ABSTRACT

Pietism ranks second in importance only to the Reformation in the history of Protestantism. 1 The movement swept through the German-speaking territories in the mid- to late seventeenth century and continued for much of the eighteenth century. 2 It was closely related to reform efforts throughout Europe and the North American colonies, so some historians conceive of a “transatlantic evangelical revival movement,” of which German Pietism was but one part. 3 Pietism included movements in the Lutheran and Reformed churches as well as separatist groups. Yet all of these factions, despite holding a range of beliefs, shared certain core concerns: a desire for a more heart-felt religion, more lay participation in church matters, the use of conventicles, and the experience of “rebirth.”