About Pietisten

Founded in 1986 in Minneapolis, the journal Pietisten is published twice a year by Pietisten Inc., a Minnesota non-profit 501(c)(3). We are ecumenical and do not formally represent any institution, but we draw heavy inspiration from the collective heritage of Lutheran Pietism, as represented in a congenial flock of historically-related traditions: the Evangelical Covenant Church and Svenska Missionskyrkan (Mission Covenant Church of Sweden), the Augustana Lutheran heritage (ELCA), the Evangelical Free Church, and the Baptist General Conference, and epidemics of Pietism within the Congregationalist and Methodist folds. Pietisten is the spiritual heir of a Swedish devotional newspaper of the same name, published between 1842-1917 by George Scott, Carl Olof Rosenius, and Paul Peter Waldenström – a Methodist, a Lutheran and a Covenanter, respectively. Although participation by clergy and scholars is frequent, the journal is intended for lay people, and we write as lay people. The format of our journal is based on what were regular or frequent elements of the original Pietisten: commentaries on the lectionary texts by Luther, Rosenius, Waldenström, and others, ecclesiastical concerns, theological discussions, hymns, poetry, selected news items and a healthy dose of humor. We welcome your participation and responses to any and all articles, and refer you to our premises below as a guide in the philosophy of our journal.

Pietisten Premises

To intend blessing
To take people as they present themselves to us
To seek no other authority
To engage with friends in an open conversation and to expand our friendships
To keep alive a tradition of spontaneous voices in the congregational and democratic traditions
To bless all forms of human endeavor and ministry
To seek a thankful heart and to look for the gospel
To be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves–as understood and informed by Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon “Strong Mind, Tender Heart”
To enjoy the liberty to say and print anything we want and let it be subject to criticism by anyone who is interested

Submission Guidelines

We welcome submissions of articles for Pietisten.

Below are some guidelines - if you have questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

• Half-page articles should aim for 275-300 words.
• One-page articles should be about 650-700 words.
• Two-page articles should be about 1,200-1,400 words.
• For all articles, please include author bio information (one sentence), and a head shot photo of the author.
• Tributes (i.e. obituaries for fellow Pietisten readers) should be between 200-400 words, and include a picture of the deceased, and birth and death dates.
• "Readers Respond" letters are subject to heavy editing - usually only 1-2 paragraphs at most are lifted - so, the more concise these are to begin with, the easier it is for us to use them.
• Birth Announcements should include only a brief note about birth stats, parents, as well as a photo.

Please send questions and submissions to Pietisten's Chief Editor, Mark Safstrom.

Pietisten Advisory Board

The Pietisten Advisory Board exists to serve as points of contact with our readership and guide our future development. Members include:

Prof. Arvid Adell (retired, Millikin University)
Prof. Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom, North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago
Rev. Steven Elde, First Covenant Church, Seattle
Prof. Maria Erling, United Lutheran Seminary
Prof. David M. Gustafson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
David Hawkinson, Biblical scholar, founding editor of Pietisten
David Jessup, faculty, Gustavus Adolphus College
Rev. Anders Johnson, Chicago
Phil Johnson, Editor Emeritus, Pietisten, Minneapolis
Art Mampel, poet, Seattle
Donald Safstrom, CPA, Seattle
Tom Tredway, President Emeritus, Augustana College

Staff (starting with volume XXV)

Staff (through volume XXIV)

Copyright

The contents of Pietisten are copyright Pietisten, Inc. However, contents may be reproduced or photocopied without permission. Please give credit to the authors and to Pietisten.

Pietisten is published by Pietisten, Inc, Minneapolis. Pietisten, Inc. (Employer ID# 41-1694598) is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3).