Philadelphian Society

English religious movement

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July 19, 2026

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The Philadelphian Society was an English religious movement that promoted esoteric Christianity. Founded in London in 1681 by mystic Jane Leade, the society's beliefs were influenced by the German philosopher Jakob Böhme and Leade's own visions. A key tenet was universal restoration, the idea that all beings, including the Devil and his angels, would ultimately be reconciled with God. Johann Wilhelm Petersen, a German Philadelphian, provided scriptural support for these views in his work Mystery of the Restitution of All Things.1

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Jane Leade
…became the visionary for a Philadelphian Society (a mid-17th-century English movement promoting esoteric Christianity) in London. She affirmed universal restoration, the ultimate reconciliation to God of all human beings, the Devil, and his angels. Johann Wilhelm Petersen, a German-born Philadelphian and Pietist, gave her views scriptural foundations in his Mystery…
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…became the visionary for a Philadelphian Society (a mid-17th-century English movement promoting esoteric Christianity) in London. She affirmed universal restoration, the ultimate reconciliation to God of all human beings, the Devil, and his angels. Johann Wilhelm Petersen, a German-born Philadelphian and Pietist, gave her views scriptural foundations in his Mystery…
Read More