SPR 533

Expressions of Christianity have frequently veered into one of two directions: piety or legalism. As Christian worship and practice becomes more formal, it often morphs into a dry, habitual routine, or a rigid legalism. The idea of “piety” or “pietism” early on was seen as a reaction to this “spiritless” rigidity. SPR 533 discusses the origins of Christian piety, or spirituality, tracing it through the desert fathers and mothers to the medieval mystics, the German pietists, the anabaptists, and the contemporary charismatic movements. Most importantly, it outlines a Christian spiritual theology for today.