Johann Georg Rapp (November 1, 1757 in Iptingen, Germany – August 7, 1847 in Economy, Pennsylvania) is the founder of the religious sect called Harmonists, Harmonites, Rappites, or the Harmony Society.
Born in Iptingen, Duchy of Württemberg, Germany, Rapp becomes inspired by the philosophies of Jakob Böhme, Philipp Jakob Spener, and Emanuel Swedenborg, among others.
In the 1780s, George Rapp begins preaching and soon starts to gather a group of his own followers.
His group officially splitswith the Lutheran Church in 1785 and is promptly banned from meeting.
The persecution that Rapp and his followers experience causes them to leave Germany and come to the United States in 1803.
Rapp is a Pietist, and a number of his beliefs are shared by the Anabaptists, as well as groups such as the Shakers.
Rapp's religious beliefs and philosophy are the cement that holds his community together both in Germany and in America – a Christian community and commune, which in America organizes as the Harmony Society.
The Harmony Society builds three American towns, becomes rich and famous, and survives for 100 years – roughly from 1805 until 1905.
