近年來，有關敬虔主義如何影響華人教會屬靈傳統之課題常被提起。大部份的人在談到敬虔主義時，大都儘量秉持公允的態度，一方面正面積極地肯定敬虔主義對教會復興、海外宣教與提昇個人靈性等層面帶來的貢獻；另一方面也會語帶批判地論及敬虔主義反知識、輕教義、強調個人主觀經驗、輕忽社會使命的態度對華人教會造成負面的影響。無疑地，華人教會主要是由歐美宣教士散播福音種子培植而生，自然無法絕緣於西方教會屬靈傳統之外。可惜的是，與敬虔主義相關領域的研究至今仍付之闕如，我們也鮮少聽到有學者或牧者對「何謂敬虔主義」提出清楚的定義與溯源。畢竟，自十九世紀中葉以後，敬虔主義的傳統定義已被重新解構，早就脫離古典內涵的範疇，成為一個不斷被無限擴展的概念或現象，導致敬虔主義古典運動的訴求被模糊與曲解，再歷經以訛傳訛的複製傳播後，恐怕今日華人教會無論正、反支持者所談論的敬虔主義已非它最原始的風貌了！本文的目的就是嘗試溯源古典敬虔主義的含義，以被喻為「敬虔之父」的施本爾之敬虔運動作為原型概念的探討，並從二戰之後德國學界崛起的「重新發現敬虔主義」之運動，來介紹當代研究成果，幫助讀者對古典敬虔運動的精神有更整全的認識。

The contemporary Chinese-speaking Christian culture has been under theinfluence of the tradition of Western spirituality. Among such influence pietism is animportant spiritual inheritance that the Chinese-speaking churches can hardly ignore.The problem is that pietism is often equated with individualism, emotionalism,anti-intellectualism, and with the disregard for social responsibility. It is time toquestion whether this is the right understanding about pietism.This article attempts to find out the origin of the word ‘pietism’ and its classicalmeaning by tracing the historical setting in which the classical pietism was born.Specifically, from the book Pia desideria authored by the German Lutheran reverendJacob Spener, known as the Father of Pietism, and from the pious groups （collegiapietatis） that he founded, we intend to find out the original connotation of pietismand consequently correct those misconceptions and biases against this movement thathave so far found the support of some Christian groups.For the tradition of linking the above-mentioned negative practices of Christianfaith with pietism, this article argues that Albrecht Ritschl’s The History of Pietism isto blame, that its biased conclusion towards pietism has misled opinion on the topic inthe West, if not also anywhere else, and hindered the restoration of the original imageof pietism for decades. Due to the dominant status of his book and its negativeinfluence, this article intends to reevaluate Ritschl’s role in the history of research onpietism.Finally, this article introduces the contemporary movement of rediscoveringpietism. Beginning after the WWII, this academic trend mobilizes some Germanchurch historians to delve into the treasures of classical pietism, with the purpose ofbringing the major pietists and their works back to life. Through this article, the authorintends to open up a window for the Chinese-speaking churches which can enablethem to understand classical pietism better.