a mystical trend in Protestantism, especially Lutheranism, in the late 17th and 18th centuries, which considered religious feelings more important than religious dogma. Pietism appeared as a reaction against the formalism and dry rationalism of orthodox 17th-century Lutheranism and as a revival of the ideas of primitive Lutheranism. It was also directed against the rationalist philosophy of the Enlightenment.
The founder of Pietism was the Frankfurt theologian P. J. Spener, who began to preach in the 1670’s. The University of Halle, opened in 1694, became the center of Pietism as represented by A. H. Francke. Rejecting church ritualism, the Pietists called for a deepening of faith, attributed special importance to the inner emotional experiences of the believer and to prayer that is conducive to religious feeling, and urged moral self-improvement. Emphasizing the practice of Christian moral principles, the Pietists declared that it was sinful to participate in any entertainment—theater, dances, or games—or to read nonreligious literature.
The reactionary and hypocritical nature of Pietism manifested itself particularly in the 18th century, when the monarchical Junker circles of Prussia embraced it. Pietism was relatively democratic in nature in Württemberg, particularly in the teachings of G. Arnold. It exerted an influence on romanticism. Pietism experienced a resurgence in certain areas in the 19th century. In its broader sense, pietism refers to mystical religious sentiment and conduct.