The Pious Lottery
Gerhard Tersteegen's "Der frommen Lotterie" (The Pious Lottery) emerged from the German Pietist movement's emphasis on personal devotion and mystical experience within Reformed Christianity. Writing in 1735, Tersteegen created this treatise as a spiritual guide for believers seeking deeper communion with God through systematic self-examination and surrender. The work reflects his conviction that authentic Christian life required moving beyond formal religious observance toward experiential knowledge of divine love.
Tersteegen structures the work around the metaphor of a lottery, but one where the stakes are spiritual rather than material. He argues that true devotion involves a willing surrender of self-will, placing one's entire spiritual life into God's hands like drawing lots. The treatise explores how believers can cultivate holy indifference to worldly outcomes while maintaining passionate engagement with divine purposes. Tersteegen emphasizes that this surrender is not passive resignation but active trust, requiring disciplined prayer, careful attention to inner spiritual movements, and willingness to accept whatever circumstances God permits. He draws extensively on mystical traditions, particularly the writings of Johannes Tauler and other Rhineland mystics, while maintaining distinctly Protestant convictions about grace and scripture.
The work has endured as a classic of German Pietist spirituality, influencing later movements including Moravianism and various renewal movements within Reformed churches. Its combination of mystical depth with practical guidance has made it a bridge between medieval contemplative traditions and Protestant devotional life. Modern readers have found in Tersteegen's approach a counterbalance to both legalistic Christianity and shallow spirituality.
Who should read this: Christians drawn to contemplative spirituality who want to explore how mystical traditions can flourish within Protestant frameworks, and those seeking guidance on surrendering control while remaining spiritually engaged. This work is not suitable for readers uncomfortable with metaphorical language or those preferring systematic theology over devotional reflection.