Pietism

In the century following the Reformation some scholars became cold and ungodly and were not born again. A movement called Pietism arose to correct this, emphasising the new birth and personal faith in the Lord Jesus. Some in the movement went too far, playing down the need for rigorous learning of the scripture. Catechisms began to be shunned, as well as careful teaching of scripture to children.

Catechisms are a formal presentation of the main doctrines of the word of God, which are useful in class studies. Pietism led to the possibility of “faith” being overly subjective, based on personal views and feelings rather than knowledge of the word of God. Pietism also emphasised holiness through personal devotion, like the Catholics before the Reformation. A form of Pietism came into modern Christianity.

Part of the heritage this has bequeathed us is that righteousness is often seen in terms of what we do not do. That is, the righteous do not dance, do not go to movies, do not drink, do not play cards, do not smoke, do not swear, do not...Jesus certainly did not live like this (Matt 11:19). This is the self-righteousness of the Pharisees.

This causes us to draw away from society, universities, media, arts and politics, rather than occupying in it. This results in a decline of godliness in our societies, when the church that should be salt, light and leaven instead has no voice except to itself. It has also misled people as to salvation. True righteousness is based on the renewing of the nature by the Holy Spirit, not on rules.

These tendencies in Pietism have influenced hermeneutics, sometimes emphasising the devotional, personal interpretation and playing down more rigorous approaches to Bible study as less spiritual. Pietism has bestowed many benefits upon Christianity, including Spirit filled ministers of the gospel and missionaries around the world. It has awoken many from formalism, but it can also stray into legalism.

“Devotionalism” is existentialism, in so far as it substitutes personal or subjective “truth” for objective truth, rational logical reason and justice. What we feel becomes more important than what is the reality. In a Post Modern world, reality is shifted to a mystical centre. It means “reality” is whatever we define it to be.