Influenced by the pietism of the German theologian Johann Konrad Dippel, along with Thomas Leopold and Johan Stendahl, Peter Spaak became one of the most prominent early proponents of the movement in Sweden.
However, contrary to the fate of the former two he was eventually relieved of the allegations, attributed to his contacts with the authorities, including notably family connections to clerics such as Zacharias Esberg the older and Zacharias Esberg the Younger, as well as Jacob Benzelius and Erik Benzelius the younger, the latter both subsequent archbishops of Uppsala.
Around this time, Riksdag meetings evaluated the influences of Pietism in the realm, having gained supporters also among mainline Protestant clergy,[2] with Spaak, Sven Rosén, and others making early appeals to freedom of religion in opposition to the staunch Lutheran orthodoxy.
Soon after, the initial criticism by the state authorities against the perceived cultural radicalism of the dissident Petists was relaxed, and the movement gained more popularity, right up to the Royal court.
Subsequent to the great fire of Uddevalla in 1806, a stone house was erected for the Pietist adherents which gave the street block its name, Herrnhut.