Geschichtsbewusstsein und Zukunftserwartung in Pietismus und Erweckungsbewegung

By Jan Carsten Schnurr

Book Description

This scholarly collection explores how two transformative Protestant movements understood their place in history and envisioned the future. Through nineteen essays by cultural, literary, theological, and church historians, readers encounter the rich tapestry of beliefs that shaped Pietism in the 17th and 18th centuries and the Evangelical Awakening of the 19th century.

The volume illuminates how these spiritual renewal movements developed distinctive perspectives on time, history, and divine purpose. Contributors examine the forward-looking visions of influential figures like Philipp Jakob Spener, August Hermann Francke, and Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, revealing how their eschatological expectations influenced entire communities of believers. The collection also delves into the historical consciousness of Halle Pietists, the Württemberg Awakening, and other significant groups within these movements.

What emerges is a fascinating portrait of how spiritual communities interpret both Christian history and world events through the lens of divine providence. The essays explore various expressions of this worldview, from collective biographies and Moravian memoirs to the practice of drawing lots for guidance. By comparing Pietism and the Evangelical Awakening, the volume reveals both continuities and changes in Protestant spiritual thought across centuries.

This interdisciplinary approach, drawing from church history, theology, German literature, cultural studies, and education, offers readers insight into how religious movements shape and are shaped by their understanding of time, purpose, and divine destiny.