Pia desideria

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Pia desideria (with the subtitle Heartfelt desire for godly improvement in the true Protestant churches ) is the title of a work by Philipp Jacob Spener that appeared in 1675 . It contains the church reform program of Pietism .

As a scholarly expression (from Latin pius "pious" and desiderium "wish"), pia desideria describes well-intentioned but unfulfillable wishes. The Jesuit Herman Hugo published a work under this title as early as 1627.

Occasion and expenses

Philipp Jacob Spener had set up the first conventicle (Latin: "collegium pietatis") in Frankfurt in 1670 in order to promote a renewed, lively religious life in a (in his opinion) religiously rigid (Lutheran) church. In 1675 (publication date was March 24th) he got a new edition of the Gospels postille by Johann Arndt , whose writings were among his main sources of inspiration. He added a foreword to this new edition containing proposals for reforming the Lutheran Church. Before going to print, Spener had the text approved by the Frankfurt Ministry of Preachers and sent off reprints to numerous theologians who were friends.

In the same year, in September 1675 (but with the year 1676), Spener published the program again under the title Pia desideria as a separate publication, supplemented by a dedication, a preface and two reports from his two brothers-in-law Joachim Stoll and Johann Heinrich Horb . Only this separate print is the actual pia desideria and can be conceptually differentiated from the original postil preface.

Another edition appeared in 1676; In 1678 a Latin translation followed, without the expert opinion, but with an appendix on the question of the conversion of the Jews, which was also included in the next German edition in 1680. In 1699 Spener had the script included in his First Spiritual Writings . After his death, numerous other editions, new editions and translations were published.

content

In research this work is divided into three parts: diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

Diagnosis: need for reform - "general lawsuit"

The complaint with which Spener takes up the radical criticism of the church by separatist and spiritualist circles is structured in two stages. 1. Spener complains of “ailments” in all three classes, especially the lack of true, living faith and “lust for the flesh, lust for the eyes and serene life” in the spiritual class. At the same time, he emphasizes that the Evangelical Church is the only one with pure teaching . The lay class, in turn, suffered from a lack of orientation, which manifests itself in drunkenness, the tendency to legal proceedings, a lack of charity, purely external hearing of the word (which does not penetrate the heart) and other things. 2. It shows the consequences of the diagnosed condition: Jews and other false believers, especially papists, are prevented from conversion. It also leads critics to claim that the teaching is also wrong.

Forecast - "Hope for an improvement in the Church"

Spener expects a "better condition" of the church here on earth. It is noticeable that he does not make any concrete descriptions, but only operates with comparatives such as “better”, “more wonderful”, “blessed” or the like, so he does not expect a perfect church. According to Spener, at the time of the first Christian church there was a situation like that expected of him. As a justification, he cites two, in his opinion, not yet fulfilled biblical promises, namely the conversion of the Jews ( Rom 11.25f  LUT ) and the downfall of the Roman Church ( Rev 18.1ff  LUT ). Although these promises will definitely be fulfilled, people are called upon to participate in them. This is what Spener's entire reform program aims at.

With this eschatological hope for the future, which is influenced by chiliasm , Spener differs from the Lutheran theology of his time. While he was counting on an inner-worldly improvement of the church, the representatives of the Lutheran orthodoxy - like Spener himself in his time in Strasbourg - expected the early onset of judgment day .

Therapy - "Simple Suggestions"

Spener's reform program is divided into six individual proposals. The first two are based on Martin Luther , the remaining four on Johann Arndt .

1. "Bringing the Word of God among us more abundantly"

Spener uses the “Word of God” - as it did before him in Lutheran orthodoxy - as a synonym for the Bible. His proposal has three thrusts: 1. Encouraging private Bible reading; H. the fathers of the house should read from the Bible daily, 2. Introduction of public, continuous Bible readings (lectio continua) without interpretation to consolidate knowledge of the Bible, 3. Assemblies according to ( 1 Cor 14:26  LUT ) for the interpretation of Bible texts and for exchange; Spener does not yet use the term Collegia pietatis here.

2. "Establishing and Diligently Exercising the Spiritual Priesthood"

As required since the Reformation, the spiritual (general) priesthood of all believers is to be strengthened. However, an ordained pastor should appear at public events. In an emergency, however, any believer can be used.

3. "Diligently to fool the people that Christianity does not consist in knowledge but in practice"

Knowledge must be followed by action. It is no longer just a matter of correct teaching and correct belief, but also of appropriate action. This is shown practically in brotherly and neighborly love.

4. "How to behave in religious disputes"

Religious disputes are not an end in themselves, but aim to convince the erring to the truth. This should happen in love and be supported by intercession. Even if the truth must be protected, conversion is more valuable than intellectual victory. Quote: “Because an intellectual insight and the conviction of a truth is far from being faith. [...] From this it becomes clear that disputing is not enough, neither to get the truth from ourselves nor to teach it to those who are still astray. For this, holy love of God is necessary. "

5. "Education of the preachers in the universities"

Theological studies are to be improved in two ways: 1. Should the students also be encouraged and accompanied in their own faith. To this end, the professors should set a good example and serve as mentors. Furthermore, forms of collegia pietatis should also be set up at universities . 2. But the courses themselves should also be improved. For example, Spener suggests introducing academic disputations in which students can hear contrary doctrines and form their own judgment.

6. "Establishing Sermons for Edification"

Sermons should not only be delivered in a rhetorical and aesthetic manner. They should serve the purpose of strengthening faith and the "inner man".

effect

Spener's Pia desideria met with a great response in the church. Critical voices were directed more against the hope for the future than against the reform proposals. Spener received letters of approval from all over Germany; in many places his proposals have been exhausted. It was not until the 1690s that more violent criticism from orthodox theologians began, which Spener encountered in several publications.

Expenses (selection)

  • Philipp Jacob Spener: Pia desideria or heartfelt desire for a godly improvement in the true evangelical church , 1675 ( urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb10267972-4 (predated 1676); German text archive ; new edition from 1841, digitized in the Google book search ).
  • Philipp Jakob Spener: Pia desideria. Heartfelt longing for a God-pleasing improvement in the true evangelical church, along with some simple-minded Christian proposals aimed at this. Re-edited and annotated by FWP Ludwig Feldner , evangel. Pastor. Niesky near Görlitz, 1846 ( PDF file ).
  • Philipp Jacob Spener: Pia Desideria. Edited by Kurt Aland (= short texts for lectures and exercises, no. 170). Berlin 3 1964.
  • Pia desideria - return to the future . Brunnen Verlag, Giessen 5 1995, ISBN 3-7655-9065-7 (modernized edition).
  • The works of Philipp Jakob Spener. Study edition . Edited by Kurt Aland and Beate Köster. Vol. 1.1. Brunnen, Gießen 1996, pp. 85–407 (also as a separate edition 2005).

literature

  • Martin Brecht : Philipp Jakob Spener, his program and its effects. In: History of Pietism. Vol. 1. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1993, pp. 302-316.
  • Hyeung-Eun Chi: Philipp Jacob Spener and his Pia desideria. The continuation of the reform proposals of the Pia desideria in his later writings. Lang, Frankfurt / M. 1997, ISBN 3-631-49393-2 .
  • Johannes Wallmann : Pietism. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2005, ISBN 3-8252-2598-4 , pp. 79-90.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Georg Büchmann: Winged words. The treasure trove of quotations from the German people . Ullstein, Frankfurt am Main / Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-550-08521-4 , p. 303.
  2. ↑ z. B. Theophil Großgebauer: Guardian voice from the devastated Zion. Wilden, Frankfurt am Main 1661, urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb11296645-6 .