pietism
- noun
- /ˈpaɪɪˌtɪzəm/
- Critics often argue that excessive pietism can lead to a lack of genuine engagement with the community.
Examples
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The preacher's pietism was evident in his dramatic expressions of faith during the service.
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Second, multiculturalism is attractive to Americans in a stringently moral way because of the intensely high, nearly parochial sense of national pietism it evokes.
Academic text (1993) -
While the former blames pietism for emptying Christian colleges of their theological content, the latter traces pietism's impact on mainstream churches.
Academic text (2003) -
Her constant references to prayer and scripture reflect a sense of pietism that many find excessive.
Synonyms
Pretending to be morally better than others
An excessive, showy religious feeling that seems fake or extreme
Very strong belief in a faith that judges others and forces strict rules
Strict religious behavior that pretends to be good and judges others
Religious behavior that seems judging or fake
Antonyms
How Pious
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word pietism comes from the Latin pius, which means 'devout' or 'dutiful', and is the same root as the English words pious and piety. So pietism describes a showy or excessive kind of being 'devout'—acting very religious in a way that may be more for show than true belief.