At the university he had been drawn to Pietism, initially a reaction against the formalism of orthodox Lutheranism, but a term that sometimes included various esoteric or heretical Christian ideas.
La universitate s-a simțit atras de pietism, la început ca o reacție împotriva formalismului luteran ortodox, „pietism” fiind un termen care uneori includea diferite idei creștine esoterice sau eretice.