Soon he became directly involved with Lutheran High Church movement in Germany and 1929 became chairman of Hochkirchliche Vereinigung Augsburgischen Bekenntnisses.
Later the issue of the absence of Apostolic succession in Evangelical Church in Germany caused the foundation of Hochkirchliche St.-Johannes-Bruderschaft.
Heiler became the Apostolischer Vorsteher of the St.-Johannes-Bruderschaft, arranging to receive the episcopal consecration from a bishop of the Gallican Church, Petrus Gaston Vigué (from the succession line of Joseph René Vilatte).
Despite Heiler's liberalism, his high church theology was also widely known among other, usually very conservative Lutheran high church theologians outside of Germany, because of at that time generally a rare ecumenical attempt, Heiler's Roman Catholic background and because of his interest on Liturgical Movement.
This typology proposes six types of prayer: primitive, ritual, Greek cultural, philosophical, mystical, and prophetic.
It has been noted in recent years that Heiler’s typology should include seven types, the first being secular spirituality.
This type of prayer can be found in all facets of life, from primitive cultures to superstitious industrialized countries.
At this point, the person praying recognizes that naïve and realistic prayers may not affect the divine order of the universe.
In this model, there are no stages, as the ability to speak directly to God without formula or meditation began when the veil was rent on the day Christ was crucified.