passage of time it is no longer possible to tell if this information was correct, but there was certainly a group of people in Wildemann that belonged to a radical Pietist movement. Its members were convinced that true Christians possessed two characteristics: a contrite and humble spirit, which was the prior condition for God to dwell in the soul, and a brotherly love to one’s neighbour. Parsons seemed to them to lack both characteristics. Therefore the writer of the letter asked his addressee to change his heart and mind. He should alter his manner of life completely in order to find the way of salva-tion. The miner mentioned two exemplars of true Christianity: St Paul and Martin Luther. For him St Paul was a simple craftsman who knew his craft well. There was no need for him to ask the faithful for money in the way the parsons do. Instead he looked after their souls. He called them brethren and did not receive honour from men.

doi:10.4324/9780203166505-30

Chapter

passage of time it is no longer possible to tell if this information was correct, but there was certainly a group of people in Wildemann that belonged to a radical Pietist movement. Its members were convinced that true Christians possessed two characteristics: a contrite and humble spirit, which was the prior condition for God to dwell in the soul, and a brotherly love to one’s neighbour. Parsons seemed to them to lack both characteristics. Therefore the writer of the letter asked his addressee to change his heart and mind. He should alter his manner of life completely in order to find the way of salva-tion. The miner mentioned two exemplars of true Christianity: St Paul and Martin Luther. For him St Paul was a simple craftsman who knew his craft well. There was no need for him to ask the faithful for money in the way the parsons do. Instead he looked after their souls. He called them brethren and did not receive honour from men.

Chapter

passage of time it is no longer possible to tell if this information was correct, but there was certainly a group of people in Wildemann that belonged to a radical Pietist movement. Its members were convinced that true Christians possessed two characteristics: a contrite and humble spirit, which was the prior condition for God to dwell in the soul, and a brotherly love to one’s neighbour. Parsons seemed to them to lack both characteristics. Therefore the writer of the letter asked his addressee to change his heart and mind. He should alter his manner of life completely in order to find the way of salva-tion. The miner mentioned two exemplars of true Christianity: St Paul and Martin Luther. For him St Paul was a simple craftsman who knew his craft well. There was no need for him to ask the faithful for money in the way the parsons do. Instead he looked after their souls. He called them brethren and did not receive honour from men.

ABSTRACT

This catalogue of heresies was shaped by a comprehensive publication by Samuel Schelwig (1643-1715), a senior clergyman at Dantzig. In his Synopsis controversiarum sub pietatis praetextu motarum (Synopsis of Controversies Initiated under the Guise of Piety) he had classified all the pretended errors of Pietism.10 He wanted to demonstrate that every Pietist error, even the most innocent, belonged to a great chain of Christian error and heresy. Therefore he placed the principles of moderate Pietists such as Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) alongside the extreme opinions of more radical Pietists. Schelwig regarded himself as a true defender of Lutheran orthodoxy. His view of the relationship between the clergy and the laity was clear and simple: ‘The church as a whole is made up of teachers and pupils, of whom, as in the previous debate, it was shown from scripture the former govern by divine right, the latter obey, the former lead, the latter are led.’11 The superiority of the teacher by comparison with the laity, who were regarded as a mere audience, was established by God. If the true nature of the relationship were not respected, anarchy would follow. Luther’s view of the priesthood of all believers was explained by Schelwig in a very simple way: every baptized Christian has the same access to salvation but does not have the same rights. Everyone gains access to that salvation through the preaching of the church. Preaching