Georg Calixtus
Georg Calixtus, Georg Kallisen ( born December 14, 1586 Medelby, Schleswig, † March 19, 1656 in Helmstedt ) was a German Protestant theologian.
Life
Calixtus was the son of Pastor John Callisen ( called Calixtus ) and his wife Catherine, daughter of the mayor Claus Flensburg Richert. After attending school in Flensburg Calixt studied from 1603 at the University of Helmstedt philosophy and philology. These were mostly professors John Caselius and Cornelius Martini his teachers. 1607 moved Calixt to theology.
In the years 1609-1613 Calixt undertook a study tour of Germany, Belgium, Great Britain and France. After his return he became known beyond the country's borders, as he dared in 1614 to argue publicly with the Jesuit Augustin Turrianus on Hämelschenburg Castle. This appearance owed Calixt ultimately his chair of theology at the University of Helmstedt, where he remained until his death.
Calixtus was a representative of a humanistic theology, marked by Philipp Melanchthon's teachings. Calixtus was the most important Ireniker of the 17th century. From conservative Lutherans, such as Johann Hülsemann, Johann Conrad Dannhauer and Abraham Calov Calixtus was very hostility, as he rejected the Formula of Concord of 1577 not recognized and also the doctrine of ubiquity.
Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg sent Calixt at his request, a consultant to the Konigsberg Lutherans for Thorner colloquy. But just by Hülsemann and Calov Calixtus was not recognized and therefore excluded from all deliberations. He could therefore not officially advise the Reformed deputies.
His son, Friedrich Ulrich Calixtus was also a professor of theology at Helmstedt.
Church Historical importance
Church History is important Calixtus efforts to a merge of the Christian denominations. The impressions of the Thirty Years 'War, the theological proximity to Melanchthon and his thorough knowledge of patristic literature led to the attempt, based on the Apostles' Creed and the Church's doctrinal decisions of the first centuries ( consensus antiquitatis called by his opponent Johann Georg cod in 1648 as consensus quinquesaecularis ) bring about an ecclesiastical unity, which included the essential Christian truths that Calixtus was different from the later non- fundamental articles of faith.
The violent Protestant reactions to this attempt on the Thorn Colloquy (1645, on the initiative of the Polish king Władysław IV Vasa ) with the accusation of synergism and crypto - popery (see syncretic dispute and crypto Catholics ) led to decades of fierce debate within Lutheranism, in the original intent of Calixtus but to no result.
Works
- De praecipuis Christianae religionis capitibus hodie controversis Disputationes XV. Helmstedt 1613
- De vera et ecclesia christiana religione. Helmstedt 1633
- Disputatio Theologica De Autoritate Antiquitatis Ecclesiasticae. Helmstedt in 1639. ( Digitized in the Digital Library of Mecklenburg- Vorpommern)
- Epitome Theologiae. Goslar 1619