Peter Spaak (6 June 1696 - 2 December 1769) was a SwedishProtestant Reformer.
Challenging theLutheran orthodoxy as an early proponent offreedom of religion in Sweden, he founded the society ofPietists based in theDiocese of Gothenburg, a society part of which was later integrated into theChurch of Sweden.[1][2]
PeterSpaak was born 1696 inUddevalla,Bohuslän, Sweden. His father Elias Jonæ Spaak served as the localPostmaster and DeputyCustomsChief Inspector, and his maternal grandfather was the Chief Judge Johan Larsson Crantzberg. Peter Spaak's brother Magnus Spaak (1699–1768) emigrated toBrussels,Belgium, becoming the primogenitor of the family cadet branch there, including his nephewfr:Jacques Joseph Spaak (1742-1825).
Peter Spaak was married twice. The first time was to Clara Charlotta Esberg, daughter ofZacharias Esberg the older,bishopelectus of theDiocese of Växjö and sister ofZacharias Esberg the Younger,vicar of Uddevalla. His second marriage was to Ingrid MariaBagge, daughter of Eva ChristinaRadhePalmencrona, and great granddaughter ofNils Fredriksson Bagge,Mayor ofMarstrand.
Professionally, Spaak served asChief Inspector of theCustoms service, andPostmaster in Uddevalla.
Influenced by thepietism of theGermantheologianJohann Konrad Dippel, along withThomas Leopold andJohan Stendahl, Peter Spaak became one of the most prominent early proponents of the movement in Sweden.[3] Originally, the new ideas were met with much opposition, culminating in theConventicle Act in 1726. Like Leopold and Stendahl, at one time Spaak was threatened withprison sentence forheresy. However, contrary to the fate of the former two he was eventually relieved of the allegations, attributed to his contacts with the authorities, including notably family connections to clerics such as Zacharias Esberg the older and Zacharias Esberg the Younger, as well asJacob Benzelius andErik Benzelius the younger, the latter both subsequentarchbishops of Uppsala.[4]
The movement gained significant influence throughout theDiocese of Gothenburg. Spaak established a society based in Uddevalla.[5]
For a period from 1734 onwards, Spaak resided inStockholm, where he came in contact with theSkevikare radicals onVärmdö. Around this time,Riksdag meetings evaluated the influences ofPietism in the realm, having gained supporters also among mainline Protestant clergy,[2] with Spaak,Sven Rosén, and others making early appeals tofreedom of religion in opposition to the staunchLutheran orthodoxy.
Peter Spaak died 1769 inGothenburg.
Soon after, the initial criticism by the state authorities against the perceivedcultural radicalism of the dissident Petists was relaxed, and the movement gained more popularity, right up to theRoyal court. KingGustav III visited the Skevikareincognito in 1779. KingGustav IV Adolf made an official visit in 1797 with "tokens of appreciation". With time, Pietism was eventually reevaluated as a legitimate expression ofLutheranism.
By consequence, following the increased acceptance by the mainstream Protestant society, in the mid-19th century, a part of the Pietist movement was fully integrated into the officialEvangelical-LutheranChurch of Sweden,[6] although another part would persist inRadical Pietist deference into a Uddevalla local predecessor of theProtestantUniting Church in Sweden, independent of the state church.
Subsequent to the great fire of Uddevalla in 1806, a stone house was erected for the Pietist adherents which gave the street block its name,Herrnhut. The building, later purchased by themunicipality, remained until another fire in the 1980s.[7]
