not his concern. He trusted that faithful preaching and teaching would produce God's results, which include the cross.
Fruit versus the Tree
Walther came from Pietistic circles and his spiritual father, Bishop for Life Stephan, was a Pietist. Walther made a good observation - that the Pietists look for the fruit rather than the source of the fruit. A farmer or gardener looks for good stock or seed, knowing that is the source of a good harvest. The Pietist judges the source by the harvest, trusting in the method - not the real source, the Word.
Some Lutherans itch because they do not see enough happening to satisfy themselves so they look for something besides the efficacy of the Word. In fact, that is exactly what Bruce Becker (WELS Perish Services, Church and Change Board, now Time of Grace) asked of congregations - "What, besides the Means of Grace, has led to your growth?" Of course, he only asked certain pals in his doctrinal circle.)
Unionism versus Communion Fellowship
Spener was the first union theologian, as Otto Heick observed. He advocated Reformed methods within the Lutheran Church and downplayed the Means of Grace, to use a term abused by David Valleskey. Halle University was founded to promote Pietism and soon became a center for all European Pietists. Lutherans and the Reformed worked together on charitable projects.
I came from an Augustana Synod congregation and attended Augustana College. The Swedish Pietists did not hide their Pietistic origins. Their most famous leader, Conrad Bergendoff, was known for his motto: "Doctrine divides, but service unites." Doctrine does divide - the sheep from the goats. No easier path can be found than one where all doctrinal differences are ignored. That broad path is also why Halle University went from Pietism to Unitarianism in one generation, all the while churning out future Lutheran leaders for America, from Muhlenberg to Hoenecke.
Cell Groups versus the Means of Grace
Cell groups are essential to Pietism. They are the foundational method of Pietism, just as yoga is essential to Hinduism. Where cell groups start, the Sacraments become an embarrassment. Decades ago, some WELS congregations began hiding their Holy Communion service because that might detract from recruiting efforts at the Sunday service.
I heard Willow Creek's Bill Hybels lash out at his Sunday members for not showing up for the Wednesday service, where they have "communion," where they really worship.
If cell groups produce the results desired, the liturgy and hymns and creeds and sermons must go. The General Synod was unionistic and Pietistic, so the first Lutheran body in America was more likely to have a Mourner's Bench (Anxious Bench, Altar Call) for Come-to-Jesus moments during a revival service.
One WELS pastor wrote me that his synod would have more Blacks if they had sponsored more revival services in the past. He was very pleased with theirs.
Needless to say, all the Billy Graham Crusades start with unionism and end with an Altar Call - where they make a decision for Christ. Instead of teaching that Christ comes to use through the Word and Sacraments, the Pietistic revivalists present us as coming to Christ and making a decision.
Levels of Christianity versus One Church
There is only one true Church, invisible, made up of all those who trust only in the merits of Christ for their salvation.
Pietists invented levels of Christianity, which is also why they fall prey to Pentecostalism and other temptations.
We all suffer from spiritual pride, or the inner Pharisee, which must be beaten down by the Law and Gospel, but Pietism inflames this pride. Pietists are holier than thou, and they never stop telling people so. I heard one of the proponents of cell groups (koinonia) tell his audience that the cell groups did all the work in the congregation, created most of the attendance at the annual picnic. For this layman, the cell groups were the Real Church while the others in his congregation just sat there in spiritual torpor.
Nothing is quite so Spenerish as those thoughts.
The Church Growth Movement Is Pietism, Unionism
The Church Growth Movement came out in the open with TELL magazine, in 1977, but probably had an earlier, secretive start. CGM has flourished in WELS, Missouri, ELCA, and the Little Sect on the Prairie - with dismal results.
CGM characteristics reveal the DNA of Pietism:
- Cell groups are essential for good results.
- The Sunday service is not for worship through the Means of Grace, but serves as a recruitment tool through entertaining Sneaker Services. For instructions, read We Believe, Therefore We Sneak, by Valleskey.
- The liturgy is all but abolished. Pop songs are substituted for real hymns, and the sermon is slavishly copied from non-Lutheran sources, such as Driscoll, Hybels, Groeschel, and anyone who posts on the Net (but never Luther).
- The only way to learn the arcane secrets of Church Growth is by sitting at the feet of teachers at Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, Trinity Divinity School in Deerfield, Drive and Exponential Conferences, Granger Community Church, and many more. The Shrinkers will offer their favorites, but some like Ski go to all of them, on a monthly basis.
- Spiritual arrogance is the key characteristic of the Shrinkers, in spite of their failures, scandals, and broken marriages. They do not lower themselves to defend their beloved movement, because the hoi polloi would not be able to grasp their brilliance. Calling themselves apostles of love, they really hate their synod, Lutheran doctrine, and anyone who raises an eyebrow about their manifold heresies.
- Shrinkers are the Real Church.
