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Spener,
Philipp Jakob (b. Jan. 23, 1635, Rappoltsweiler,
Upper Alsace [now Ribeauvillé, France]--d. Feb. 5, 1705, Berlin,
Prussia [Germany]), theologian, author, and a leading figure in German Pietism,
a movement among 17th- and 18th-century Lutherans that stressed personal
improvement and upright conduct as the most important manifestations of
Christian faith.
During his studies at Strassburg
(1651-59) Spener developed an interest in reforming Lutheran orthodox
theology and practice. In particular, he objected to the rigidity of
ecclesiastical structures and the lack of moral discipline among the clergy.
At the age of 31, Spener became president of the Lutheran Church at
Frankfurt am Main, where he began his collegia
pietatis ("schools of piety"), devotional
gatherings intended to encourage personal spiritual growth, prayer, and
Bible study. His extensive correspondence with the German clergy contributed
to the growth of Pietism, as did his major work, Pia
Desideria (1675; Pious Desires).
That work outlined Pietism's basic program and earned Spener a reputation
throughout Germany as the spokesman for the movement. His emphasis upon
practice was often considered extreme, to the detriment of doctrine. But the
doctrinal conflicts of his time deeply concerned Spener, who considered many
of them harmful and irrelevant. In 1686 he was made first court chaplain at
Dresden, then the most valued position in the German Lutheran Church, but
his views soon aroused opposition. Attacks upon Pietism came from the
orthodox Lutherans at the University of Leipzig and from the Saxon court,
whose elector, John George III, had been rebuked by Spener for drunkenness.
Spener consequently moved to Berlin
in 1691 to become provost of St. Nicholas' Church. There he gained from the
Brandenburg-Prussian court the support that enabled him to carry out
numerous reforms. At the new University of Halle, founded on a Pietist basis
by the Elector of Brandenburg in 1694, Spener obtained positions for his
disciples Christian Thomasius and August H. Francke. By the time of Spener's
death, Pietism was well established in Germany, and its influence reached to
England and eventually to the British colonies in America. Other important
works among Spener's more than 300 writings are Das
geistliche Priestertum (1677; "The Spiritual Priesthood") and Die
allgemeine Gottesgelehrtheit (1680; "General Theology").
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