Philipp Jakob Spener was the founder of the Lutheran pietistic movement; his letters are an essential source for research into the Early Modern Age, not only in terms of church history, but also regarding cultural history and the history of ideas.
The correspondence between Spener (1635-1705) and Adam Rechenberg (1642-1721) makes up the most extensive part of the preserved letters, which up to now were only available as original manuscripts. The rich corpus offers comprehensive insights into Spener's life, thinking, work, and networks that portray many areas of contemporary spiritual and societal life outside of religious circles.
The second volume contains 173 letters from the years 1690-1691. The correspondence shows a detailed picture of the pietistic disturbances in Leipzig and the growing hostility of leading Saxon theologians against Spener. Furthermore, his quarrels with the elector of Saxony and the efforts to call him to Berlin are illustrated precisely.