I found a Hoenecke graphic being used by NPH for displaying this book online, so I offered to post the right picture when they fixed it. NPH said, "Fourth of July weekend. Feel free to scan the cover on your own." I did.
The History of Pietism, by Heinrich Schmid, translated by James L. Langebartels. Northwestern Publishing House. Click here to order. $40.50. 400 pages with index.
From the same translator - The Complete Timotheus Verinus, by Loescher - also about Pietism.
Potential audience: Any pastor or informed layman will gain from studying this book. If Pietism is a new topic, additional background reading may help, such as:
- The Means of Grace in Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant.
- Zwingli, Calvin, Pietism in Thy Strong Word.
Schmid compiled the great Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a book commonly used by ALC clergy. Click here. That particular book gave orthodox Lutheran quotations from a whole range of European authors, on each area of systematic theology. No UOJ can be found in the book.
Introduction
The introduction of Pietism describes how the princes took over control of the Lutheran Church after the Reformation. Although this caesaropapism was a problem, I have difficulty seeing this as a prime cause for Pietism's growth.
Another cause, also mentioned, was the tendency toward scholasticism, disputing minor philosophical points without mining the Scriptures. This problem prevails today, with Lutheran clergy arguing over non-essentials while ignoring the apostasy around them.
The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) disrupted Europe and added to the problems of the Lutheran Church. The Peace of Westphalia established the principle of the ruler's faith determining the Christian confession of all his subjects: Cuius regio, eius religio.
Spener
Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) created the movement called Pietism, which grew from two things done by its founder. One was the establishment of Colleges of Piety (collegia pietatis), cell groups or conventicles, to promote the Christian faith. The second was his piggy-back introduction to Arndt's True Christianity, Pia Desideria.
As Otto Heick wrote, Spener was the first union theologian. Schmid gives plenty of evidence of Spener's deliberate leadership in creating conventicles, which were almost identical to that urged by the Reformed leader Labadie. What Labadie suggested became Spener's program. "Thus the only means Spener taught for curing the conditions in the church had its root in the Reformed church!" (Schmid, p. 304)
August Hermann Francke
Francke (1663-1727) began the second generation of Pietism, greatly encouraged by Spener. The saddest pages of Schmid record how little the Scriptures were studied. Future ministers were not trained in exegesis at this time, so Francke's circle filled a void. They were also quite earnest in serving the needs of the poor, so Pietism at this stage still had a positive influence, although conflicts were growing.
Francke was appointed to teach at Halle University, which quickly became the center of Pietism in Europe. In the next generation, Halle became Unitarian. Many of the key Lutheran leaders in America came from Halle: Muhlenberg, Hoenecke, etc.
Valentin Ernst Löscher
Löscher (1673-1749) changed the doctrinal discussions by defending Lutheran orthodoxy against the errors of Pietism. His Timotheus Verinus is worth studying to see how Pietism degenerated.
Why Read This Book?
Pietism is not light reading. The book is more of an encyclopedia of the various early movements of Pietism and their leaders.
Those who pay attention to hymn authors will say "Ah!" when they see certain names. Since all the Lutheran groups in America were profoundly influenced by Pietism, all pastors should study this work and keep it as a reference.
Pastor Langebartels has done a fine job translating this book. He and NPH are to be commended for this effort in providing it in English.
I will write more for future adult study classes in Pietism. Use the Pietism label to find what has already been posted on Ichabod.
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Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Schmid's History of Pietism":
For what it is worth, I heartily recommend all three of the books mentioned by Dr. Jackson in this blog entry. NPH's first printing of Timotheus Verinus was 1998, but by the time this title came to my attention in 2003, it was unavailable. I understand that some folks petitioned NPH to reprint it, which they did in 2006, followed shortly thereafter by publication of Langebartel's translation of Schmid's work on Pietism.
I've read Timotheus Verinus, and scanned Schmid's Pietism -- though I haven't given Pietism a close read. Schmid's Doctrinal Theology, however, is what made me a Lutheran. Browsing a used bookstore many years ago -- still a pop-church Evangelical, though by then a bit disenfranchised -- I saw the title, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. I was intrigued, because I didn't realize there was a such a thing as Lutherans who were "Evangelical," but more importantly, that such were Evangelicals with a fully-worked-out system of theology (something that pop-church Evangelicals are still waiting for). I didn't realize the significance when I bought it, but that copy was the Second English edition -- the final English edition to be printed before Schmid's death. Beginning with the Third edition, the editors (Hay and Jacobs) began redacting content -- though, as the editors pointed out, most Lutherans probably wouldn't miss the redacted material. I think the Augsburg Publishing House reprint from back in the 1960's was from the Third or Fourth edition.
Anyway, Dr. Jackson, I look forward to your future posts regarding Schmid's Pietism. Will you be doing a video commentary, such as your overview series on the Book of Concord?
Freddy Finkelstein
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GJ - That is a good idea, to do more on video with Pietism. Perhaps with Verinus, too.
