What is pietism? What's wrong with pietism?

[DexterMorse2f]

I'm still on my search to discover the meaning of pietism and what's wrong with it.

Can someone(s) please answer the following questions?

1. What is pietism?
2. What is wrong with pietism?
3. What are some modern examples of pietism?
4. What is the biblical correction to pietism?

 

[cerette]

Pietism generally speaking is the view that doctrines are not very important and what matters is that one is "born again" and is a pious person. They focus on a "personal relationship with Jesus" and inner emotions.

Pietism creates a false dichotomy between doctrines and Christian life.

Evangelicals, Pentecostals etc have their origins in pietism, and from Scandinavia comes for instance the Laestadian movement.

The Bible says that doctrines are important, and that we should teach everything that Jesus taught to all nations. Doctrines are the basis of Christian life, not some separate unimportant thing.

 

[Studeclunker]

Pietism focuses on self rather than on God. That is to say; what have I done in my own strength today? Have I resisted evil? Have I concentrated on God's word? Have I done good works? Lived a holy life? etc, etc, etc... If you are saying it sounds a lot like Works Righteousness, you are spot on!

Wikipedia has a fairly good explanation of Pietism here:
Pietism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This has several effects on the Church and it's members. The worst of which is the creation of Pharisaical members. Like Jesus said, "the cup is beautiful on the outside, polished and perfect, but it is full of filth and corruption." Thus, though Pietism sounds really good to a traditionalist like myself, it is actually a very bad idea. Although I must admit, a very mild version of it wouldn't hurt most people.

 

[Moses Medina]

Worldview Everlasting search results: pietism

Check out the videos that pop up under the search I did. I hope that helps.

 

[DexterMorse2f]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[ContraMundum]

I've been studying this topic solidly for about two years, mostly reading Spener, Arndt and others. I'm aghast at the lack of knowledge amongst Lutherans about this. It's almost like no one reads the sources anymore, just following the crowd. Read Spener's Pia Desideria and tell me it isn't relevant now! I read it and could have sworn it was written to address our own age.

This Lutheran blog/article Q and A deals with it, but the only person on the whole page with any accurate, informed and well read assesment on this topic is the Finnish Pastor Tapani Simojaki, so scroll down to get his comments (comments 24 and 26). The rest clearly have no first hand knowledge of the topic.

One thing a friend of mine said to me recently- the people that rail the most against the things orthodox pietists promoted- which happen to be Bible study, mission, personal faith and conversion, sanctification, rejection of worldliness (all things the Bible teaches and Luther stood for) are the ones in most need of it. He nailed it.

 

[Kalevalatar]

In Finland, the "mainstream" Lutheran revivalists movements (such as the Lutheran Evangelical Association of Finland of pastor Simojoki) remain and work inside the umbrella of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland.

Pietism, which in Finland started as a "manor house movement" meaning its first advocates were upper class "intelligentsia" (officers, clergy, nobility), was in a way a reactionary "reformation" movement against the very strict Lutheran orthodoxy, the authoritarian state's (= monarch's) ab/using the Church to consolidate its absolute power, coupled with the Age of Enlightment's revolutionary liberal modern ideas of individualism. In 1608, the law of Moses was declared the law of the land. Every subject of the realm was required to confess the Lutheran faith and church attendance was mandatory. Ecclesiastical penalties were widely used. Keep in mind that at the time, the monarch was the head of the Church and thus, between you and God.

 

[DexterMorse2f]

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[Daniel Stinson]

This dates back to Augustine of Hippo who wrote extensively on Christian piety. The Pelagianism heresy resulted in Augustine overreacting to some pious attributes and developing double-predestination, but differently from how John Calvin interpreted it. Dr. Martin Luther believed in appropriate levels of piety and encouraged legitimate piety; while denouncing sensationalism and mysticism and going beyond Christian piety.

Lutheran Rationalist were the first to break with the Lutheran Orthodoxy. Overly rationalizing everything made for very drab and dry congregations that preferred logic over emotion. Sociology and psychology extensively debates the viewpoints of Empiricists vs Rationalist in the 1600's which swept Church congregations throughout Europe. Lutheran Piety schism out of the Rationalist congregations in much the same manner Rationalism schim from Orthodoxy. Pious Lutherans were hyperreactive to Rationalism itself more so than Orthodoxy, but still had no more use for Orthodoxy than they did Rationalism.

Lutheran Pious congregations are often regarded as a source to the Semi-Pelagianism (Free-Will Theology) further articulated by Calvinist theologian James Arminian (Arminianism) and John Smyth (Free-Will Baptist) by the mid-to-late 1600's. Post-modern secular philosophies of this era were often more influential in religion than seminaries themselves.

 

[twin.spin]

Pietism defined is:
piety n. pl.
The condition of reverence and devotion to God that comes with faith in Christ.

pietism n.
Making subjective standards of piety and religious experience the essential measure of Christianity or the Christian faith.



As a Lutheran theologian once wrote about pietism:

​

The spirit of Pietism is alive in American Evangelicalism.

​

Evangelicals emphasize the importance of a subjective “born again” experience of salvation.
Many proclaim decision theology, teaching that an unbeliever has the spiritual power to
“decide for Christ” and thus make a contribution to his own conversion. Much contemporary
religious music displays a subjectivism that stresses experiential Christianity, decision
theology, and Christian lifestyle rather than the objective truths of the gospel.....

​

They don’t recognize that God’s Word is powerful and effective in and of itself.
Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement emphasize experiential religion over
doctrinal theology and look for power other than the power God has given us in his Word
and sacraments.

... in short, because of decision theology requires repentance being a decision we make on our own, most Evangelicals devalue the sacraments into nothing more than a legal requirement by which you show your love and obedience to God.

 

[ContraMundum]

To add to my post #6 above......Orthodox Pietism saved my life, my faith and my family. Spener was right, and his historic concerns are re-emerging as a prophetic voice for our age now.