Editing Philipp Spener (section)

==Theology==
[[Image:Pia desideria de P. J. Spener.jpg|thumb|''Pia Desideria'']]

Highly influenced by [[Johann Arndt]], [[Lewis Bayly]], [[Jean de Labadie]], and [[Theophil Großgebauer]], Spener's own writings display an emphasis on personal transformation through spiritual rebirth and renewal. It is this focus on individual devotion and piety that places him within the realm of [[Pietism]].<ref>Howard C. Kee et al., ''Christianity: A Social and Cultural History'', 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998), 344–45.</ref> Spener wanted to strengthen and renew the church through the development of more knowledgeable and devoted members.<ref>Philip Jacob Spener, ''Pia Desideria'', trans. Theodore G. Tappert (Philadelphia, PA:  Fortress Press, 1964), 87–122.</ref>

In his ''Pia Desideria'', he gave six proposals of how to enact this reform: (1) to more thoroughly acquaint believers with Scripture by means of private readings and study groups, in addition to preaching; (2) to increase the involvement of laity in all functions of the church; (3) to emphasize that believers put into practice their faith and knowledge of God; (4) to approach religious discussions with humility and love, avoiding controversy whenever possible; (5) to ensure that pastors are both well-educated and pious; and (6) to focus preaching on developing faith in ordinary believers.<ref>Philip Jacob Spener, ''Pia Desideria'', trans. Theodore G. Tappert (Philadelphia, PA:  Fortress Press, 1964), 87–122.</ref> As these proposals indicate, Spener saw positive change for the church as being primarily dependent upon the pious involvement of individual believers.<ref>Howard C. Kee et al., ''Christianity: A Social and Cultural History'', 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998), 345.</ref>

Though Spener has been called the "father of Pietism," [[Albrecht Ritschl]] (''Geschichte des Pietismus'', ii. 163) maintains that "he was himself not a Pietist," as he did not advocate the quietistic, legalistic and semi-separatist practices of Pietism, though they were more or less involved in the positions he assumed or the practices which he encouraged or connived at. The only two points on which he departed from the orthodox Lutheran faith of his day were the requirement of regeneration as the ''[[sine qua non]]'' of the true theologian, and the expectation of the conversion of the [[Jew]]s and the fall of the Papacy as the prelude of the triumph of the Church.<ref name="Chisholm1911"/>

He did not, like the later Pietists, insist upon the necessity of a conscious crisis of conversion, nor did he encourage a complete breach between the Christian and the secular life.<ref name="Chisholm1911"/> Spener was sometimes believed to be one of the godfathers of Count von [[Zinzendorf]], the leader of the [[Moravian Church|Moravian Brethren's]] Community at [[Herrnhut]] in [[Saxony]]. Although Zinzendorf met Spener as a child at his grandmother's home in Hennersdorf, Spener was not his godfather.<ref>Dietrich Meyer and Paul Peucker, eds., ''Graf ohne Grenzen: Leben und Werk von Nikolaus Ludwig Graf von Zinzendorf'' (Herrnhut: Unitätsarchiv, 2000), 165–167.</ref>

Spener was a prolific writer. The list of his published works comprises 7 vols. folio, 63 quarto, 7 octavo, 46 duodecimo. An edition of his chief writings was published by P. Grunberg in 1889.<ref name="Chisholm1911"/> TVG Brunnen Verlag in Gießen, Germany began a new edition of Spener's works in 1996.